GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – In the final days before the NFL Draft comes to Titletown, local leaders, NFL officials, and Packers officials said they’re confident they have put together a winning game plan.
“At this point, it’s really the final touches, the small details that come together and really matter,” said NFL Senior Manager of Event Operations Kelsey Pietrangelo. “Operationally, we’re feeling really good.”
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Hundreds of people stopped by Lambeau Field Monday afternoon to get a peek through the security fence at the draft setup. Officials have established a security perimeter and closed off roads around the draft footprint, including Lambeau Field, the Resch Center, and Titletown.
NFL and Packers officials said that one of their biggest goals is celebrating Wisconsin, Green Bay, and Packers culture and traditions through the NFL draft.
“The thing we’re most proud of with the draft is how the traditions of the state and the culture of the clubs show up,” said Nikki Ewell, who is the NFL’s senior director of events. “Day three is special for us because it’s a celebration of the community, and the state of Wisconsin will come to life. You’re going to see a lot of things from polka to quilting circles.”
Officials have estimated that 250,000 people will attend the NFL draft across its three days. When asked how many people have signed up for the NFL OnePass App (which is required to attend the NFL draft), an NFL official said she can’t answer that question because NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will announce that number at the draft.
Officials have maintained that the NFL’s smallest market will be able to handle the crowd.
“We’re not so worried about the numbers but the experience that people have when they come here,” said Packers director of public affairs Aaron Popkey.
“We were ranked the number one city in America, and we were ranked that for a reason,” said Brian Johnson, who is Green Bay’s city council president and president and CEO of On Broadway, Inc. “It’s because Green Bay consistently punches above our weight when it comes to the experiences you get to have here in our community.”
NFL officials said the most challenging part about planning this event in Green Bay is the unpredictability of the springtime weather here in Northeast Wisconsin.
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At the news conference, local law enforcement officials also shared some of their planning for the NFL draft. Green Bay police chief Chris Davis said that it’s mostly going to be law enforcement officers from Northeast Wisconsin at the NFL draft. They will bring in some specialized units from elsewhere and will work with the FBI.
Local law enforcement officials emphasized that they provide security for Packers home games and have plenty of practice with big events. They said that the biggest difference between a Packers game and the NFL draft is the length of the event.
“Have a great time, we’ve been preparing for this for an extended period of time,” said Brown County Sheriff Todd Delain. “We feel like we’re prepared for this event. We just want people to bring their energy and support their clubs.”
FBI agents will also be working at the draft. Their responsibilities include crisis management, threat assessments, and conducting investigations if federal laws are broken. It’s also their job to combat human trafficking.
“Intelligence, are there any known threats, which there aren’t any known threats to the draft this year,” said FBI special agent in charge Michael Hensel.
The NFL draft begins on Thursday and continues through Saturday. It’s expected to pump $94 million into Wisconsin’s economy.
Green Bay Metro will provide free shuttle services from downtown Green Bay to the Lambeau Field area. For route information, please click here.
