Biggest sports stars in Wisconsin are now Brewers

[NYChez]

Now that Favre no longer plays in the State, the Brewers claim at least the 4 biggest sports-related stars in all of Wisconsin.

 

I'd say the current top 7 stars are:

1. Ryan Braun

2. Prince Fielder

3. CC Sabathia

4. Ben Sheets

5. gotta be some Packer, but who? ... Aaron Kampman?

6. Bo Ryan or Bret Bielema?

7. Probably some more Brewers - Hart, Hardy, etc.

 

This development is amazing because you look back at the previous 10 years ending in about '04, no Brewers were on the radar state-wide as far as stardom is concerned.

 

During this period, the list probably looked like this:

 

1. Brett Favre

2. Barry Alvarez

3. Mike Holmgren

4. Reggie White

5. Ron Dayne

6. LeRoy Butler

7-9. The "Big 3" on the Bucks - Ray Allen, Big Dog, Sam Cassell

10. More Packers, like Ahman Green, or perhaps Dwyane Wade

 

It's just remarkable how quickly the Brewers have taken over Wisconsin's sports scene (as enumerated by our attendance totals) and also have become very relevant at the national level.

[uwbufu24]

I think Donald Driver, AJ Hawk, Nick Barnett and Ryan Grant would all be somewhere around #3-#5 if you took a poll of all of Wisconsin and not just the Milwaukee area. Driver especially, with that McDonalds commercial and his other endorsements around the state. I agree that Braun will probably be the state's biggest star until another moderately good Packer replaces him.

[GB12]

Players only I think it looks more like this

 

1. Donald Driver

2. Prince Fielder

3. Al Harris

4. CC Sabathia

5. Ryan Braun

6. Greg Jennings

7. Ben Sheets

8. PJ Hill

9. AJ Hawk

10. Aaron Kampman

[sweepscc]

I don't think that many people adore Prince Fielder right now. A year ago maybe but I think he's lost some fans over contract (or lack there of) activities and more recently his on and off the field behavior and quotes. It may get worse going forward, hopefully not. **Although if the criteria is just being known then he's definitely up there.

[dadofandrew]

Many don't even know CC's last name. In a month, he's not even top 10.

[rluzinski]

i agree about CC not being on mosts' radar. I also think a guy like Driver probably beats every Brewer. The Brewers have made huge strides statewide but they ain't won nothing yet.

[razzzorsharp]

If I had to rank them....

 

1) Driver

2) Fielder

3) Rodgers (I really think so)

4) Braun

5) Redd

6) Bo Ryan

7) Sheets

8) Al Harris

9) AJ Hawk

10) Sabathia

[Ennder]

I think at least one Buck would be in there, not sure which one though, maybe Bogut or Redd.

[bullox]

Yeah, the Bucks have two Olympians right now, that constitutes a little fame in my opinion.

[T B0NE 10]

Aaron Rodgers is gonna have the opportunity to be the next "king" of Wisconsin. But Ryan Braun sure has the chance.

[wisportswriter]

1. Aaron Rodgers

 

And it's not even close.

Not necessarily because he earned it, but because of everything that's going on.

[Invader3K]

A lot of people really aren't familiar with Ryan Braun yet, which is a shame. Maybe he can get some big endorsements to get some more name recognition in this state.

 

Personally, I would guess Donald Driver is in the top two or three, if not #1 right now. I would bet Andrew Bogut might fall in the top 10. Michael Redd as well.

[jhart05]

I actually might go out an buy an Aaron Rodgers jersey.

 

From what I've been reading (idiots booing him at practice) seems like the guy could use some support right now.

 

That's all I'll say here about the Packer-Favre soap opera.

 

Glad the Brewers are back today!!!!

[MHgb]

I don't think a top 10 list includes any college players. Does your mom know PJ Hill, your wife or girlfriend, their friends...etc. My wife and her friends know the bigger Brewers and even more Packers (larger squad). They don't know squat about any college basketball or football players. I think because of the sheer amount of casual sports listeners out there, the college guys get bumped.

 

Edit: And I'd probably say that some of the Packers are still ahead of the Brewers. But the gap is closing with more Brewers success. And with Aaron Rodgers being the second-most talked about player of the last month in all of sports across the country, he's probably at the top of the Wisconsin list.

[Invader3K]

I agree that college players probably aren't in the top 10. Heck, I don't even know who PJ Hill is...I personally don't really follow college sports, it's just not my thing.

