Fans ready for rain-soaked 49ers-Packers game on Saturday
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - It could be a wet one for the highly anticipated divisional game between the 49ers and the Green Bay Packers.
But the threat of rain is not stopping fans who have come from far and wide to see what is a rematch of a divisional round game from two years ago. There has been a steady stream of fans coming to Levi’s Stadium Friday, some just looking around the stadium and others here to purchase team merchandise.
Nobody is discouraged because of the potential for rain and, as you would expect, most fans feel the 49ers have what it takes to defeat the packers.
The last time these two teams met here in a playoff game at Levi’s Stadium was in 2020 in the NFC championship game. The 49ers won that matchup. The game on Saturday will be the 10th time these two teams have met in the postseason and the fifth time in the past ten years.
49ers from all over the nation have descended on Santa Clara. Nancy Salsarulo has been a lifetime 49ers fan and flew in from Brooklyn, New York.
"Why are you a 49ers fan? I grew up watching Joe Montana. He is my God as far as quarterback," Salsarulo said.
Jeff Joseph and his son are Niners fans hailing from the hometown of a possible Superbowl rival Buffalo, New York. It took them 15 hours to get here after all flights were cancelled out of Buffalo due to a blizzard. They drove to Toronto, Canada, to make the trip.
"You don’t get this very often. I got to be in San Francisco with my father back in 2005 with my father at The Stick. Got to go see a game there. Trying to show my son that you have to take these experiences in life because it is short," Joseph said.
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Official watch parties for 49ers-Packers game scheduled in Bay Area, Mexico
Several official watch parties are being held throughout the Bay Area and in Mexico City, Mexico ahead of the 49ers-Packers playoff game.
Plenty of locals are here as well, like Rod Whitley who will be at the game on Saturday.
"I am expecting it is going to be a good game. Green Bay is a young team. Their quarterback, Mr. Love – I will call him Mr. Love right now – because he is something else. But I think our defense is going to be able to handle him," Whitely said.
In Palo Alto, the Green Bay Packers will be holding a fan rally at The Patio on Emerson Street. This bar has hosted Packers fans before and employees say the fan base is enthusiastic but well-behaved.
"It actually a really great rivalry. I grew up being a Niners fan. And it is a good old rivalry. It is good old football. We keep talking about the good old days and all of the competition we have had, and it is nothing but good football," said bar manager E.J. Malimban.
The 49ers are holding several viewing parties around the Bay Area on Saturday night at San Pedro social in San Pedro Square in San Jose, at MoMo’s on Second Street in San Francisco and at Plank at Ninth and Broadway in Oakland.
At Levi’s Stadium, parking lots open at 1:45 p.m. but, all if you are going to be tailgating, that needs to be concluded by kickoff. Club and suite holders can get into the stadium starting at 2:15 p.m. with general admission starting at 3:15 p.m.
The VTA will be providing extra light rail service for the game and ask that riders use their mobile devices to pay fare. About 9,000 riders are expected on VTA and post-game service will run at least one hour after the game ends.