NFL Draft boosts Brown County economy with $79.9M impact, surpasses statewide projections

NFL Draft campus in Green Bay reaches capacity and admission is paused, April 24, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online

ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The total economic impact of the largest event in Green Bay’s history shattered projected numbers.

Experience Greater Green Bay Inc. tasked SportsImpact with collecting and gathering data on the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay. SportsImpact is also the firm that conducted the economic impact of Detroit’s draft last year.

On Wednesday, they shared those results with the public.

• Click here to see the full 46-page report

Around 600,000 people attended the three-day event back in April, making it the NFL’s second most attended draft, behind Detroit with 775,000 people.

The NFL originally projected the event would attract 240,000 attendees with an economic impact of $20 million locally and $94 million statewide.

According to the study, Brown County saw an economic impact of $79.9 million and the state of Wisconsin saw $104.7 million.

To broaden the economic impact outside the NFL Draft footprint, the city and surrounding communities held NFL Draft-related events.

The Draft City Music Fest, along with the Taste of the Draft, Booyah Battle and Kringle Combine fundraisers, brought in big crowds of their own.

However in the aftermath of the draft, some area businesses say they were a little disappointed by the lack of additional foot traffic they were expecting.

The Sportsimpacts study also revealed:

• 31% of attendees were from outside Wisconsin.
• 24% paid for overnight lodging (with 29% staying in Brown County and 21% in Outagamie County).
• More than 83% of out-of-state visitors were first-time Green Bay travelers.
• Over 50% of attendees were either Brown County residents or day-commuters.
• This event had the largest percentage of non-local visitors staying with local family or friends (21.4%) in Sportsimpacts’ 25 years of consulting-highlighting the regional draw and “homecoming” effect for Packers fans.

Top Suggestions from Attendees:

• Lower food and beverage prices
• Improved crowd flow and reduced wait times
• Expanded food and beverage options
• Additional restroom facilities
• Transportation data showed 85% of attendees drove to Green Bay, while nearly 14% flew, with others arriving via charter bus or train.