GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — Now that the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit is done, the countdown begins for the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.
Green Bay officials from the city, the police and fire departments, Discover Green Bay, and of course, the Packers, were there to observe crowd management, security and lodging.
“We definitely saw some things that we think we could mimic, and some things we think we could improve upon,” said Nick Meisner, Vice President of Marketing and Communications with Discover Green Bay. “But overall it was a great experience in Detroit.”
Green Bay is estimating 250 thousand in attendance for the 2025 draft; Detroit saw 775 thousand attend throughout the weekend.
Aaron Popkey, Director of Public Affairs for the Green Bay Packers, says that no matter how many people come to Green Bay, he’s confident the city will be able to accommodate everyone without a problem.
“Their [Detroit] environment was completely different than what we will have at Lambeau Field; given the urban setting, side streets, buildings and everything that went into it,” said Popkey. “Whereas we will have more of an easily defined campus.”
This wasn’t the first time Packers officials and other leaders visited an NFL Draft.
“Nothing was too surprising this time around, but we did focus a little bit more on what the areas outside of the footprint looked like, and how we can help our local businesses and municipalities plan for what happens outside of the footprint,” said Meisner. “Everything in the footprint is planned by the NFL and their team, and looking outside of the footprint was very eye opening.”
Packers officials and local municipality leaders are expecting more information from the NFL to come out soon about the visitors in Detroit and where they are from. This will help the Packers and the City of Green Bay, Village of Ashwaubenon, and surrounding areas to better prepare.
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