GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — One of the NFL’s biggest events is coming to Northeast Wisconsin, and local officials discussed preliminary plans for the 2025 NFL Draft on Wednesday.
“It takes a village to bring a draft to Green Bay,” Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy said.
Preliminary discussions about hosting a draft in Green Bay started in 2016 and became serious in 2019.
“It’s going to be a challenge for us,” said Murphy. “We’re by far the smallest community to ever host a draft but I know we’re up for it.”
The Packers organization expects the draft to make a $94 million economic impact on the state of Wisconsin, $20 million of that in Green Bay. That compares to a $15 million economic impact for a typical Packers home game.
“We’re not going to make money on it,” said Murphy. “It’s really a community, this is something we’re doing, yes, long run, it’s going to help all of us, it’s going to help the Packers, it’s going to help Green Bay, and we’re a community owned team so this is our sweet spot, it’s going to be a tremendous benefit for the community.”
The team has a budget of $7.5 million, of which the Packers organization has already committed $1 million and hopes to raise about $5 million more.
Gabrielle Dow, the Packers’ vice president of marketing and fan engagement, says the biggest hurdle will be fundraising that money.
“We’re basically just hosting the host location and so we do have to raise the money to pay for the infrastructure whether it’s waste management, security, parking,” said Dow.
Two Green Bay-area lawmakers have asked for $2 million from the state of Wisconsin.
“Both Governor Evers and members of the legislature have been very supportive of the effort to land the draft,” said Murphy.
Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Allouez, and Rep. David Steffen, R-Green Bay, submitted a formal motion Tuesday, asking that the 2023-25 budget allocate $2 million to cover expenses.
“And we might know within 48 hours whether the joint finance committee will accept it,” said Rep. Steffen.
Steffen says the money will come from tax payers.
“We have a $7 million surplus in our state coffers, about half of that is one-time money and putting aside $2 million of the $3.5 billion of one-time money, this is a worthy investment, this is going to be an opportunity for us to showcase the entire state,” said Rep. Steffen.
Something Rep. Kristina Shelton, D-Green Bay, says she can get behind.
“This is the best example of how we can work in a bipartisan fashion to support the state of Wisconsin and the beautiful city of Green Bay,” said Rep. Shelton.
She also hopes other lawmakers will follow suit.
“We’re going to need to just be working with our colleagues from across the aisle making sure the Governor’s office is on board, which I’m sure they’re in support of it, so it’s just making sure we just cross the T’s and dot the I’s,” said Rep. Shelton.
Murphy expects nearly 250,000 people to visit on draft weekend. Murphy said there have been discussions with Amtrak about adding rail service from Milwaukee, and, provided the ice on Lake Michigan has melted, cruise ships may bring fans to Green Bay.
“It’s really just a very rare opportunity for the state of Wisconsin to be on a world stage like this,” said Murphy.
Specific details on logistics including public safety will be worked out later, Packers director of public affairs Aaron Popkey said.
As for the weather in late April and early May? Murphy said league officials told him it would be great if it snows.
Dow said that the draft and related official events will take place on what the team will call the “Lambeau Field campus,” which includes the stadium, Titletown, the Resch Center and Resch Expo.
Packers officials say an organizing committee will spend the next two years promoting the Green Bay area on the international stage.
The next step is to create a host committee. The NFL is expected to make its first site visit next month.
“Now the work begins,” Dow said.
The Packers have created a special webpage with details about the draft.
