Green Bay Is Left a Town With a Title but No Team

Discussion in 'NFC North' started by truebluefan, Mar 20, 2011.

  1. truebluefan

    truebluefan Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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    "The N.F.L. lockout and the threat of a canceled 2011 football season have disquieted fans in many American cities, but the unease in Green Bay (population 102,000) is profound and multilayered. In the league's smallest market, the Green Bay Packers not only give the region a cherished identity and an annual economic boost of more than $280 million, they are also the N.F.L.'s only community-owned franchise, with more than 112,000 shareholders.

    Absent the classic notion of an owner, the folks in Green Bay cannot get particularly angry at either side, especially since every neighborhood, workplace or family could have both season-ticket holders and shareholders.

    And the players? They just delivered the city a championship. In Green Bay, a prolonged Super Bowl party was just getting started.

    Finally, the N.F.L. lockout adds one more labor debate to a state consumed by a bitter brawl over public-employee unions, pension and health insurance benefits and widening budget gaps - a battle temporarily suspended March 11 when Gov. Scott Walker signed into law a bill limiting bargaining rights for most government workers. (On Friday, a Wisconsin judge issued a temporary restraining order that will prevent the law from taking effect, for now.)"

    Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/sports/football/20greenbay.html?_r=1&ref=football
     

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