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woodbuck27
07-17-2006, 01:08 AM
Posted July 16, 2006

Locker-room tour big draw for Packers shareholders

Green Bay Packers annual meeting

By Richard Ryman
rryman@greenbaypressgazette.com


It’s a sure bet the 30,000 people — a record and then some — who requested tickets to attend the Green Bay Packers’ annual shareholders meeting Wednesday aren’t looking forward to the financial report.

A promised locker room tour rather than the singularity of the Packers’ bottom line is the draw. But in the process they’ll get something available to no other National Football League fan: A rundown on what makes their team tick, on and off the field.

While the Packers, as a publicly owned company, are required to reveal some information about their finances — more than any other professional sports team — the requirements are not onerous.

The Packers are publicly owned, but they are not publicly traded or a for-profit corporation, so they don’t fall under the purview of the Securities and Exchange Commission. They are a Wisconsin nonprofit stock corporation. State law mandates a financial report, but not in the detail the SEC would require.

It also spares them compliance with regulatory — and expensive — mandates such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which has driven many smaller public companies, such as Nicolet National Bank’s parent, to go private.

“Wisconsin paperwork is relatively simple,” said Jason Wied, Packers’ corporate counsel.

The Packers are required to make financial information available to shareholders, but they don’t have to reveal such information as the names of the largest shareholders or salaries of their executives.

“We don’t think there is any reason (to publish salaries),” said Packers Chairman Bob Harlan.

“Iââ⠀šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢ve never gotten any kind of demand from shareholders in 35 years. We don’t even tell members of the board of directors. The executive committee does know.”

Wied said team bylaws restrict individual shareholders to 200,000 shares or less out of 4.7 million outstanding. The team has more than 110,000 shareholders, some of whom are at the 200,000 limit.

Packers shares have no financial value. They don’t pay dividends and cannot be sold, though they can be transferred to direct family members. They do allow shareholders to vote on the team’s directors and other business that might come before them.

Wied said the team’s corporate structure, in place since 1923, has provided the team with stability other franchises have not had.

“Our shareholders, directors and officers are not entitled to share in any of our profits,” Wied said. “Why would Packers management have any motivation other than to make the right decision?”

The organization is required to reinvest its profits in the company or give them to charity.

When the Packers decide to sell stock, a rare occurrence, they do not need the permission of the state or the SEC. The NFL does have to approve, however.

Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley in 2002 to improve corporate transparency and accountability. Wied said the Packers did an informal review of their corporate governance, in place before 2002, to see how they stacked up.

“We found we were pretty consistent with the spirit of Sarbanes-Oxley,” he said.

Wied said the organization has from 120 to 150 core administrative staff, about normal for the NFL. Most are from the community.

“People who work here are tied to this community or have connections to the Packers,” he said.

None of this will be of priority interest Tuesday and Wednesday, when shareholders and friends get the opportunity to stand next to Brett Favre’s locker.

Harlan has made it a point to provide shareholders with a little something extra for the past three shareholder meetings, with increasing interest and attendance for each.

Last year, more than 12,000 turned out, drawn by admission to a rookie workout after the meeting. Only 9,000 were able to get into the meeting itself, in the Resch Center, an unacceptable circumstance in Harlan’s view. Thus the move to Lambeau Field this year.

GBRulz
07-18-2006, 03:57 PM
Green Bay is an effin zoo today. Almost the entire stadium lot was full. I had to make sure it was July and not a pre-season game in August!

i think it's so awesome how much love people have for this team. TOMORROW is the actual shareholders meeting and there are already thousands coming the day prior just to get their stadium tour.

Row 67
07-18-2006, 07:02 PM
I took the tour with my mom this morning. The place was first class.

We got there early- around 10:30, expecting a crowd and a line. It wasn't as bad as we thought. As we walked up, the Packers had staff on hand to answer questions and get people lined up. The visitors were all in a great mood, and it was fun chatting with fellow shareholders and fans as we waited in line.

The Packers organization is just that- organized! They could see the interest building and we were informed by the folks where the lines were forming that the tours would be starting early.

The tour started by entering the stadium concourse, through a tunnel, down the stadium aisle to the concrete walk that rimmed the floor of the stadium. At the base of the stairs were several people helping older, less mobile folks navigate the stairway. The grass was beautifully manicured and it was hard to resist the urge to jump the fence and jog around the field! Since it was sunny and hot, the organization had training tables set up with cold water for fans to drink as they strolled to the tunnel.

