Packers CEO says financial bump needed to stay competitive - ESPN

Green Bay Packers president/CEO Ed Policy says adjustments might be necessary as the NFL's only publicly owned franchise attempts to remain financially competitive in the long term.

«It's like other teams have access to this ATM machine that we just don't have right now,» Policy said Friday as the Packers released their annual expenses and revenues for the 2026 fiscal year, three days before the organization holds its annual shareholders meeting.

The Packers reported an operating loss in a non-pandemic year for the first time since the 1990 fiscal year, though the team's overall net income was up 54.8%. The Packers had $132.5 million in net income due to the $133.6 million they received in nonoperating revenues, which included gains in corporate investments plus their share from ESPN's purchase of NFL Network.

Each of the NFL's 32 teams received $453.2 million from the NFL, which mainly comes from the league's TV contracts.

In operating costs, the Packers reported $753 million in revenues and $754.1 million in expenses. Revenues were up 4.7%, but expenses increased 18.7%.

Policy said the rise in expenses was due to a $130 million increase in player costs. The Packers acquired All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys last year and signed him to a four-year, $188 million contract with $136 million guaranteed. They also accelerated payments to some players who were traded.

«We're going to have to be more aggressive with revenue generation going forward,» Policy said. «We all know the cost of competing in the NFL is going up, and other teams have access to capital sources that we just don't have.»

Policy noted that the ability of other NFL franchises to sell minority interests in their team puts the Packers