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Nov. 20, 2022
By David Nordby
“Take it all in,” Nick Ferrara told a group of Amazon Prime members and other VIP guests for “Thursday Night Football” at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
Millions of fans have watched the NFL’s weekly Thursday night game on Amazon Prime Video since the streaming service became the exclusive home for it this season, but few have experienced what a group did on Thursday in Green Bay.
A group of Amazon Prime members with a few social media influencers were treated to a night filled with football and surprises.
The Prime members, compiled of mostly Packers fans from around Wisconsin, received the VIP treatment for the game between the Packers and Tennessee Titans. They were treated to a memorable night with a stay at Hotel Northland in downtown Green Bay, a bus ride to the game, and the recreation of a Lambeau Leap with Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame member Antonio Freeman. And that was just the start.
Freeman, who played for the Packers from 1995 to 2001 and 2003, spent time with the VIP guests for close to one hour, sharing memories of winning Super Bowl XXXI, an in-depth breakdown of his famous game-winning catch against the Minnesota Vikings on “Monday Night Football” on Nov. 6, 2000, and how he prepared for games.
Freeman shared that East Coast rap music and its lyrics about starting from little and working toward success helped get him in the right mindset for football games.
“I related to their stories,” Freeman said.
Freeman laughed that now, players listen to music on cordless headphones through their phones. In the 1990s, he needed CDs in portable CD players that could easily have the music skip if it got bumped during his warmups.
“You had to be cautious,” Freeman joked.
The behind-the-scenes conversation with Freeman was just one part of the night. The Prime members were given VIP sideline passes during pregame warmups and surprised with a trip onto the field, which is normally strictly reserved for players and coaches. With players warming up behind them, the group took a photo that was displayed on the Lambeau Field big screen during the game.
The group also received personalized game balls, gift cards and seats in the lower corner end zone during the game.
Amazon representatives said that it is designed to bring a unique experience to loyal customers of Amazon.
The VIP experience is taking place throughout Amazon’s first season with “Thursday Night Football,” including previous cities like Chicago and Tampa.
Ferrara told the group to enjoy the night and take in the event. That included members of the Amazon team, who all held their own unique life stories. As part of the Amazon football experience, the company used full-time workers in addition to freelance workers. The freelance workers came from all across the United States, including Los Angeles and Miami, to help make the VIP experience a successful one for everyone who attended.
The night was difficult to compare to, even for long-time Lambeau Field attendees.
Matt Hamilton, an Olympic Gold Medalist and World Junior Champion in curling, is a Madison native and Packers season ticket holder. Hamilton has attended many games, and the experience for Thursday night’s game was as good as it gets, he said.
“I’d never been on the field like that. That was an unparalleled moment for me as far as Packers experience, so this is definitely the top, cream of the crop as far as my Packers experience goes. I’ve been to over a dozen games,” Hamilton said.
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