Power of the Packers

[BLeonard]

Another Forbes article... Interesting read regarding the Packer's financial situation: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2011/09/07/the-power-of-the-packers/



With some 112,000 shareholders, the Packers are the only publicly owned team in America. Add to that Green Bay’s distinction as the country’s smallest major league sports market and they seem a nostalgic aberration amid megamoneyed rivals like the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. The longstanding line among football aficionados pegs the Packers as a charming welfare case that exists thanks only to the sufferance of other, richer NFL franchises. They allow the team to stay put in tiny Green Bay as an emblem of the league’s working-class roots.

The problem with that story: It isn’t true.

In reality the Green Bay Packers are an emerging financial power in the NFL. Despite their minuscule market, revenues for fiscal 2010 hit an alltime high of $259 million, 11th out of 32 teams and well above major-market franchises like the San Francisco 49ers ($234 million) and the Atlanta Falcons ($233 million). The Packers are regularly one of the 15 teams that pay into the league’s reserve fund rather than draw from it (so much for welfare). Their Super Bowl win, coming enhancements at the stadium and the league’s new collective bargaining agreement with players will make them stronger still.


Makes me wonder why the NFL is so dead-set on not allowing other NFL franchises to be publicly owned. Obviously, the Packers make it work... Why would it not work elsewhere?

-Bill

[Goobylal]

Because if teams are community-owned, they will never be sold and thus the owners can't hang that over the fans' heads. Not to mention team prices rise faster.

[mrbojanglezs]

packers are the anti bills

[Johnny Bugmenot]

The Packers are filthy rich. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Their stadium is decades old, meaning no big new stadium bill to pay off. They have a season ticket waiting list hundreds of years long and never have to worry about not selling out, even with some of the highest general-admission ticket prices in the league. The people of Wisconsin are willing, and able, to shell out big money to support their football team. Those 112,000 people hold shares worth several thousand dollars a piece-- about the price of a quality used car, and not an insignificant expense. Of course, the on-field results don't lie: there haven't been many times when the Packers have been long-term losers on the field-- wisdom of the masses and all.

The question is, would Buffalo be able to do that? I'm not so sure. Buffalo's a lot more impoverished than Wisconsin is.

[BLeonard]

The question is, would Buffalo be able to do that? I'm not so sure. Buffalo's a lot more impoverished than Wisconsin is.

Not all Bills fans live in Buffalo, or even WNY, for that matter...

I'd be willing to bet that, if they offered shares of the Bills up for sale, like they did for Green Bay, there would be enough interest to make it economically possible.

Look at the "billboard" campaign a couple years back... To the best of my knowledge, that money was gathered just from an idea that started on a message board... If they PUBLICLY announce shares of the Bills were for sale, I'm thinking some would buy a share (or shares) just to take the ownership of the team away from Wilson and get his beancounters out of the picture.

-Bill

[YardRat]

The Packers are filthy rich. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Their stadium is decades old, meaning no big new stadium bill to pay off. They have a season ticket waiting list hundreds of years long and never have to worry about not selling out, even with some of the highest general-admission ticket prices in the league. The people of Wisconsin are willing, and able, to shell out big money to support their football team. Those 112,000 people hold shares worth several thousand dollars a piece-- about the price of a quality used car, and not an insignificant expense. Of course, the on-field results don't lie: there haven't been many times when the Packers have been long-term losers on the field-- wisdom of the masses and all.

The question is, would Buffalo be able to do that? I'm not so sure. Buffalo's a lot more impoverished than Wisconsin is.

They've actually been the joke of the league for long periods of time on a couple of occasions. Pretty much an entire 25-year run after the Lombardi era (which I remember), and for 15 years prior to Lombardi (before my time). The Packers of the '70's and '80's were the Bills of 2000-2010, except for a much longer period of time (so far, anyway)

[hemi13]

I must say that I enjoyed reading everyones point of view. As for myself, I'd buy a share or two of our team. Although this will never happen. At least until the old fart is out of the picture. Buffalo is a great city and has great people. The true blue collar NFL city. At the same time, living in the socialist capital of the east coast is part of the problem. The taxes and regulations are killing my home state. I left because of these conditions and there's a reason NY's population is getting smaller. No good jobs and high taxes and on top of all this, the money they steal from your pockets isn't even spent right. New York State is a great state if the government would just stop destroying it.

[BertSquirtgum]

The question is, would Buffalo be able to do that? I'm not so sure. Buffalo's a lot more impoverished than Wisconsin is.
wrong....

[Meathead]

fudge?

[Oaf]

I'd buy one. What are my rights?

[BLeonard]

I'd buy one. What are my rights?

http://jerseyal.com/GBP/2010/06/23/green-bay-packer-fans-owners-and-shareholders/



The fourth came late in 1997 and early in 1998. It added 105,989 new shareholders and raised more than $24 million, monies which were utilized for the Lambeau Field redevelopment project. Priced at $200 per share, fans bought 120,010 shares during the 17-week sale, which ended March 16, 1998.

As a means of running the corporation, a board of directors is elected by the stockholders. The board of directors in turn elect a seven-member Executive Committee (officers) of the corporation, consisting of a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and three members-at-large. The president is the only officer who receives compensation. The balance of the committee is sitting gratis.

Shares of stock cannot be resold, except back to the team for a fraction of the original price. Limited transfer of shares (ie., to heirs and relatives) is permissible.


$200 to be able to vote for who basically runs the Buffalo Bills? Sign me up. I've spent multiples of that on Bills merchandise with no say whatsoever... They offer up shares of the team, no doubt I'd be in.

-Bill