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While thousands of people came into town to experience the 2025 NFL Draft, many of Green Bay's own headed out to Lambeau Field decked out in green and gold to experience the draft in their own backyard.
The Press-Gazette talked to six fans who came to the draft April 25 and asked them what they thought of the campus setup and visitors coming to Green Bay. Here's what they had to say.
For Caryn Kihl, this year’s draft has shown the best of Wisconsin.
“The people that have come in have said how great, how wonderful people are,” Kihl said. “It’s a reflection on our area in general. Just so welcoming and making them feel at home.”
She’s in town from Kaukauna along with Amy Braun of Appleton. Despite Green Bay's welcome, the crowd is still mostly Packers fans, which they said could be for the better or worse. Hotels aren’t as busy as people originally thought, but traffic’s been better than they expected. And everything was “very well run,” Kihl added.
Having the draft in town means a lot to both women. Braun's family has season tickets, and they’re shareholders. They’re here in part for her dad, who wanted to come but couldn’t because of his age.
Above all, it comes down to how important the Packers are to the community, they said.
“I'm so proud of us," Braun said. “My husband said, ‘You have nothing to do with this,’ I know, but I feel like we’re all one.”
Bonnie Mueller, who lives in Appleton, is hosting Mary Van Erem from Madison for the draft. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the region, they said — the sheer number of people is something Mueller said she can’t see happening in either Green Bay or Appleton again anytime soon.
“We do Mile of Music, and it brings up 100,000 people,” Mueller said. “I can’t imagine so many more here.”
But based on what they’ve seen, even from Appleton, it makes sense, Mueller said. The two women grabbed breakfast there this morning, and they said a full three quarters of the people eating were wearing Packers gear on their way to the draft.
“This, to me, feels like a Super Bowl Green Bay game,” Van Erem said. “It’s just a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
Tory Achterberg, who lives near the stadium, took the week off work because of the traffic: because cars were being rerouted, backups were “absolutely nuts,” he said. But at least one of the draft events, the April 23 concert in downtown Green Bay, was less crowded than he and his family had thought it would be. It left him disappointed, he said.
“Normally, when they do concerts and stuff down there, it’s really hard to park, so we didn’t even try to go,” Achterberg said. “Then we saw the news.”
He said he, and a lot of the people he knows, were expecting a bigger turnout. Homeowners near the stadium were expecting to be able to sell parking for $75 or $100, and they’re not selling all their spots because of it. And, of course, there was Friday’s rain.
Still, it’s nice for Green Bay to have an event like the draft once, even if he thinks it may never come back.
“Maybe it’s a practice run for a Super Bowl,” he said.
Jill and Brian Feltz live in De Pere and brought their daughter to the draft April 25 for a chance to experience something unique in her own backyard.
Their daughter, Sienna, is 7 years old and got to experience not just a regular game at her home stadium, but an NFL draft. Sienna ran to the autograph stage to see as people were waiting for former Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson to come out.
“She’s building a core memory for sure,” Jill Feltz said.
They’re hoping to bring their younger daughter on April 26, the last day of the draft, to celebrate it with the whole family. They hope to do some of the kids’ activities and take advantage of the better weather forecast tomorrow.
Sarah and her husband Andrew Allen have been coming to eat at restaurants in and around the Lambeau Field Atrium for three weeks in a row ahead of the draft to watch workers build the draft grounds, though it made driving in the couple days before the draft “a little harder,” Sarah Allen said.
The Allens live in Allouez and were excited to see everything unfold. Their kids were excited to get the day off from school because of the draft.
“We want to be part of the action, the whole shebang,” Sarah Allen said. “I don’t think there’s ever going to be a draft here in a while.”
Adam Malovrh was impressed by the setup of the draft campus and thought the excitement was felt all the way to the back of the crowd of the stage.
“In here (Atrium) is definitely not the experience that out there is,” he said. “You have to be out there with the audio for the energy.”
Samantha Malovrh agreed that the energy was palpable the entire week, saying that people come from all over the world is a highlight to check out the draft. Their group stopped by Bay Park Square mall before heading to the draft and was excited to see all the international visitors checking out the food court, too, Malorvh said.
“It’s the best place on earth to watch people,” Samantha Malovrh said.
Christina and Andy Dekeuster of De Pere got to the draft around 3 p.m. April 25. As they watched on TV the crowd rise to shatter earlier estimates for the first night, Andy knew they had to check it out for themselves on the second night.
They stopped by the Atrium to warm up on a cold, rainy afternoon April 25 but were excited to check out everything, Christina said. They’re season ticket holders and love how the stadium looks for the draft.
When asked what their advice was to anyone who was coming to the Green Bay for the first time, their answer was simple.
“Come with an open mind and have as fun much as you can,” Christina said.
Contact Benita Mathew at [email protected].
Contact Green Bay education reporter Nadia Scharf at [email protected] or on X at @nadiaascharf.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: A view of 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay from those who live in the area
Continue reading...
The Press-Gazette talked to six fans who came to the draft April 25 and asked them what they thought of the campus setup and visitors coming to Green Bay. Here's what they had to say.
