Green Bay Packers record profits: Team continues to grow smartly
Today’s ticker-tape seemed annoying as this story about the Green Bay Packers came down the wire.
With yesterday’s headlines the good news in Green Bay went right out the window, one of the top three or four quarterbacks in NFL history reportedly having said to have backed out of coming to Green Bay to retire his jersey number.
I found Brett Favre saying he didn’t want to get booed unbelievable. He’s been to Oakland, Chicago, and Philly where fans boo until their throats hurt. Yet, the bad attitude followed into today. One eye open yet this early morning, the news that profits are down seemed to outweigh the first thought, that my “tight wad” mind had, being, “Whatever they are doing with the money (knowing full well that ongoing upgrades on Lambeau continued) to outspend the income of record profits – didn’t they know how much they would need by now?
As reality began settling in and both eyes connected, I still had to think that one of the most important things any company or organization can do is handle the cash discreetly.
Having thought, “What if it continues? Outspending incoming cash means there would be a buyout down the road, once the team goes belly-up.”
No need to panic, but could you imagine Jerry Jones twin running the Packers? The free-spending, not always having great talent, and paying more for talent than the rest of the gang in the NFL commander could poison a fine team our executives have built.
Put such notions aside, no need to panic. We have some talent working on finances upstairs at Lambeau, to the likes of President, CEO, Commander Mark Murphy, and General Manager Ted Thompson along with top executives VP Larry Weyers, Ariens, McMullen, Bergstrom, Olson, Olejnczak and the board of directors.
None will be stepping down soon. These are the characters who makeup the heart and soul of what makes the Packers tick. They own the rights to “Title Town U.S.A. So we can forget the nightmare, it will not happen any time soon (fingers crossed & knock on wood) the team is healthy with the present course of direction taken under this regime.
For the short while as I awoke today, I thought they were spending the new American way, spend, then spend and more spending. It might sound funny, but it has been real in government and even some corporations doing such unwholesome spending. They weren’t worrying about the ‘payback’ end of borrowing, just spending.
All kidding aside, the profits are at a new high once again, and that’s just great for the team. So don’t throw away the cheese-hat. Not only are the fans who were born into being cheese-heads glad to be a part of an organization that seems to do just about everything proper and prim, they have to be smart enough in the accounting and treasury departments to keep the team on the up and up, economically speaking.
In being the third oldest team in the NFL (est. 1919), the Packers are the only ” not-profit” community based, and owned major league professional sports team the U.S. has to offer. Small town teams sprung up all across the U.S. in the 1920s and 1930s. Those who know Lambeau Field is the home of the Packers, should know that Earl “Curly Lambeau” was the original founder of the team. This stadium, with updates going on every off-season, has become a leader in World Class Sporting arenas. Semi-pro teams in Green Bay go back to 1896. The team remained semi-pro until the NFL was created.
The NFL announced its league-wide schedule for the 2014 season – including that for the Green Bay Packers.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph
As a pro team, the Packers had begun playing in and around the Midwest. Before the actual NFL was established, Green Bay’s teams were a part of the American Professional Football Association (APFA), which eventually became a part of the NFL. It is easy to see why the economic side of this legendary team may touch a nerve to hear spending is at a new record high, due to the nature of the teams makeup. A good sound treasurer has been one of the most important people the Pack has on-board. Without keeping the team out of the “red ink” the Packers would have been swallowed up by most likely the the highest bidder. That could be someone unpopular with fans or lead to a host of unpopular decisions made under a new owner.
As far as matching colors go, you must admit that green & gold Packers colors do not match. Some of us have seen them for so many years we are accustomed to them, but they do not win a fashion show award for color coordination. With the team being an icon, Ron Wolf in his early days with the team, wanted to change the colors. He said the yellow school bus color was ugly. The fan reaction was so intense he backed off and reversed his decision in a matter of hours. Good thing he did so, or the Pack might not have seen Super Bowl XXXI joining their record books for victories. The people might have run him out.
It was once said, if you are selling something, and want to know how it will go, use Wisconsin for the first test. You will get the best and worst all in one. With their home being Wisconsin, the Packers have a long storied history. They are the smallest town in the NFL. Not only is Green Bay smaller than all others, the entire area around Green Bay is not suburb on top of suburb, such as Madison or Milwaukee, where suburbs stretch out the immediate surroundings to make for millions of people total. The
team played its early years in Milwaukee at Borchart Field, The State Fairgrounds, Marquette University stadium and the Milwaukee County Stadium, up until 1994.
So we know where the new record spending the team has is for a good reason. They did not spend foolishly on players, but had to keep some sort of talent when they did spend. Creating not just a contender, but a world class stadium and an icon for visitors, creates more income from what was spent.
Tours, keepsakes such as clothing, posters, official NFL footballs, helmets and jerseys, along with books, coffee mugs and almost anything you can put the famous Packers “G” on can be had at the new packers Pro Shop. A tour for one or groups can be found at the stadium, of large gatherings or small groups. Parties of all kinds can be booked, so arrange things ahead.
To get the facts on booking a larger party, check out the website at www.packers.com//lambeau-field/ and make plans to come on up to Green Bay’s Lambeau Field.