Is The Ring Ceremony A Big Deal?

The Green Bay Packers ceremony to award each player with a Super Bowl ring is a private event being held in a place (the Lambeau Field Atrium) that is usually open to the public. For example, they're hosting the annual tent sale this weekend which, by the way, is a very cool way to buy player worn gear.

But apparently someone complained that the Atrium won't be open to the public for the ring ceremony. Pro Football Talk read between the lines on a statement released by the team. From PFT:

The Packers have their ring ceremony on June 16. It will be a private, team-only affair, which is how every team does it. Apparently that hasn’t sat well with some Packers fans, forcing the team to release a statement on the matter Thursday.

As noted above, and similar to something I wrote last week, all ring ceremonies are private events. The Press-Gazette has a great photo from the last one, which was held at a private country club and only Reggie White met with the press.

I'm not sure why the Packers felt the need to release a statement, maybe they're as bored with the lockout as the rest of us, but I don't believe many fans really care about crashing in on a private event.