Key Stats
The Green Bay Packers are owned by their fans. More than 538,000 individual shareholders hold stock in the franchise, making Green Bay the only community-owned, nonprofit team in American professional sports.
Ed Policy replaced Mark Murphy as Chairman, President, and CEO in July 2025 after a unanimous board vote. Policy spent 13 years with the organization and led the effort to bring the 2025 NFL Draft to Green Bay. The Packers posted $719.1 million in total revenue for fiscal year 2025 and an operating profit of $83.7 million — a 39.3% increase. In a league where NFL viewership keeps climbing, that puts the small-market franchise in strong financial position.
Who Owns The Green Bay Packers?
Green Bay Packers, Inc. is a publicly held, nonprofit corporation incorporated in Wisconsin. There is no individual owner, no ownership group, and no private equity backer. The team belongs entirely to its shareholders — ordinary fans spread across all 50 states and into Canada.
Green Bay Packers Nonprofit Ownership Structure
The NFL requires every other franchise to have no more than 24 owners, with one person holding at least a 30% controlling interest. The Packers operate under a grandfather exemption because their public ownership predates that rule. As a nonprofit, the corporation reinvests all profits into the team, Lambeau Field, and the community. Compared to privately held NFL franchises like the Washington Commanders, this model removes relocation risk since the articles of incorporation direct dissolution assets to local charitable causes.
Shareholder Rights and Restrictions
Packers stock carries no equity interest, pays no dividends, cannot appreciate in value, and cannot be traded. Shares may only be transferred to immediate family members. Each shareholder gets one vote per share to elect the board and approve bylaw changes. Shareholders also receive an invitation to the annual meeting at Lambeau Field and access to exclusive merchandise.
Who Is on the Board of Directors for The Green Bay Packers?
The Packers are governed by a board of directors elected by shareholders, which selects a seven-member executive committee. The committee handles corporate management, approves major spending, sets policy, and monitors daily operations. Only the president receives compensation; all other committee members serve without pay.
Executive Committee Leadership
Ed Policy leads the executive committee as President, Chairman, and CEO. He took over from Mark Murphy, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 70. Policy graduated from Notre Dame in accounting and earned his law degree from Stanford. Before joining the Packers in 2012, he spent nine years in the Arena Football League and two years at the NFL league office.
Executive Committee Members
The remaining six members are Michael D. Simmer (Vice President and Lead Director), Daniel T. Ariens (Secretary), Karl A. Schmidt (Treasurer), and members Marcia M. Anderson, Donald J. Long Jr., and Michael J. Barber. Each brings experience from business, law, or community leadership in Wisconsin.
Board Composition and Governance
The broader board has approximately 45 members, predominantly business owners and community figures from Wisconsin. Board seats are filled through nominations and shareholder votes at the annual meeting. For 2025, three candidates were presented: Timothy M. Bergstrom, Laurie A. Butz, and Ed Policy. The board oversees strategic direction but stays out of football decisions — a separation instituted by former president Bob Harlan in 1989 that modern ownership models continue to follow.
History of The Green Bay Packers Co-Founders
Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun
Earl “Curly” Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun founded the Green Bay Packers on August 11, 1919. Lambeau, then 21, worked at the Indian Packing Company, which put up $500 for uniforms. Calhoun, a city editor at the Green Bay Press-Gazette, recruited players through newspaper notices and collected spare change from fans on game days to cover costs.
From Local Club to NFL Franchise
The Packers spent two seasons playing semi-professional teams before joining the American Professional Football Association (later the NFL) in 1921. By 1922, the team was nearly bankrupt after a rainy Thanksgiving game wiped out gate receipts. Local businessman Andrew Turnbull organized the nonprofit Green Bay Football Corporation in 1923, selling 1,000 shares at $5 each and raising $5,585. The nonprofit structure born from that crisis still operates today.
Largest Shareholders of The Green Bay Packers
The Packers have no majority owner and no institutional investors. Their 538,967 shareholders are almost entirely individual fans. No single person can hold more than 200,000 shares, roughly 4% of the 5,204,625 outstanding.
Green Bay Packers Stock Sale History
The franchise has held six stock offerings since 1923. Each one responded to a specific financial need.
| Year | Price Per Share | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1923 | $5 | Saved team from bankruptcy; formed Green Bay Football Corporation |
| 1935 | $25 | Covered lawsuit settlement after a fan fell from the stands |
| 1950 | Varied | Offset $90,000 in losses from the late 1949 season |
| 1997 | $200 | Funded Lambeau Field renovation after the Super Bowl XXXI season |
| 2011 | $250 | Raised funds for $143 million south end zone addition |
| 2021–2022 | $300 | Generated approximately $90 million for operations and facilities |
How Green Bay Packers Shares Are Distributed
Ownership is dispersed across hundreds of thousands of individuals with no concentrated block. The NFL’s revenue-sharing model — each team received $432.6 million in national revenue for FY 2025 — means the Packers do not depend on a deep-pocketed single owner. Their reserve fund stood at $537 million as of mid-2025. That cushion, paired with revenue from NFL media deals with Fox, CBS, and streaming platforms, keeps the franchise solvent without private investment.
Green Bay Packers FY 2025 Revenue Breakdown
Total: $719.1M | Source: Green Bay Packers FY2025 Financial Report
Purchasing Green Bay Packers Shares
Shares are only available during official offering periods. The most recent sale ran from November 2021 through February 2022 at $300 per share, bringing total shareholders from roughly 361,300 to 538,967. Each buyer is limited to 200 shares. No seventh stock offering has been announced.
FAQs
Can you buy Green Bay Packers stock right now?
No. The last stock offering closed in February 2022. Shares are only available during official sale periods, and the Packers have not announced a future offering.
Why are the Green Bay Packers community-owned?
The Packers became community-owned in 1923 when the nonprofit Green Bay Football Corporation was formed through a public stock sale to save the team from bankruptcy.
Who is the current president of the Green Bay Packers?
Ed Policy became the Packers’ Chairman, President, and CEO in July 2025, replacing Mark Murphy, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Do Green Bay Packers shareholders receive dividends?
No. Packers shares pay no dividends, carry no equity interest, cannot appreciate in value, and cannot be resold for profit on any exchange.
How many shareholders do the Green Bay Packers have?
The Packers have 538,967 shareholders who collectively own 5,204,625 shares, making it the only fan-owned franchise in American professional sports.
