The Green Bay Packers have won thirteen National Football League Championships—more than
any other team in the history of the NFL. The Packers won their first NFL Championship in 1929
and their most recent in 2010 (having won Super Bowl XLV). Green Bay also won the first two
Super Bowls in 1966 and 1967 under legendary coach Vince Lombardi. Lombardi coached the
Packers (1959–67) to five NFL Championships in seven years (1961–62 and 1965–67). His
teams set the standard for football excellence, not only for the Green Bay Packers but for the
entire NFL.
However, after Lombardi’s retirement from the Green Bay Packers in 1968, the Packers began a
perennial losing streak. The word was out around the league—the Packers were a relic, and their
fans lived in the past. Adults and kids wore Packer jerseys with No. 15 (Bart Starr) and No. 66
(Ray Nitscke), players of the Lombardi era, instead of those of current players. Other teams
would threaten to ship their players to the Packers if they didn’t perform well. No one wanted to
come to Green Bay. This was in stark contrast to the glory years of the 1960s in Green Bay,
when it was known as “Title Town, USA.”
Bob Harlan, the Packers president, had had enough and decided it was time to make some
changes. In 1991 he hired Ron Wolfe as executive vice president and general manager; Wolfe in
turn hired Mike Holmgren as the Packers’ head coach in 1992. While the Packers had several
problems, the cold weather being one, a major issue was that of diversity. Black players did not
want to come to Green Bay. Wolfe and Holmgren understood that the black population in Green
Bay was small, but they also realized that other black players in the past had enjoyed great
careers with the Packers.
Their first order of business was to recruit a high-profile black player to the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers accomplished this task by signing Reggie White of the Philadelphia Eagles, who
had become a free agent after the 1992 season. Reggie White had star power and was an
outstanding citizen and a leader among NFL players, respected by black players. His presence
with the Packers sent a message that things were changing in Green Bay.
However, the signing of Reggie White alone would not change the culture in Green Bay for
black players. It was common knowledge that if the Packers’ black players wanted a more active
social life, they would need to travel to Milwaukee or Chicago. Milwaukee was two hours away
by car, and Chicago four hours. Wolfe and Holmgren wanted to improve conditions for their
black players and to make them more comfortable. They employed two simple strategies. First, a
barber from Milwaukee was brought in once a week because no one in Green Bay specialized in
styling African American hair. In addition, twice a week the Packers served foods that were
customary to black culture. The players responded well to Wolfe’s and Holmgren’s strategies.
The players appreciated the fact that the Packers were making an effort to understand their
diverse culture and needs.
As the actions of the Packers were accepted by the black players and word began to spread
around the league that Green Bay was a good situation, the whole attitude around the Packer
organization became more positive. It also became easier to recruit and sign players in Green
Bay. Players and coaches were more satisfied and focused on their work, and the weather didn’t
seem so cold anymore. While these changes were small, the results were huge—the Packers and
their fans were rewarded in 1996 when the team won Super Bowl XXXI and again in 2010 at
Super Bowl XLV.
1. Why were Wolfe, Holmgren, and the Packer organization concerned with diversity?
2. Discuss the extent to which they accommodated diversity and activated that diversity.
3. Besides providing the barber and desired food, what other strategies might the Packers have
employed to manage different beliefs, values, and attitudes of their players?
4. Given the small town community of Green Bay, with its small black population and lack of
cultural activities, what role can the community play in understanding and valuing diversity
to help the Packers?
5. Will these types of strategies work in the everyday workplace or small sport organization?
6. Do you think having more diversity on the Packers roster has helped the team to win
championships? Explain.
7. Review the Packers website. Does their marketing and website reflect diversity? How could
their marketing and website do a better job at promoting diversity? What diversity strategies
could be employed?
8. Go online and search for other sport organizations that demonstrate diversity through their
marketing and design of their websites. Can you find any sport organizations that do not
value and promote diversity and multiculturalism? Explain