Green Bay Packers fans defeated Minnesota Vikings fans at the “Border Battle” tug-of-war contest on the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge on Sunday morning.

The cheeseheads won three out of five rounds.

Football fans from Minnesota and Wisconsin met on the Stillwater Lift Bridge on Sunday morning, Dec. 29, 2024, to participate in the first-ever “Border Battle” tug-of-war event preceding the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers. (Feven Gerezgiher / MPR News)

Business owners in Stillwater and Hudson, Wis., organized the friendly competition ahead of the NFL game between the Vikings and Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

The contest provided a way to drive support for area businesses and fundraise for first responders on either side of the St. Croix River, with 60 percent going to organizations located in the winner’s state.

An organizer estimates they raised about $4,000.

Vikings fan Daniel Relyea lives in Stillwater but grew up in Wisconsin.

“You know, Wisconsin, they don’t have as many services and they need the money a little more,” Relyea joked. “I think that might be part of the reason why they had such a fire in the belly.”

Organizers hope to make the tug-of-war contest an annual tradition for the second game of the season between the two NFC North rivals.

The Vikings defeated the Packers 27-25 on Sunday evening.

Related Articles

Vikings hold on for win over Packers to set up pivotal game with Lions next week

Dane Mizutani: Vikings need to consider a future with Sam Darnold

Five takeaways from the Vikings’ 27-24 win over the Seahawks

Charley Walters: Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is going to strike it rich

Five takeaways from Vikings’ 30-12 win over Bears