MILWAUKEE — With a click of a cleat and a push of the pedal, Lora Grovogel and a group of cyclists in NFL Draft cycling jerseys rolled out from the parking lot of the Lake Express high-speed ferry.
About an hour earlier the ferry delivered a football from Detroit, marking the ceremonial handoff of the 2024 NFL Draft host to the 2025 host.
“We’re just having a good time celebrating bringing the NFL Draft football across the lake from Michigan and then heading up to Green Bay,” Grovogel said.
A Green Bay native, Grovogel is co-owner of Sumaico Bike Company near Green Bay.
“It’s so awesome for all the people of Green Bay to have us be recognized not only nationally but world wide,” she said. “The draft, the NFL, is a big deal that’s coming to our little town of Green Bay. We’re a lot bigger than people give us credit for for our mentality and others things as well.”
Pedal to the Draft builds on the Green Bay Packers' training camp tradition of players riding bikes from Lambeau Field to training camp.
It also highlighted the state’s recreational opportunities.
“To help highlight not only locally but also nationally, the great trails and riding and networks that we have,” said Jake Newborn, assistant director of the Wisconsin Bike Federation. “Hopefully this will bring attention to make them better, improve them and keep investing at the state level.”
As one of the riders, Newborn said the draft gives the state an opportunity to showcase itsself to a wide audience.
“Our industry. Our bicycling. Our recreation. Our beautiful state,” he said. “We’re just happy to have them here.”
The draft runs April 24 to 26, 2025. It’s expected to bring 250,000 or more people to Wisconsin.
“The draft has become such a big event. It’s going to be a week-long commercial for Wisconsin,” Packers president Mark Murphy said during a press conference at the ferry terminal in Milwaukee. “It’s really going to open a lot of eyes across the country and the world.”
Detroit hosted the even last month and the NFL said more than 750,000 attended over three days.
A large countdown clock in the Lambeau Field atrium will keep tabs on the time remaining to the draft.
“We’re pumped to have lots of people come into Green Bay and enjoy our community and see what we have to offer,” Grovogel said. “And celebrate football as well.”