'I'm so proud of us'
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For Caryn Kihl, this year’s draft has shown the best of Wisconsin.
“The people that have come in have said how great, how wonderful people are,” Kihl said. “It’s a reflection on our area in general. Just so welcoming and making them feel at home.”
She’s in town from Kaukauna along with Amy Braun of Appleton. Despite Green Bay's welcome, the crowd is still mostly Packers fans, which they said could be for the better or worse. Hotels aren’t as busy as people originally thought, but traffic’s been better than they expected. And everything was “very well run,” Kihl added.
Having the draft in town means a lot to both women. Braun's family has season tickets, and they’re shareholders. They’re here in part for her dad, who wanted to come but couldn’t because of his age.
Above all, it comes down to how important the Packers are to the community, they said.
“I'm so proud of us," Braun said. “My husband said, ‘You have nothing to do with this,’ I know, but I feel like we’re all one.”
Draft is 'once-in-a-lifetime thing'
You must be registered for see images attach
Bonnie Mueller, who lives in Appleton, is hosting Mary Van Erem from Madison for the draft. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the region, they said — the sheer number of people is something Mueller said she can’t see happening in either Green Bay or Appleton again anytime soon.
“We do Mile of Music, and it brings up 100,000 people,” Mueller said. “I can’t imagine so many more here.”
But based on what they’ve seen, even from Appleton, it makes sense, Mueller said. The two women grabbed breakfast there this morning, and they said a full three quarters of the people eating were wearing Packers gear on their way to the draft.
“This, to me, feels like a Super Bowl Green Bay game,” Van Erem said. “It’s just a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
Draft didn't work for everyone: 'absolutely nuts'
Tory Achterberg, who lives near the stadium, took the week off work because of the traffic: because cars were being rerouted, backups were “absolutely nuts,” he said. But at least one of the draft events, the April 23 concert in downtown Green Bay, was less crowded than he and his family had thought it would be. It left him disappointed, he said.
“Normally, when they do concerts and stuff down there, it’s really hard to park, so we didn’t even try to go,” Achterberg said. “Then we saw the news.”
He said he, and a lot of the people he knows, were expecting a bigger turnout. Homeowners near the stadium were expecting to be able to sell parking for $75 or $100, and they’re not selling all their spots because of it. And, of course, there was Friday’s rain.
Still, it’s nice for Green Bay to have an event like the draft once, even if he thinks it may never come back.
“Maybe it’s a practice run for a Super Bowl,” he said.
You must be registered for see images attach
Building ‘core memories’ for the family
Jill and Brian Feltz live in De Pere and brought their daughter to the draft April 25 for a chance to experience something unique in her own backyard.
Their daughter, Sienna, is 7 years old and got to experience not just a regular game at her home stadium, but an NFL draft. Sienna ran to the autograph stage to see as people were waiting for former Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson to come out.
“She’s building a core memory for sure,” Jill Feltz said.
They’re hoping to bring their younger daughter on April 26, the last day of the draft, to celebrate it with the whole family. They hope to do some of the kids’ activities and take advantage of the better weather forecast tomorrow.
You must be registered for see images attach
The best people watching experience
Sarah and her husband Andrew Allen have been coming to eat at restaurants in and around the Lambeau Field Atrium for three weeks in a row ahead of the draft to watch workers build the draft grounds, though it made driving in the couple days before the draft “a little harder,” Sarah Allen said.
The Allens live in Allouez and were excited to see everything unfold. Their kids were excited to get the day off from school because of the draft.
“We want to be part of the action, the whole shebang,” Sarah Allen said. “I don’t think there’s ever going to be a draft here in a while.”
Adam Malovrh was impressed by the setup of the draft campus and thought the excitement was felt all the way to the back of the crowd of the stage.
“In here (Atrium) is definitely not the experience that out there is,” he said. “You have to be out there with the audio for the energy.”
Samantha Malovrh agreed that the energy was palpable the entire week, saying that people come from all over the world is a highlight to check out the draft. Their group stopped by Bay Park Square mall before heading to the draft and was excited to see all the international visitors checking out the food court, too, Malorvh said.
“It’s the best place on earth to watch people,” Samantha Malovrh said.
You must be registered for see images attach
Be open to Green Bay
Christina and Andy Dekeuster of De Pere got to the draft around 3 p.m. April 25. As they watched on TV the crowd rise to shatter earlier estimates for the first night, Andy knew they had to check it out for themselves on the second night.
They stopped by the Atrium to warm up on a cold, rainy afternoon April 25 but were excited to check out everything, Christina said. They’re season ticket holders and love how the stadium looks for the draft.
When asked what their advice was to anyone who was coming to the Green Bay for the first time, their answer was simple.
“Come with an open mind and have as fun much as you can,” Christina said.
Contact Benita Mathew at [email protected].
Contact Green Bay education reporter Nadia Scharf at [email protected] or on X at @nadiaascharf.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: A view of 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay from those who live in the area
Continue reading...
