By Katie Price
The NFL Draft has become a traveling production — part league showcase, part tourism campaign. Each year, a new host city steps in, aiming to blend football tradition with fan experience and media hype. In 2025, the city was Green Bay, Wisconsin, and despite being the league’s smallest market, it might have delivered the most authentic version of the event yet.
Green Bay didn’t need a skyline or a massive downtown footprint to make it work. It offered football history, community buy-in, and a setting that felt meaningful. Hosting the draft in the shadow of Lambeau Field, one of the sport’s most iconic stadiums, gave the weekend more weight. The draft has always been about the future, but this year, the location reminded people where the game came from.
The logistics made sense, too. The Packers’ Titletown District was already designed with large-scale events in mind, and it handled the influx. Local organizers efficiently coordinated shuttles, security, staging, and traffic flow. For a town of just over 100,000, Green Bay proved it could successfully manage an event that drew well over a quarter of a million visitors throughout the weekend.
More importantly, fans showed up. Not just Packers fans, though they were out in full force, but fans from across the league. They filled the area early, stayed late, and brought an energy that didn’t feel forced. You could tell this wasn’t just a photo op for Green Bay; this was a big deal, and the city treated it that way.
There’s also something to be said about visibility. Green Bay’s national profile doesn’t come from its nightlife or luxury hotels; it comes from football. Giving a market like that a national spotlight for something beyond Sunday kickoffs is good for the league. It reminded people that the NFL isn’t just about major media hubs. It’s about the fans who build their weekends, vacations, and even livelihoods around the game.
Some critics will argue that the draft “belongs” in bigger cities. While that’s fair, the infrastructure is different, the venues are larger, and the transportation options are broader. However, this year proved that authenticity matters more than scale. Green Bay didn’t try to be Vegas or New York. It focused on being Green Bay, and it worked.
The 2025 Draft didn’t need over-the-top production to feel big. Green Bay kept it simple, leaned into what it does best, and delivered a draft weekend that felt connected to the sport. Bigger cities will continue to host in the future, but this year demonstrated that the league’s smallest market can still deliver one of its most significant moments.
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