By Sarah Conery
Sarah Conery is a freelance correspondent reporting for the Steelers at the NFL Draft in Green Bay
Bringing hundreds of thousands of people to a city, who are maybe visiting the area for the first time, has plenty of challenges. From logistics and security to staffing, massive events like the NFL Draft take meticulous planning and cooperation from many individuals and organizations. Curating an experience for the attendee that is meaningful and memorable is key to creating an impactful event. This is where the expertise of the events team at the NFL particularly shines.
In a press conference Monday, preceding the Draft, Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich welcomed the press stating, "Our community is obviously the smallest NFL city, but we've got the biggest heart and I think a great ability to come together across municipal boundaries with partnerships across the board to pull together a really incredible event." This press conference included statements from community partners, representatives from the Packers, the NFL, and law enforcement, providing members of the press the opportunity to discuss specifics of the event.
Following the statement by the Mayor, Nicki Ewell, Senior Director of Events at the NFL, said "The thing that we're most proud of at the Draft, in any city that we are in, and certainly here, is how the culture of the state and the traditions of the club show up. I think you'll be really excited to see… from the opening moment to the programming that we're going to have throughout the three days." Ewell shared that the final day of the event would be extra special, showcasing the culture of Wisconsin through polka, quilting circles, and more.
Polka wasn't the only dance that was showcased at the Draft; Oneida Nation Dancers performed traditional Native dances to live music Saturday for attendees to enjoy. Another tradition kept alive during the Draft was a Bike Parade hosted on Saturday morning. Brad Toll, CEO of Discover Green Bay, explained its cultural significance:
"Since Lombardi in the '60s, the team's locker rooms have been in the stadium, but the practice fields are through the parking lot and just a short distance down a side street. Kids in the '60s used to bring their bikes over. When the player came out of the stadium, they'd hand them their helmets, and then they jumped on the bike… the 'bike kid' as we affectionately call them would run along the side of them. They talk about school and whatnot, and it just sort of reflects the really cool relationship the team has with the community."
Toll shared, "The NFL is just a tremendous partner when it comes to trying to highlight the culture, some of the history, and what the city is about. They truly want the Draft to reflect where they are." Toll highlighted the transformation of the logos for the event, including design touches that give a nod to Wisconsin's beautiful forests, the paper-making industry, and the iconic neighborhood fences across from Lambeau Field that are freshly painted with a new message every year to cheer on the team before the season begins.
For many Wisconsinites, the highlight of the Draft Experience was the Packers Everywhere Draft Haus. Packers Everywhere is a sister site to Packers.com and focuses on fan engagement. Haylee Becker, Fan Engagement Manager at the Packers, shared that she immediately thought of Wisconsin dive bars when tasked with coming up with activation ideas to share Wisconsin culture with event attendees.
Within the Draft Haus, attendees could experience Pull Tabs and Bar Dice, two popular games played in Wisconsin dive bars. They could also grab selfies, win prizes, share the name of their favorite dive bar on a chalkboard, and add a pin to the world map to share where they had traveled from the attend the Draft. Becker shared that the staff behind the dive bar counter, which most attendees thought were bartenders hired for the event, were actually members of the Packers staff coming from a variety of departments, including accounting, marketing, fan engagement, and more.
The Draft in Pittsburgh will bring many opportunities to showcase local culture, history, and traditions with visitors, both inside and outside of the Draft footprint. Jerad Bachar, CEO of Visit Pittsburgh, is collaborating with the NFL Creative Team to ensure the branding within the footprint of the Draft represents Pittsburgh. For example, Pittsburgh is the home of Andy Warhol, so conversations are being had on how to integrate pop culture into the branding of the event, Bachar shared.
Jeremy Waldrup, CEO of Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, also attended the Draft, intending to observe and learn from the event in Green Bay. Waldrup is focused on curating the experience for visitors when they arrive in Pittsburgh and as they explore downtown. On arrival in Green Bay, visitors were greeted with welcome bags that included cheese curds and other local staples, which Waldrup noted as a memorable welcome that he won't forget anytime soon. Waldrup reflected on his arrival in Green Bay and is asking, "What can we do as a city to leave folks kind of warm and fuzzy about their experience?"
