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Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff Writer
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The NFL’s smallest city isn’t big enough to host a Super Bowl, but it is getting the next best thing.
The league announced Monday that the 2025 NFL draft will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin, population 107,395.
This has been nearly a decade in the making. Packers president Mark Murphy first revealed in 2016 that the team combined with local government and tourism officials to put in a bid to host the draft in as early as 2019. There had been concerns about whether the Green Bay area had enough infrastructure, including hotels and convention space, to host such a large-scale event.
Since then, efforts were ramped up with additional construction around Lambeau Field and the Titletown District to add more hotels, restaurants and exhibition space. Green Bay was one of three finalists to host the 2024 draft, which was awarded last to Detroit last March.
The 2025 draft will take place “inside and around iconic Lambeau Field and Titletown,” according to an announcement by the Packers.
“The Draft has become a prominent offseason event hosted in different cities with spectacular locations across the country, and we are excited to work with the Packers and Discover Green Bay to bring the 2025 NFL draft to Green Bay and iconic Lambeau field,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “With the help of numerous local partners on the ground, our prospects and fans will be treated to an incredible week-long experience that shows off the city of Green Bay and the state of Wisconsin.”
The Packers said the festivities will include several days of activities and the NFL Draft Experience near the stadium during all three days of the draft.
“This is an incredible day for the Packers, Greater Green Bay and the entire state of Wisconsin as we are excited and honored to be selected to host the 2025 NFL Draft,” Packers president Mark Murphy said in the statement. “The Packers have a rich and proud history that goes back to the early days of the NFL and are the only community owned team. That connection to our League’s heritage combined with the great passion Packers fans will bring will make the Draft a memorable event for those in attendance and NFL fans watching around the world.”
The NFL began moving the draft to different cities in 2015 after a long run in New York. Kansas City hosted this year’s draft, which the league said was attended by more than 312,000 spectators over the three days.
The Packers and Green Bay’s most recent bid was for either the 2025 or 2027 draft. They did not submit a bid for 2026 because they have another major event — a college football game between Wisconsin and Notre Dame — and only want to hold one non-Packers event per year.