Scavenger hunt celebrates 100 days to return of Badgers football

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS58) -- With just 100 days left before the Badgers return to Camp Randall, UW Athletics held a scavenger hunt to get fans excited about the season..

"I don't know anybody in Wisconsin that's not a Wisconsin Badger fan," Waukesha resident Steve Laabs said after finding a mini helmet hidden in Frame Park.

Laabs found one of the 80 mini helmets hidden in Waukesha Thursday morning for the 100 Days to Kickoff Scavenger Hunt.

The UW Athletics team hid the helmets with Badgers home game tickets, merch or gift cards, around the state. The helmets were placed in Burlington, Hudson, Madison, Mineral Point, Oshkosh, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waukesha and Wausau.

Fans got up bright and early for the hunt, hoping to find a helmet. UW Athletics representatives say last year, the inaugural scavenger hunt brought out over 500 people across Wisconsin, so they decided to bring it back to celebrate a new era of Badger football.

"For so many people, so many Badger fans, they have to come to Madison, our events, and see us. This is a chance to meet them where they live and come out to the Milwaukee area. We have a lot of great fans here in Milwaukee, [this is to] kind of say thanks," UW Athletics Director of Brand Communications Brian Lucas said.

Lucas said 95% of Badger season ticket holders have renewed for the 2023 season, the most since 2018.

The Badgers first home game is Saturday, Sept. 2 against Buffalo.