Wisconsin Companies Get Boost Catering To Super Bowl Crowds

The Green Bay Packers may not have had a shot at the Super Bowl this year, but Wisconsin is still playing a role in the festivities this weekend.

Waukesha-based audiovisual company Majic Productions has been running sound and lighting for a 10-day music festival called Super Bowl Live in Minneapolis.

Monica Jurken is owner and vice president of the company. She said being part of the pre-game festivities is good for her fast-growing business.

“For the actual concert portion we’re doing the audio but we’re also doing other events within the Super Bowl Live experience,” said Jurken. “So, it’s a big deal in terms that it’s a big name but we do do a lot of huge events all over.”

Jurken said the company has operations around the world and does AV work for cruise ships and political rallies. Majic Productions currently has 40 employees, and Jurken said they’ve seen sales grow by 50 percent in recent years.

La Crosse Red Hots

For Bakalars Sausage Company, Super Bowl 52 is frankly, a big deal.

Famished Super Bowl Sunday attendees will be able to purchase hot dogs from the La Crosse-based company.

Owner and President Mike Bakalar said his company has been providing hot dogs to Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium since it was built in 2016. During a sold-out Minnesota Vikings home game Bakalar said they can sell as many as 30,000 hot dogs. During the Super Bowl he expects that number to spike by around 15 percent due to extra security and additional staff involved with the halftime show. He said supplying the stadium has been a boon for business.

“The Minneapolis, Twin Cities market is our biggest market and to be able to gain that type of exposure, advertising and brand recognition is huge for us,” said Bakalar.

Overall, Bakalar said sales of their sausage products have increased by double digits in the last two years. He said that’s good news for La Crosse and western Wisconsin’s fast growing food manufacturing industry.