As we entered the tunnel the players run out of, Bob Harlan was there, casually greeting folks, posing for pictures. Everywhere there were Packer friendly Packer staff on hand to answer questions, keep the lines moving orderly, etc.

As you enter the hallway that leads to the locker room, mounted on the wall are huge photos and brief histories of the greatest games ever played at Lambeau. The first game, a few NFL title games, the 1996 NFC Championship game, Freeman's miracle overtime catch game vs. the Vikings, among the most notable. It was neat to be able to say I'd been to a few of them, and it was cool that my mom could say she was at the Ice Bowl game.

Mounted on the walls as you enter the locker room are bulletin boards with NFL rules on substance abuse, jerseys, etc. - not unlike an information board you would find at any other regular job.

As you enter the locker room, Brett Favre's is the first locker on the left. Next to him is Billy Cundiff. Lots of folks were taking pics of Brett's locker.

Across from the field entrance is the hallway to the showers that heads off to the right. Just off the hall to the showers is the whirlpool. To the left is an Endless Pool. Next to the Endless pool room is the training room where the players get taped, etc. Across the hall to the right is the weightroom. A huge picture of Brett Favre is on the far wall, and on the right wall "CHAMPIONS TRAIN HERE" is painted in huge letters.

Along the ceiling of the hallway, banners of the 13 NFL Championships hang for each year. Along the wall are huge photos of Packers that have been inducted in the NFL hall of fame. There are a lot of them!

At the end of the hall is a room with replica's of the three Super Bowl Trophies (the originals are in the Packer HOF), and on the wall hang the jerseys of the players the Packers have retired.

We walked out the door just before noon. The lines to get in were significantly longer than when we first showed up around 10:30, so we were glad we went early.

All I can say is that this was a first class tour. The organization had plenty of staff on hand, and were flexible enough to realize that the crowds would be huge and they opened the tour early.

I'm proud I'm a Packer shareholder. First, I'm glad I could contribute to the team remaining in GB. Second, that whole facility is classy. The atrium, the design, the way they embrace tradition. They treat people very well. The organization didn't have to open up the facility for a tour, but they did. It is great P.R., but I don't think it was done for that purpose. I think the organization genuinely embraces all of its stakeholders -- staff, players, fans, shareholders, the community. Events like this prove it. Its a shame that selfish players like Javon Walker and others can't see past their personal problems and feel the need to rip on the organization.

MadtownPacker
07-18-2006, 09:49 PM
Sounds like it was a cool tour. Grnbay007 was supposed to have attended too so hopefully she got some pics. You got any pic Row?

HarveyWallbangers
07-18-2006, 09:55 PM
At the end of the hall is a room with replica's of the three Super Bowl Trophies (the originals are in the Packer HOF), and on the wall hang the jerseys of the players the Packers have retired.

Aren't the ones in the Packer Hall of Fame replicas?

GrnBay007
07-18-2006, 10:32 PM
Sounds like it was a cool tour. Grnbay007 was supposed to have attended too so hopefully she got some pics. You got any pic Row?

I'm going tomorrow. :D I'm glad to hear there was a crowd there today, hopefully tomorrow won't be quite so bad ...crowdwise

Bretsky
07-18-2006, 10:37 PM
at the time when we could buy shares the $$ wasn't flowing that well so I passed on the contribution. I regret not spending the money to be a Packer Shareholder.

Glad everybody is enjoying the tours.

B

HarveyWallbangers
07-18-2006, 10:57 PM
You aren't an owner, Bretsky?

My parents bought me a share as a birthday gift. Thought it was kind of neat, but I've actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I've attended the shareholder meetings, and it's cool to let your Viking friends know that you are a part-owner.
:D

FavreChild
07-19-2006, 06:51 PM
I got tons of pics - could send to MTP.

FavreChild
07-19-2006, 06:53 PM
Got my picture with TT. Just for fun. Told him that tank says, "Hi, Polar Bear."

GrnBay007
07-20-2006, 12:49 AM
Got my picture with TT. Just for fun. Told him that tank says, "Hi, Polar Bear."

you took the short line, huh FC? We waited in that huge line for Bob Halan's autograph. What a friendly man he is!
I got some pics too but haven't even looked at them. What a long day....left at 6:30 this morning and just got home an hour ago. We stayed in Green Bay a little too long today :D ...met some friends at the Sideline Sportsbar (I think it was called) across from Lambeau...was a very friendly bar. Got lost for about an hour on the way home and also had to drive through a storm for about 30 min.

