Making an appearance at the kickoff was Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft, who has tribal connections of his own. Kraft is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, born and raised on the reservation in South Dakota.

Kraft takes pride in honoring Cheyenne River Sioux on-and-off the football field. He’s even worn a sticker representing the tribe on his Packers helmet. Coming to an event like the kickoff is his way of continuing to bridge his roots from South Dakota to Titletown.

“It’s an honor that I have such a reliable fan base back home, and that they would honor me with such a right, to call myself a Cheyenne River Sioux,” Kraft told the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “The way it extends up to here, the presence I can bring to an event, that’s just can extension of what I bring back from home.”

Dean Roeseler, the Women’s Professional Billiards Association president and a Wisconsin native, said the competition could have been in China, but he pushed to keep it in his home state.

“The more you open your eyes, the more native culture you see. It’s great to have this in Wisconsin,” Roeseler told the Press-Gazette. He also mentioned the significance in having the championship in Green Bay, saying, “Where in Wisconsin would you bring it? Most people know Green Bay.”

Tickets for the five-day championship are available online at wpba.com. Fans can also watch it live on the WPBA YouTube page, or on Billiard TV through streaming services.

Fun facts about Green Bay, Wisconsin (other than the Packers)

Sure, Green Bay is well known because of the Packers, but did you know these other interesting facts about the city?

Rashad Alexander can be contacted at ralexander@gannett.com and 920-431-8214.