High school football impacted by Packers games

GREEN BAY - Friday night lights won't be necessary this week at Notre Dame Academy's football field The game against Manitowoc moved from 7 p.m. to 4 p.m. because the Green Bay Packers are playing at home the same night.

“We're so close to Lambeau Field and we're right in the traffic flow at Mason Street that we do not like hosting events for traffic and safety of our kids,” said Ken Flatten.

Notre Dame Academy Athletic Director Ken Flaten says he changed the time as soon as he found out about the conflict in schedules last April. It's a change that the players and coaches say doesn't bother them.

“I don't think it's a big deal. It's a home game, now people can see both games,” said Paul Allen, quarterback for Notre Dame.

“You worry about the things that you can change, you can have an impact on. And the things you can't have anything to do with, you don't worry about and move on and this is one of those things,” said Manitowoc football coach John Dixon.

But the Packers say they don't want any schools to switch game times or days on account of them.

“Historically, the Packers have tried to avoid scheduling a game the same night that there’s high school football, really in the state,” said spokesperson Aaron Popkey.

Popkey says there was little the Packers could do about this Friday's game because the high school schedule came after the Packers' was released, and because the NFL decides when some games will be played.

“In the past, individual teams had much more control over their schedule but there are other factors involved now so it's not as controllable as it once was,” said Popkey.

That means in the future, Notre Dame, along with other area schools, could find scheduling conflicts with Packers home games again. Notre Dame says if that happens, the school will continue to reschedule its games.