I love Green Bay! Being there today makes it all the harder to wait for the season to start.

woodbuck27
07-20-2006, 08:37 AM
You aren't an owner, Bretsky?

My parents bought me a share as a birthday gift. Thought it was kind of neat, but I've actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I've attended the shareholder meetings, and it's cool to let your Viking friends know that you are a part-owner.
:D

Congratulations Harvey. Nice parents. :mrgreen:

FavreChild
07-20-2006, 08:42 AM
We waited in that huge line for Bob Halan's autograph. What a friendly man he is!

Bob is a complete class act, and rightfully outshines TT. Bob and I go way back, though, so I skipped the line this time.

GBRulz
07-20-2006, 12:17 PM
I'm glad you guys had a great time! The "every day" stadium tour doesn't normally take you through the players locker room (visitors yes). They do show it during Fan Fest though. In fact, it sounds like they might have moved Brett's locker. It used to be 2nd on the left, next to Barnett's.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/gbrulz/113.jpg

GrnBay007
07-20-2006, 12:29 PM
I wonder if they change the tour content every so often. When we went on the regular fan tour we didn't get to see the visiting teams locker room.

It was a great day and was neat to see the locker room, but overall I saw more of Lambeau on the regular fan tour. Not sure what happened but the letter we received said the tour would include the training facilities and they never showed that. Maybe things changed after they found out how many people were attending, I don't know. I heard many people grumbling that they didn't get to see more after the long wait. Not complaining here though, it was a fun day!

GBRulz
07-20-2006, 12:44 PM
I wonder if they change the tour content every so often. When we went on the regular fan tour we didn't get to see the visiting teams locker room.

It was a great day and was neat to see the locker room, but overall I saw more of Lambeau on the regular fan tour. Not sure what happened but the letter we received said the tour would include the training facilities and they never showed that. Maybe things changed after they found out how many people were attending, I don't know. I heard many people grumbling that they didn't get to see more after the long wait. Not complaining here though, it was a fun day!

You're probably right, 007. They did promise that everyone would get a chance to get the tour and had to scale it down a bit.

Did you guys at least get to walk through the tunnel out to the field though?

GrnBay007
07-20-2006, 12:52 PM
I wonder if they change the tour content every so often. When we went on the regular fan tour we didn't get to see the visiting teams locker room.

It was a great day and was neat to see the locker room, but overall I saw more of Lambeau on the regular fan tour. Not sure what happened but the letter we received said the tour would include the training facilities and they never showed that. Maybe things changed after they found out how many people were attending, I don't know. I heard many people grumbling that they didn't get to see more after the long wait. Not complaining here though, it was a fun day!

You're probably right, 007. They did promise that everyone would get a chance to get the tour and had to scale it down a bit.

Did you guys at least get to walk through the tunnel out to the field though?

yeah, we came down from the stands and went through the tunnel and then in to the locker room. I can't imagine how they got all the tours done yesterday....unless the groups got smaller. It was around 3pm when we finished our tour and we were #6 out of 20 tours.

I wish I would have had your number GBM, you could have joined us for a drink afterward. :D

GBRulz
07-20-2006, 01:03 PM
I wonder if they change the tour content every so often. When we went on the regular fan tour we didn't get to see the visiting teams locker room.

It was a great day and was neat to see the locker room, but overall I saw more of Lambeau on the regular fan tour. Not sure what happened but the letter we received said the tour would include the training facilities and they never showed that. Maybe things changed after they found out how many people were attending, I don't know. I heard many people grumbling that they didn't get to see more after the long wait. Not complaining here though, it was a fun day!

You're probably right, 007. They did promise that everyone would get a chance to get the tour and had to scale it down a bit.

Did you guys at least get to walk through the tunnel out to the field though?

yeah, we came down from the stands and went through the tunnel and then in to the locker room. I can't imagine how they got all the tours done yesterday....unless the groups got smaller. It was around 3pm when we finished our tour and we were #6 out of 20 tours.

I wish I would have had your number GBM, you could have joined us for a drink afterward. :D

I guess I'll just have to throw some tickets your way to get you up to GB again this year!!

GBRulz
07-20-2006, 01:04 PM
and yeah, i could have walked to the Sideline Sports Bar !!

GrnBay007
07-20-2006, 01:13 PM
I guess I'll just have to throw some tickets your way to get you up to GB again this year!!


Ummm......OK! :mrgreen:

Partial
07-20-2006, 01:14 PM
anyone have 2 home tickets I can buy this year?