Wisconsin football is giving fans one early look at this year’s team before the season kicks off on the Sunday night opener against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field.
The Badgers, who were initially expected to keep fall camp entirely closed to the public even though the media will be allowed at all 15 practices, announced that they will hold a public practice on Tuesday, Aug. 18 in the middle of camp.
The session will be at Camp Randall Stadium at 7 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m. Admission is free, though full Camp Randall concessions will not be available. Fan seating will be limited to the west side of the stadium’s bleachers.
Sponsored by Wisconsin football’s new jersey patch partner Culver’s, the practice will be Wisconsin’s 11th of fall camp. That means the Badgers will already be deep into preseason work by the time the public gets a chance to watch, with just four practices left after the fan-friendly session, including one scrimmage.
Under Luke Fickell, these open practices have not carried quite the same buzz as the one before his debut 2023 season, “The Launch.” That event was drenched by rain and featured Tanner Mordecai throwing four interceptions, an ugly preview of the season that followed.
This setup feels a lot more straightforward: free admission, a normal practice and a chance for fans to check in on the team without the whole thing turning into a scripted spectacle. That’s really the point of these open sessions anyway - keep people connected and build some anticipation for the season ahead.
And based on the public practices covered under Fickell so far, the turnout usually isn’t massive. Fans show up, enjoy the access and get a look at the Badgers, but it’s nowhere near the atmosphere of a spring game.
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