Green Bay Packers fans and Upper Peninsula history buffs can stream Linked to Legends: The U.P. Teams that Played the Packers for free on WNMU-TV's website. The Emmy-nominated documentary produced by Northern Michigan University Communications Professor Dwight Brady unearths the century-old stories of five U.P. communities and their teams that played the Packers and other NFL teams from 1919-1926.
“Linked to Legends has been out for nearly three years, and I felt it was time to make it available to everyone for free as the Packers embark on a new season and a new era in the team's incredible history,” said Brady.
The 70-minute documentary not only highlights the history of the games between the Packers and the U.P. teams; it dives into the personal triumphs and tragedies associated with many of the players and coaches from that era.
“It's such a fascinating history with so many colorful characters and their compelling stories, so I think even folks who are not big football fans will find something of value in this documentary,” Brady added.
Brady has done media interviews this week promoting the opportunity for people to watch it free online. He did a six-minute interview segment that incorporates video from the documentary on WBAY-TV in Green Bay with Sports Director Chris Roth. View that here. And like a true educator, he brought his entire class to WLUC-TV for a tour of the facility and a chance to watch the Upper Michigan Today studio interview featuring him and WNMU-TV Broadcast and Production Manager Bob Thomson.
Linked to Legends debuted on WNMU-TV in November of 2020, and according to Thomson, this free access to the program is a great way to help celebrate WNMU-TV's 50th Anniversary.
“WNMU is focused on bringing local programs to our viewers that tell a story about our region and its history," Thomson said. "We are excited to bring Linked to Legends to our online viewers for free as a thank you for 50 years of support to keep Public TV alive and well in our area. Thanks also to producer Dr. Dwight Brady for making this possible."
To view Linked to Legends: The U.P. Teams that Played the Packers, go to wnmutv.nmu.edu.
