The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers have played 128 times and meet again (in a crucial battle) this Sunday. Also, Sunday in Stillwater, Minnesota, this rivalry gets pulled in a different direction.
It's the inaugural border battle tug of war atop Stillwater's Lift Bridge. The nonprofit St. Croix Syndicate is helping to stage the event.
"We're starting off the event at 9:00, then we'll have the national anthem, and then we'll organize teams of 25 Packer fans to face off against 25 Viking fans," says co-founder of the event, Corey Buettner. "Then we'll do a series of them to determine the winner."
Bridge up or down?
"That's been like the number one question, is, 'can we have the bridge in the up position so there are consequences?' And, although that's a funny proposition, but no, the bridge will be in the closed position," Buettner said. "No, it's cold enough in the air, let alone being in the frigid St. Croix."
So what's at play here? Well, bragging rights of course. There's also a $30 entry fee so some money is going to do some good.
"If the Packers win, then the Wisconsin EMS and Fire and Police Associations will get 60% of the proceeds, whereas Minnesota would get 40%," he tells WCCO Radio. "So there is some skin in the game to win the tug of war."
Just like the football field, stickum isn't allowed either.
"We'll just have people wear gloves because we don't want to damage the rope," Buettner explains.
Which is good. We don't want any cheating Packer fans.
You can learn more about the event here.