Anyone Want to Buy the Packers?

[GOTA]

If you ever dreamed of being an owner of a real NFL team now is your chance

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gre...ing-2011-12-06

Green Bay Packers launch stock offering
NFL champ gives fans chance to own piece of storied franchise

The Packers, whose Wisconsin hometown is the smallest of any club in big-league professional sports, have offered an initial 250,000 shares to raise funds for redevelopment of its Lambeau Field. Each share is priced at $250
The latest offering, set to run through Feb. 29, is Green Bay’s fifth, following offerings in 1923, 1935, 1950 and 1997. Proceeds from this year’s sale will help pay for a $143 million project to add seats and amenities to Lambeau.

While fans can’t expect to make money from their shares, ownership does bring some benefits, including an invitation to the franchise’s annual meeting and the chance to buy shareholder-only merchandise.

Boland contrasted the stock offering with other sports teams’ attempts to raise additional funds by issuing personal seat licenses, or PSLs.

At many new sports stadiums, PSLs costing thousands of dollars are required before fans can buy season tickets. In theory, PSLs can be sold on at a profit if the holder doesn’t wish to renew a season ticket, though Boland said his research has found only two franchises, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Bears, where PSLs were selling at a premium to their initial sale price.

“What the Packers are doing isn’t just a seat transaction,” he said. “The equity the team gives is way of saying, ‘I’m investing in my home town or my heritage.’ ”

[SPRavensFan]

Roger Goodell can fine any shareholder up to $500,000 for "detrimental conduct" and up to $5,000 for gambling on a game.

[PeterB58]

At many new sports stadiums, PSLs costing thousands of dollars are required before fans can buy season tickets. In theory, PSLs can be sold on at a profit if the holder doesn’t wish to renew a season ticket, though Boland said his research has found only two franchises, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Bears, where PSLs were selling at a premium to their initial sale price.

“What the Packers are doing isn’t just a seat transaction,” he said. “The equity the team gives is way of saying, ‘I’m investing in my home town or my heritage.’ ”

Whatever.

I bought my PSL in 1998 for $500. I guarantee you I could get quite the premium return on that "investment" if I choose to sell it tomorrow.

What are the Packer fans getting? A piece of paper that says they own .00000045% of the team, with an opportunity to give the Packers more money through merchandise sales.

Don't get me wrong, the Packers are unique in their community ownership, and I am sure many Packer fans will own these shares with pride for years to come.

Just don't sell it to me as some holier-than-though way of financing the team. Especially when I could get real money on my "investment" where their's is more of a novelty sale.

[Ravenswintitle]

I heard them talking about it on SiriusNFL today and a couple callers said they bought one share for $275 including handling. If I was a GB fan I would do it for Christmas

[chicagoravensfan]

I don't really understand why they need to do a capital raise in the first place. If there are no dividends to the shareholders what do they do with their annual cash flow?

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

[GOTA]

Whatever.

I bought my PSL in 1998 for $500. I guarantee you I could get quite the premium return on that "investment" if I choose to sell it tomorrow.

What are the Packer fans getting? A piece of paper that says they own .00000045% of the team, with an opportunity to give the Packers more money through merchandise sales.

Don't get me wrong, the Packers are unique in their community ownership, and I am sure many Packer fans will own these shares with pride for years to come.

Just don't sell it to me as some holier-than-though way of financing the team. Especially when I could get real money on my "investment" where their's is more of a novelty sale.

I saw Mark Murphy, the Packers executive, on CNBC last night. They were asking the same question that you did about what you got. He really didn't have an answer. These do not go up in value so they're really just a way to say 'I own the Packers'. The one interesting thing he did say is that the league says they can only use the proceeds for stadium improvements. They can't put that money into salaries or money for operational expenses.

[PeterB58]

I saw Mark Murphy, the Packers executive, on CNBC last night. They were asking the same question that you did about what you got. He really didn't have an answer. These do not go up in value so they're really just a way to say 'I own the Packers'. The one interesting thing he did say is that the league says they can only use the proceeds for stadium improvements. They can't put that money into salaries or money for operational expenses.

"Stadium improvements" can mean a lot of things...many of which would normally be paid for by operational funds.

Don't get me wrong. I am not being critical of the Packers in the least. They have a huge national following, a very lucrative "brand" if you will, and they are clearly leveraging that brand. Good for them. Not all teams can tap into those kinds of funds, especially new teams like the Ravens were when they moved into M&T (and they are still relatively new with a limited national following).

And like I said, I suspect many Packer fans could care less about their "return" on their shares. Giving dad, who's been a Packer fan his entire life, a framed Packer stock certificate with his name on it Christmas morning I am sure will be well worth the $250 investment in their minds.

I just get ticked when one way of raising money is portrayed as "better" than another. It also irks me when PSLs are portrayed as a "rip off" (see Steadman, John)...that you could "never" get that money back. I bet many of us that bought PSLs in 1998 could get at least 2x, if on not more, back on that PSL today.