The Packers were founded in 1919 and became a publicly held nonprofit corporation in 1923. Since they adopted this policy in 1923, their ownership structure was “grandfathered” when the NFL abolished teams’ ability to have shareholders. The Packers model has worked due to individual’s desire to pay for stocks that have little to no value. The desire to own a stock is influenced by fans’ appreciation of the symbolic value of being a shareholder. That being said, the stock has no value and cannot be resold. Laura Sanders of the Wall Street Journal questioned whether the stock was the “worst stock in America.” Sanders quotes David Nienaber, a die-hard Packers fan and investment advisor, who states, “My financial principles don’t allow me to buy …show more content…
Since the Packers are publicly traded, they have to submit their financial balance sheet annually. In contrast, all other NFL teams do not have to disclose their finances for the year. Furthermore, there are advantages and disadvantages to both the Packers model and the sole proprietorships and partnerships of NFL teams. The biggest disadvantage of sole proprietorships and general and limited partnerships in the NFL is the threat of insolvency and relocation. The Packers essentially do not have to worry about such an issue due to their limitation of their shareholders owning a certain number of stocks. Furthermore, the Packers model avoids the egotistical nature of certain owners in the NFL. That being said, the disadvantages of the NFL overturning their policy regarding community owned teams are significant. Firstly, such a scenario could make it difficult for the NFL to maintain control over the league. Furthermore, such a scenario would be unfair to teams that lack the necessary fans to be competitive and present an unfair competitive advantage. Some teams would essentially lag behind others due to fan disinterest in buying stocks. In conclusion, the Packers have demonstrated how community-based ownership could ben successful. That being said, the Packers’ success is unique and would not be successful for all NFL franchises. Rick Chernick, a member of the Packers Board of Trustees