Packers’ Murphy tells ‘UpFront’ NFL ‘embracing’ Green Bay ahead of draft

Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy says the NFL is “embracing” Green Bay ahead of hosting the NFL Draft in the league’s smallest market beginning Thursday.

“I think because of that it means more to the community, particularly in terms of economic impact and the long legacy that this might leave for Wisconsin and Green Bay,” Murphy said on WISN 12’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “We’ll have a lot of people, we think 250,000, and you can see behind us the stage is really impressive.”

The Packers estimate the three-day event will bring a statewide economic impact of more than $90 million and $20 million within the Green Bay region.

“We want to make sure that we’re a good partner with the league and things are going well,” Murphy said. “The league has the final say, but we have had input and so many people in the organization here have been involved going back to when we first started petitioning and applying and talking to the league about possibly having a draft here.”

The bid took Murphy and Green Bay officials nearly a decade to secure. During that time the Packers made upgrades to Lambeau Field itself and pursued major land development around the stadium, which includes the Titletown district. The area will host events for fans during the draft.

“I think it was integral,” Murphy said. “I don’t think we would have the draft were it not for Titletown. The other piece that I think has been a big aspect of it is the Resch Expo. That’s something the community came together, and obviously PMI is doing a great job managing that, and that was also a key factor for the league. I think the other thing, obviously Lambeau Field. It’s an iconic stadium that NFL fans all over the world want to come see.”

Murphy will retire this summer after serving 17 years as Packers president and CEO.

“I think it’s the most unique organization in all of professional sports,” he said. “And I’ve really been very, very honored and blessed to be in this position. I just hope that I’ve left it better than I found it.”

Peter O’Reilly, an NFL executive vice president, says to expect Super Bowl-like security for this week’s NFL Draft in Green Bay.

“We have a great partnership and the partnership over the last couple of years with all of the local authorities, with the Packers, our team headed up by our chief security officer,” O’Reilly told “UpFront.” “Obviously, we put in great security, best practices across this perimeter, which will surround the full draft experience, where fans will come through magnetometers for this free event, with every best practice that we use at the Super Bowl will be brought to life here in Green Bay around the draft.”

O’Reilly said the league is ready for the event, the Packers estimate will bring 250,000 fans to Green Bay.

“I have a lot of confidence in Packers fans, and I have a lot of confidence in NFL fans around the country who want to make the pilgrimage to Green Bay to be part of this and part of this event,” O’Reilly said. “We recognize every city is different. We know that. Downtown Detroit or lower Broadway in Nashville is different than a Lambeau footprint, and that’s fine.”

O’Reilly said the league choosing Green Bay was a “natural extension of where the draft should go.”

“You’ll see every jersey out there on Thursday, Friday and Saturday,” O’Reilly said. “There’s no better representation of the word community than Green Bay, Wisconsin. And to do that where you’ve got that stage you see coming up there, the reverse shot as players take the stage and hug Commissioner Goodell and look out at Lambeau Field and the sea of humanity, and Packers fans between that stage and Lambeau Filed, that was the vision that the Packers, that Mark and Ed and the team at the Packers painted, and we’re trying to do right by that and bring it to life in a big way.”

State Rep. David Steffen, R-Howard, says he’s confident lawmakers will approve an additional $1.25 million to help with public safety costs associated with hosting the event.

“It’s $1.25 million that will cover two-thirds of the public safety expenses related to hosting this event,” Steffen said. “Two-thirds of the economic benefit of this draft is happening outside of Brown County, and so it’s a reasonable ask when two-thirds of the benefits from outside Brown County, that two-thirds of the expense is also outside Brown County.”

The GOP request essentially mirrors the additional $1 million Gov. Tony Evers included in his state budget. State lawmakers had already previously approved $2 million for costs associated with hosting the event.

“Everyone knows when you host a party, it always costs more than you expect. And that’s certainly true here,” Steffen said. “The prices have, or the costs have increased from maybe what was initially thought a couple years ago. I think there’s also the reality that because the footprint is a little larger than some expected, the amount of activity that’s been required over a longer period of time have increased.”

Steffen said he’s confident the funding will be part of a final budget approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature and Evers.

“There is bipartisan support,” he said. “It’s just a matter of making sure that there’s a priority on the finance committee. I think even all the members of the finance committee understand this is a once-in-a-lifetime expense and that we’ll find a way to get this done.”

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