The Packers' decision to move their annual shareholders
meeting to the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena from the
last two events at Lambeau Field resulted in a "sharp drop
in attendance," according to Content & Bruss of the Green
Bay PRESS-GAZETTE. Attendance at Wednesday's meeting was
2,015, compared with last year's attendance of 7,064 at
Lambeau Field. Two years ago, the first year the meeting
took place at Lambeau, attendance was 18,707. Content &
Bruss write that "some shareholders expressed frustration
over a rule change that prohibited shareholders from
bringing guests" (Green Bay PRESS-GAZETTE, 7/13). During
the meeting, the team presented a "detailed accounting of
why the team needs a renovated stadium," and the stadium
referendum on a 0.5% Brown County sales tax to help fund
renovations at Lambeau Field "took center stage" (Green Bay
PRESS-GAZETTE, 7/13). In Milwaukee, Crocker Stephenson
writes that Packers GM Ron Wolf predicted during the meeting
that without the renovations, the team will "quickly become
a broke and mediocre team." Wolf told the shareholders,
"It's about money if you want to become a winning team, if
you want to stay a winning team" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL
SENTINEL, 7/13). Details from the Packers' annual report
are available at www.greenbaynewschron.com (THE DAILY).
ON SCREEN: In Green Bay, Tom Perry reports that film
Producer Adam Hertzog, currently working on a two-hour
program called "Sports Owners: Who's the Boss?," was in the
Green Bay area yesterday to interview Packers shareholders.
Hertzog has already interviewed other pro team owners,
including Vikings Owner Red McCombs and Chiefs Owner Lamar
Hunt. The program is scheduled to air on the History
Channel in 2001 (Green Bay PRESS-GAZETTE, 7/13).
