GREEN BAY — Packers chairman and CEO Mark Murphy did not guarantee an NFL draft for Green Bay at Monday’s annual shareholder meeting, but he tiptoed to the line.
He said that Green Bay will likely host the draft in 2025 or 2027.
“We will be given strong consideration,” Murphy said at his post-meeting news conference. It wasn’t a guarantee, but he said he was confident. “We’ve also been close to each other.”
Green Bay has been looking to host the draft for several years. It could draw hundreds of thousands of football fans to northeastern Wisconsin. The organization had high hopes for 2024, but the NFL chose Detroit. The Packers will not seek the draft in 2026 because it is scheduled to host a University of Wisconsin-Notre Dame football game that year.
Otherwise, the meeting was pretty standard affair, which is a return to normalcy after two years affected by COVID. General manager Brian Gutekunst went through the team’s roster and recounted the highlights of the past year, and Murphy had a few things to say about the football side of the operation before working on a list of community interactions and building projects.
“I want to give a special mention to Davante Adams. He’s the best person you’ve ever seen in the game,” Murphy said.
Adams, one of the Packers’ all-time best receivers, was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason at his request.
Adams’ mention received applause and cheers from the 8,642 shareholders and guests in attendance. The turnout was a return to more traditional numbers after dipping below 4,000 last year, the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was held virtually in 2020.
The Packers added 177,000 shareholders during a stock sale earlier this year, which may have increased attendance, as well as people’s desire to act more normal, even though the pandemic isn’t over.
It also didn’t hurt that Monday was an exceptionally pleasant day for the shareholders’ meeting. The temperature hovered around 70 degrees with low humidity and a cool breeze, as opposed to the often sweltering conditions common this time of year.
The stock sale netted the Packers $55.3 million, which will be used to install new video scoreboards by 2023 and continue to renovate outlets. The new markers will be slightly wider than the current boards.
Of course, the crowd also applauded a comment by Murphy about upgrading signs around Lambeau Field to provide fans with helpful information.
“You’re a very easy crowd. You encourage wayfinding signs,” Murphy said.
Man City-Bayern match provided ‘outstanding’ publicity
Saturday’s exhibition soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester City, two of the world’s best teams, was a success, despite several rain delays, Murphy said.
“The players loved the atmosphere and they loved the playing surface,” said Murphy. “(The fans) had a continual smile on their faces despite the weather. The international publicity from Green Bay and Lambeau Field was outstanding.”
Plus:The Packers get big points from hosting other football, and it would be wise to make football a regular gig.
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The Packers reported an attendance of 78,128, slightly higher than the Packers’ average of 77,991 for last year’s regular season home games.
Of a social media video showing running back AJ Dillion’s interaction with a Green Bay police officer during the game, Murphy said both sides attributed it to a miscommunication.
Dillion entered the field during a rain delay to do a Lambeau Leap for the fans, but was not recognized by the official and Dillon did not have the proper credentials to be on the field.
The police department said Monday that it appreciated Dillion’s comments on the matter and that its Professional Standards/Internal Affairs Division has launched a review of this incident.
“Just lack of communication between the parties, the @GBPolice are great people and I’m glad we have them there for our games to keep us safe. Standing there in the pouring rain with all those people it’s hard to tell what’s going on with just one”. All good,” Dillion tweeted after the event.
Packers report record revenue last year
The team reported a record $579 million in revenue for the 2021-22 fiscal year, which ended in late March. It reported an operating profit of $77.7 million, also a record, and a net income of $61.6 million.
The team reported national revenue, which is shared equally among the 32 NFL teams, of $347.2 million and local revenue of $231.7 million.
The team said the Packers Pro Shop had its best year yet, although it did not provide sales figures.
Total expenses for the year were $501.3 million, including player costs of $280.8 million.
The Packers have invested $468 million in their operations over the last 11 years, not including Titletown.
Murphy said the Packers’ business interests, including the Titletown district, were doing well. He said the Titletown Flats apartment building was nearly two-thirds full and the US Venture Center office building was 80% occupied.
The Packers are partners in the Titletown Tech Business Development and Innovation Center with Microsoft.
“Some of the companies we’ve invested in might have the biggest impact of anything we’ve done,” he said.
The Green Bay Packers Foundation was worth $46.8 million. Its state community grants program distributed $1 million to organizations in 47 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. Last year, the focus was on arts and culture, athletics, and education.
The foundation has distributed $18 million since its formation in 1996.
Shareholders elected four new directors: Kate Burgess, CEO/owner of Green Bay’s Elevate97; Michael Daniels, President and CEO of Nicolet National Bank of Green Bay; Mark Rourke, CEO and President of Schneider National Inc. of Ashwaubenon; and Kurt Voss, owner and CEO of De Pere’s AmeriLux International.
Directors moving to emeritus status are Rick Chernick, who joined the board in 1998; Larry McCarren, who joined in 2015; and Eric Torkelson, who was elected in 2019. All have reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Contact Richard Ryman at (920) 431-8342 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG/.