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Thursday’s Hot Clicks: Packers Fan Seeks Judge’s Order to Allow Him on Soldier Field Sidelines

A Packers fan is seeking a temporary restraining order from a federal judge so he’ll be allowed to wear Green Bay gear on the Soldier Field grass. 

I see this going straight to the Supreme Court

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A Green Bay man is hoping an order from a judge will allow him to wear his Packers gear on the sideline at Soldier Field before his team’s Week 15 game against the Bears.

Russell Beckman, who holds season tickets to both the Packers and Bears, filed a federal lawsuit in June 2017 alleging the Bears violated the first and 14th amendments by not allowing him to wear his green and gold during a pregame event on the sidelines in Chicago.

Beckman alleges that he wore his Packers gear on the sideline at pregame season ticket holder events on multiple occasions since purchasing his seats in 2003. At the Week 15 games in 2016, though, Beckman says he was told he wouldn’t be allowed on the field dressed like that.

In April, a federal judge ruled the case can proceed. But the case is not close to a resolution, and the next Packers-Bears game is fast approaching, so Beckman and his legal team last week petitioned a federal judge for a temporary restraining order that would allow him to wear his preferred outfit on the field. A hearing scheduled for Friday will determine whether Beckman gets to wear his Packers jersey at a game where the Bears could clinch the division. 

“I believe the ownership will lose in the courtroom since they operate in a taxpayer-owned stadium and this rule is contrary to the public interests,” Beckman told the Chicago Tribune. “I’m a fan of the NFL. I want the Bears-Packers rivalry to be exciting. I want Packers and Bears games to mean something. If you’re a fan of something, you want to claim it.”

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Email dan.gartland@simail.com with any feedback or follow me on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request I’ve made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.