Gold Package Packers fans holding onto their Vikings tickets

Green Bay Press Gazette

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets flattened by Minnesota outside linebacker Anthony Barr during their Oct. 15, 2017, game in Minneapolis, injuring Rodgers' shoulder. Jim Matthews/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

GREEN BAY – The next most important game of the Green Bay Packers' season happens this weekend when the dangerous — and hated — Minnesota Vikings come to Lambeau Field.

Ticket prices for the noon game are the second-priciest of the year, behind the Nov. 4 game in New England.

"It's rare we see (a noon start) with a very significant opponent like this early in the year," said Dennis Garrity of Event USA in Ashwaubenon.

The Vikings are the Packers' No. 1 rival in the NFC North (sorry Bears). They beat the Packers twice last year on the way to winning the division and effectively knocked quarterback Aaron Rodgers out for the season by breaking his collarbone.

It's a noon game in September, which always makes fans happy, and it's a Gold Package game, which makes southern Wisconsin fans very happy. They haven't had a noon, marquee game in several years.

"The noon games are my favorite as I can leave early in the morning on game day, spend a little time tailgating, watch the game, party a couple hours after the game to let traffic die down, and still get home at a decent hour," said Gold Package holder Bobby Christensen of Kenosha County.

"The night games are fun every once in a while, just for the spectacle of it, but overall I'll always prefer the noon games."

For those reasons, a lot of the Gold Package fans have decided to attend the game instead of sell their tickets.

"As a consequence, we see the supply of tickets is not as great towards the end," Garrity said. "Most of the Gold people who are going to the game decide early on. They don't decide at the last minute."

Gold Package ticket holders, who largely are from the Milwaukee area, are awarded tickets to the second and fifth Lambeau Field games each year.

Garrity said the higher cost of the Vikings game might also drive up demand — and prices — for other games at Lambeau.

"Because Vikings tickets are fairly pricey now, that results in people looking at other games," he said.

The Sept. 30 home game against the Buffalo Bills is more expensive than might be expected, given there's not a lot of history between the clubs, and the Bills are an awful team. But it, too, is a noon game in September and it's the last Sunday game at Lambeau Field until Nov. 11.

The Packers do host the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 15, but that's a Monday night game.

"The 49ers, on paper, should be a great game," Garrity said. "They are resurgent and traditionally a rival for the Packers. But it's a Monday night game and because of that tickets have been very reasonable."

For our weekly look at Packers tickets prices, we surveyed eight secondary-market websites, including Event USA, NFL Ticket Exchange, StubHub, ticketiQ, Ticket King, Titletown Tickets and Tours, Seat Geek and VividSeats, for each game this year. Note that ticket brokers can add fees on top of prices listed here, so actual costs might be higher.

Sept. 16, Noon, Minnesota Vikings, Lambeau Field (Gold Package), Fox

Face price range (not including premium seating): $109-$136
Average lowest seat: $210
Range of lowest seat: $170-$250
SRO: $107-$145

Sept. 23, Noon, Washington Redskins, FedEx Field, Fox

Face price range (not including premium seating): N/A
Average lowest seat: $123
Range of lowest seat: $127-$169

Sept. 30, Noon, Buffalo Bills, Lambeau Field, CBS

Face price range (not including premium seating): $109-$136
Average lowest seat: $218
Range of lowest seat: $152-$225
SRO: $145-$170

Oct. 7, Noon, Detroit Lions, Ford Field, Fox

Face price range (not including premium seating): N/A
Average lowest seat: $67
Range of lowest seat: $64-$95

Oct. 15, 7:15 p.m., San Francisco 49ers, Lambeau Field, ESPN, Monday Night Football

Face price range (not including premium seating): $109-$136
Average lowest seat: $161
Range of lowest seat: $109-$160