A Jersey for Us: Packers Unveil ‘1923 Classic’—Proudly the NFL’s Publicly Owned Team

When the Green Bay Packers announced their new “1923 Classic” uniform for the 2025 season, it wasn’t just another jersey drop—it was a powerful reminder of what makes this franchise truly unique: being the only publicly owned team in the NFL.

Draped in navy blue with a hand-painted, vintage-style helmet, the “1923 Classic” takes fans back a full century to when the team first became a publicly owned corporation. In 1923, facing financial peril, the citizens of Green Bay stepped in—buying shares, saving the team, and forever changing its destiny.

Unlike any other team in American sports, the Packers have no billionaire owner or faceless corporation behind them. Instead, they belong to hundreds of thousands of fans—shareholders who expect no profit, only the pride of calling the Packers “ours.” This community spirit was born in 1923, when the team officially registered as a public corporation and began playing for an entire city, not just a single owner.

The 1923 season itself was a landmark: it marked the Packers’ third NFL campaign, a 7-2-1 record, and games played at Bellevue Park under the legendary Curly Lambeau. More importantly, it was the beginning of a bond between Green Bay and its football team that has never been broken.

Today, as the “1923 Classic” uniform debuts at Lambeau Field, it’s more than just a throwback—it’s a living symbol of the unity and pride that still define Packers Nation. Quarterback Jordan Love put it best in the team’s announcement video:

“In Green Bay, football is more than just a sport – it’s the thread that connects our whole community, a living symbol of pride and unbreakable unity.”

Every game played in the “1923 Classic” will be a tribute to this legacy. For Packers fans—whether in Wisconsin or around the world—the uniform is a reminder that their team is not just part of the NFL, but a part of who they are.

As the 2025 season approaches, the Green Bay Packers continue to show that in Titletown, tradition isn’t just history—it’s a way of life. And as the only publicly owned team in the NFL, their story remains one of the greatest in sports.