Are the Green Bay Packers Socialists?

Abstract

The Green Bay Packers are an oft-misunderstood organization — not in the decisions that the Packers make, but in their legal status and structure. Scholars, commentators, and even the general public refer to the Packers as “community-owned.” While this characterization is true — to a degree — the specifics of this unique ownership structure in professional sports have never been comprehensively documented and analyzed. Perhaps this is the reason that some political pundits have termed the Packers “socialists.” However, such commentators also seem to not fully appreciate the historical development, and contemporary understanding, of this social, economic, and political ideology. This confluence of confusion has led to the misapplication of the term socialism to the Green Bay Packers. This article seeks to set the record straight.

Keywords: sports law, professional sports, ownership structure, organization, Green Bay Packers, socialism, nonprofit