MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks and the City of Milwaukee are busy preparing for the 2023 NBA Playoffs, as the Bucks fight for another NBA Championship. Milwaukee and the Deer District will likely see big crowds in the coming weeks.
TMJ4 News is working to gather all the information you may need for this year's playoff run including what to expect in the Deer District and at Fiserv Forum if you're lucky enough to be attending a game.
Related:How to watch the Bucks' 2023 playoff run: Dates, times for first series announced
Who are the Bucks playing
The Bucks started their postseason run with a series against the Miami Heat.
The Bucks played the Heat four times this year. They won two games and lost two games. However, during the two losses against the Heat, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton did not play so do with that as you will.
Who is leading the series right now
Things have gotten off to a rough start, with Giannis getting injured in game one. He didn't play in Game 2 or Game 3.
The Bucks lost Game 1, won Game 2, lost Game 3, and lost Game 4. Now, the Bucks find themselves in a win-or-you're-out situation heading into Game 5.
Here's how the city plans to keep people in the Deer District safe
The Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee Bucks, Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and officials with the Office of Violence Prevention held a press conference Friday morning to discuss safety plans for the playoffs this year.
Bucks President Peter Feigin introduced two new efforts to ensure safety during this year's playoff run.
First, there's the Leave it at Home campaign which encourages people to leave items not allowed in Fiserv Forum at home.
Feigin said, "If you can't bring it in, don't bring it at all. The goal of this is to prevent car break-ins."
Feigin and Mayor Cavalier Johnson also spoke about a new ambassador program. 60 Milwaukee Youth have been trained and will be spread around the Deer District to ensure all fans have a fun and safe experience.
"If you see an ambassador please thank them for their hard work and commitment," Feigin said.
Thousands of fans are expected to gather outside of Fiserv Forum to watch the Bucks chase another championship.
Watch party plans in the Deer District
According to Deer District, there will only be one screen outside Fiserv Forum where fans can watch the game. It will be in the beer garden next to The MECCA. The entire beer garden area will be transformed into a "Tanduay Tiki Hut" for the playoffs.
The area will open two hours before home games, and one hour before away games.
President of the Milwaukee Bucks, Peter Feigin, spoke briefly about the watch party, saying there will be two entrances and exits to the Beer Garden, allowing more control over who comes and goes.
Fans are also encouraged to watch the game at nearby establishments like the MECCA Sports Bar and Grill.
Deer District said more information about plaza activities for the playoffs will be announced in the coming weeks. But Feigin said as the playoffs go on, they will assess the crowds and see if additional screens and security need to be established.
He said the watch parties will scale up as the postseason goes on.
For information about the round one watch parties, click here.
The Director of Marketing at Fiserv Forum spoke to our Elaine Rojas-Castillo about everything the Bucks have planned for this playoff run.
Watch the interview below:
Going to the game? Here's what you can expect:
TMJ4's Elaine Rojas-Castillo was at Fiserv Forum Friday morning to learn more about the new offerings for the playoffs.
From new merchandise in the Pro Shop to new food offerings around the arena, Fiserv Forum is ready for the fans.
Watch: Elaine learns about some of the new food offerings at Fiserv Forum
Elaine also got to speak with Peter Feigin, the President of the Milwaukee Bucks. He talked about this road to the championship and everything fans can expect.
Watch the full interview with Peter Feigin:
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