GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Officials with Discover Green Bay said the three-day NFL Draft generated $72.9 million locally, and $104 million in statewide economic activity.
Watch Green Bay neighborhood reporter Pari Apostolakos break down the numbers in the video below:
The numbers were released in a news conference Wednesday morning. The nonprofit says they commissioned industry expert Patrick Rishe and his firm, SportsImpacts, to complete the study.
"The value of this event goes well beyond dollars and cents," Experience Greater Green Bay chairman Gerald Lintz said.
Approximately 600,000 fans came to Green Bay for the draft, far surpassing expectations in the NFL's smallest market. Leading up to the draft, officials said they expected between 250,000 to 350,000 people to attend.
The third day of the Draft was the busiest day, with an estimated 220,000 coming through the gates.
"Everyone in this community stepped up," Packers Vice President of Fan Experience, Gabrielle Dow, said. "We do have the best fans in the NFL."
According to the NFL, the 2025 Draft was the second-most watched ever, averaging 7.5 million viewers over the three-day event. Rounds four through seven averaged 4.3 million viewers, the highest-watched day three in NFL Draft history.
Dow said during Wednesday's news conference the most-watched Draft on record was in 2020, which was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
