Wisconsin Senator Introduces Anti-Vikings 'Go Pack Go' Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Wednesday introduced the "Go Pack Go" Act to make sure no Wisconsinites are forced to watch Minnesota Vikings games.

Currently, Green Bay Packers fans in 13 Wisconsin counties are assigned to an out-of-state local TV market, in either Minnesota or Michigan, which means these Wisconsin households get Vikings or Detroit Lions games, not Packers games, when those teams are playing at the same time.

"Every Packers fan across our state should be able to watch Packers games,” Baldwin said in a statement.

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"My Go Pack Go Act would give Packers fans in every Wisconsin county the opportunity to watch Packers games and cheer on our beloved green and gold."

While most people live in a local television market that is centered in their home state, some counties, particularly in border areas, have been placed in an out-of-state market and their residents receive out-of-state TV broadcasts as a result.

In Wisconsin, nearly 400,000 people live in 13 counties that have been assigned to an out-of-state market, in either Minnesota or Michigan, according to a news release.

Baldwin’s Go Pack Go Act would require cable, satellite and other video broadcasters to provide their Wisconsin subscribers with access to programming from the television stations in a Wisconsin media market.

Packers fans in the following Wisconsin counties would benefit from Baldwin’s Go Pack Go Act:

Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron and Sawyer Counties in the Duluth-Superior media market; Burnett, Washburn, Polk, Barron, St. Croix, Dunn and Pierce Counties in the Twin Cities media market.

Florence County in the Marquette, Michigan media market.

Photo: Anthony Barr #55 of the Minnesota Vikings hits quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter of the game on October 15, 2017 at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)