‘Incredible Day’: Packers Will Host 2025 NFL Draft

The economic to the city of Green Bay, region and the state of Wisconsin will be close to $100 million, Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
May 22, 2023 6:20 PM EDT
Original:
May 22, 2023

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In an “incredible day” for the Green Bay Packers and the community, the legendary franchise has been chosen to host the 2025 NFL Draft, the league announced from its Spring Meeting in Minneapolis on Monday.

It’s a decision several years in the making, starting with a 2016 bid to host the 2019 draft that went to Nashville.

“This is an incredible day for the Packers, Greater Green Bay and the entire state of Wisconsin as we are excited and honored to be selected to host the 2025 NFL Draft,” Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said in a statement.

In an interview with Packers.com’s Larry McCarren, Murphy the economic impact to the city, region and state would be in the neighborhood of $94 million.

“It will be the largest event that’s ever been held in Green Bay,” Murphy said. “We’re ready for it. The work starts now.”

Murphy wasn’t sure where the stage would be placed; he mentioned Lambeau Field, the Resch Center arena and the Titletown District as important venues. If held inside Lambeau Field, the weather could be a potential issue.

On April 27, the date of the first round of this year’s draft, the high was 63. On April 29, the date of the final four rounds of this year’s draft, the high was 45. The average high for late April is close to 60, though it snowed on May 1.

The “history and tradition” of the historic stadium was a key selling point.

“What’s going to make it special is the passion of our fans,” Murphy said.

The NFL Draft is the second-largest event on the NFL calendar behind, obviously, the Super Bowl. This year’s draft in Kansas City hosted 312,000 fans, according to the league.

“It’s basically right behind bidding on the Super Bowl,” Murphy said of the process. “You think about what the league has done, they have gradually built this into a major event. The impact it’s going to have on us – because of that, you have a lot of cities that want to host it because they know the economic impact.”

This aerial view of Lambeau Field and the Titletown District was taken in 2019. (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)

A typical Packers home game is worth $15 million to the community. The draft will beat that by a multiple of six.

Calling it a “two-year commercial” on all the Green Bay area has to offer, Murphy said, “The benefits not only will be immediate but will be lasting, as well.”

As part of the weeklong event, Green Bay will host a series of draft-related activities, including a variety of community events and the NFL Draft Experience – the league’s interactive football theme park.

Starting with Chicago in 2015 through Kansas City in 2022, 2.2 million people have attended the draft. Detroit beat out Green Bay to host the draft in 2024.

“The draft has become a prominent offseason event hosted in different cities with spectacular locations across the country, and we are excited to work with the Packers and Discover Green Bay to bring the 2025 NFL Draft to Green Bay and iconic Lambeau field,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.

“With the help of numerous local partners on the ground, our prospects and fans will be treated to an incredible weeklong experience that shows off the city of Green Bay and the state of Wisconsin.”

With Murphy facing his mandatory retirement in 2025, the draft will provide an exclamation point to his run as president.

“We are so excited and honored to be able to host the draft in 2025,” he said to McCarren. “This is something we’ve been working on for a while. We started the process in 2016.

“I’m just really happy, not only for the organization but the whole community. The entire state’s going to benefit. It’s a huge event. It grows every year. It’s going to be spectacular. I’m really excited for the community.”