[sausage racer]

I don't think a single Milwaukee Buck would be on this list either outside of people who live in Milwaukee who would choose one. I'm in Oshkosh, Ryan Braun is king of the Brewers to everyone up here. All the kids you see have Braun shirts on and then Fielder second. But I agree that Donald Driver is still probably number 1 right now

[OOOverbay]

I'm guessing that the OP is by far a bigger Brewer fan than Packer fan (not that there's anything wrong with that). I'll admit I'm a die hard Packer fan, but the Brewers have always been a close second for me. That being said... I may have some bias towards the Packers, but even when I try to look at the comparison fairly there is no way (in my unscientific opinion) any Brewer is close to being as popular statewide as Driver and probably Rodgers and Kampman (Grant's a possibility too). This state is and will be for the foreseeable future Packerland. I do think however, that if Braun were to stay with the Brewers for his entire career and were to make the HOF he could easily be number 1 if Rodgers doesn't pan out.

[InBraunWeTrust]

Naming Wisconsin's biggest sports celeb is difficult because Wisconsin suffers from the fact it is a medium-sized but majorly spread out state. There are quite a few sizable places that probably shouldn't exist (Eau Claire, La Crosse, Wausau, etc), not to mention thousands of tiny towns in the middle of nowhere. These places don't associate themsleves with "Milwaukee," and The Twin Cities' market pull can be pretty strong and tempting for a lot of them. Even in the Fox Cities (where I'm from), I still definitely detect a significant lack of Milwaukee enthusiasm. It's disappointing, but no matter how good or big the Brewers get, they'll always play third fiddle to the Packers and the Badgers; You'lll never see a Brewer telling you to turn your cell phone off before movie.

 

With that said, no matter where he is, Brett Favre is top dog here in Wisconsin. It's actually pretty (extremely) creepy.

[gbpacker40]

1. Braun

2. Aaron Rodgers (for good or bad)

3. AJ Hawk

4. CC Sabathia

5. Prince Fielder

6. Andrew Bogut

7. Michael Redd

8. JJ Hardy

9. Donald Driver

10. Greg Jennings

 

Just my thoughts on the matter.

[SeriesFinale]

Interesting when you look at this from an outsider perspective...in that case it's far and away Fielder, even past Braun. Driver might not even make the Top 10.

[InBraunWeTrust]

Fielder is definitely above Braun. Braun is "cooler," but Fielder has more personality. Braun just acts like your average frat guy.

[Bernman23]

1. Aaron Rodgers

2. Ryan Braun

3. Prince Fielder

4. Barry Alvarez (still the face of UW football)

5. Bo Ryan

6. Michael Redd

7. Ben Sheets

8. Donald Driver

9. Travis Beckum

10. Andrew Bogut

[2008 world champs]

1. Craig Counsell

2. Brandon Jackson

3. Mo Williams

4. Russell Branyan

5. Brian Brohm

 

Just kidding. It really is something although Brett will be number one for me for awhile barring a deep deep run for the Crew at some point.

[Invader3K]

Fielder is definitely above Braun. Braun is "cooler," but Fielder has more personality. Braun just acts like your average frat guy.

How does Braun act like a frat guy?

 

[pebadger]

Naming Wisconsin's biggest sports celeb is difficult because Wisconsin suffers from the fact it is a medium-sized but majorly spread out state. There are quite a few sizable places that probably shouldn't exist (Eau Claire, La Crosse, Wausau, etc), not to mention thousands of tiny towns in the middle of nowhere.

What the heck does this mean? These places ARE Wisconsin. These places are the strength of Wisconsin, not something that makes it "suffer". Wisconsin is great because it has a very nice major hub like Milwaukee, one of the great small cities in America in Madison, and the diversity of several regional magnets that mean few places outside of the far Northwoods is really all that far from somewhere. Maybe Wisconsin's only weakness is that Milwaukee is sometimes so wrapped up in trying to be a "big city" and feeling like Chicago's little brother that it misses its connection with the rest of the state. To a certain extent, that distance is part of the reason that the Bucks, and to a much lesser extent, the Brewers, lag a bit behind the Badgers in these parts. Yes, for years the western part of the state was drawn to the Cities, due to the broadcast reach of communications in the age of limited cable and satellite options. But, for the most part, this is a state that is pretty proud of what it is, and is fiercely loyal to state teams. Eau Claire and LaCrosse and Wausau are the reason there is a dome on Miller Park.

 

I can't honestly say who the biggest sstar is, but I'm fairly certain that Aaron Rodgers is the most recognizable "name", though not necessarily the most recognizable face, or most respected "talent".