The Green Bay Packers plan to open a business office in Milwaukee, to be closer to corporate sponsors. The team ended its playing days here in 1994.
Beforehand, the Packers played half their homes games at what was Milwaukee County Stadium and the other half, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Since then, all operations have been located in Green Bay.
UWM Vice Chancellor Tom Luljak, who teaches sports marketing, says the creation of a sales and marketing office in Milwaukee makes financial sense.
“Because of the need to develop additional revenue. That may sound strange in a league that generates almost $9 billion a year, but the truth of the matter is, there is never enough money to go ahead and have the type of facility or the caliber of players, for any of the teams in the NFL today,” Luljak says.
When it comes to cultivating new or increased revenue, Luljak says personal contact can be crucial. “It's not enough to just get on the phone and have a conversation, or email someone, and I believe that the Packers realized that having face time with the people who run many of the state's largest industries – the businesses that can serve as sponsors – is absolutely invaluable to them.”
The club's new office will be located at MillerCoors, on Milwaukee's west side and open this spring.