In a moment of weakness, I bought one share of Green Bay Packers stock. It was Nov. 24, 1997. The Packers were trying to raise money for their stadium improvement project and I could become a Packer owner for $200.
I am reminded of my investment because I get an annual invitation to attend a stockholders meeting at Lambeau in late July. It is held outdoors so there is a chance I could get rained on. The information I get from the Packers is zero. They read the results of their business at the annual meeting and I guess you can take notes. If I want financial information, I can read the Milwaukee Sentinel and get more detail.
But hey, I can hang the stock certificate for one share of the Green Bay Packers on my wall. I can proudly say that I am one of 112,000 owners.
I get invited to Lambeau once per year. It comes with an invitation to tour part of the new facilities. Last year, they opened up the team locker rooms.
The Packers do not pay a cash dividend to their stockholders. So I get 0 financial return. Favre gets over $11 million per year. What’s wrong with this picture?
If I wanted to sell my stock, I’m not sure how I’d go about it. It would involve a complex change of ownership maneuvers. I don’t think “ebay” would do the job.
I have bragging rights that I am an owner of one of the oldest NFL franchises. That makes me part of the fabled tradition.
Why did I invest in the Packers? I had a one time shot at becoming an owner and maybe being included in long term financial decisions. My investment is right up there with my red brick (with my name on it) in the walkway just outside of Camp Randall in Madison. The difference is that the brick was a gift (not my money) from Grasshopper No. 2 many years ago.
So as the Green Bay Packers approach training camp with full pads on July 28, we can look forward to another season of quiet desperation and mediocrity. I’ll light up my cigar and throw out my chest. I own part of the Green Bay Packers. I am a big time investor.
The lesson Grasshoppers is that we all have made lousy investments. I got caught up in the moment and decided that being a Green Bay Packers stockholder would be cool. Maybe I’ll plaster my bathroom walls with the stock certificate. I can’t help but wonder how many Dairy Queens I could have purchased with the $200.
Love,
Dad