GREEN BAY – The 2025 NFL draft presents numerous opportunities for Green Bay area — and northeastern Wisconsin — residents to make some extra cash working any number of side hustles or gig jobs.
The NFL expects attendance of 250,000 in greater Green Bay for the draft April 24-26. There also will be hundreds, if not thousands, of vendors and contractors here for weeks before and after the draft to set up and take down the massive stage, exhibits and activities that will take over much of the area surrounding Lambeau Field.
Area residents for decades have found ways to capitalize on big events like Green Bay Packers home games by parking cars in their front yards or renting their homes out to visitors. The draft will be no different. Visitors will likely need rides to the draft grounds, to places to eat or back to their car, and that means increased demand for trips via rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft.
Here’s a few tips and suggestions from local officials, experienced northeastern Wisconsin-based rideshare drivers, YouTube channels like The Rideshare Guy, insurance agencies, and online guides.
Check your auto insurance
You should always start by making sure you meet Uber and Lyft eligibility requirements. It’s also good to make a pre-emptive call to your auto insurance provider.
Rideshare companies provide some insurance, but also may require you to have auto insurance, too. Some insurance companies will offer supplemental policies that specifically cover rideshare work, but others won’t. Uber/Lyft’s insurance provides drivers with limited liability coverage after you accept a fare to the moment the ride ends.
Tony Schiegg, president of the Green Bay Insurance Center, said anyone considering Uber, Lyft or a similar service should read the contract’s fine print and call their insurance agent before they start.
“The best advice I can give is to read the contract before signing and speak with your insurance agent,” Schiegg said.
Get started before the NFL draft starts in Green Bay
Use the weeks before the actual draft to familiarize yourself with the app system, your car, cleaning and how rides will go, said M. “Bubba” Blume, a northeastern Wisconsin rideshare driver who estimates he’s provided 25,000 rides in nine years.
Drivers often have seconds to decide whether to accept a ride, so you need to get good at weighing things like the fare, the distance, the destination and other factors to determine whether it’s worth it, Blume said. It will also help you understand the costs you to operate your car versus how much you earn, when to take breaks so you don’t drive tired, and the rhythms of being a rideshare driver.
Tim Sullivan, a full-time rideshare driver in the Green Bay area for the past six months, said an early start also will give you time to learn the side streets, find shortcuts and familiarize yourself with the road network.
“I know a lot more streets now than I thought this town had. You pick it up pretty quick,” Sullivan said. “If you’re going to start with the biggest event in the county’s history, I’d suggest you not do that. Start a few weeks previous.”
Get a dashcam: ‘There’s an impartial witness on that dashboard’
Blume said passengers do misbehave, sometimes very badly, so he always drive with a dashcam that records both inside the car and out the front windshield. The Rideshare Guy channel recommends a dashcam, as well.
“If somebody complains later to Uber or Lyft, there’s an impartial witness on that dashboard,” Blume said, referring to the camera.
Drive safe
You’re the driver, so you’re liable for any injuries or violations of driving laws.
The Rideshare Guy tells new drivers to watch the rules of the road and to decline a ride if, for example, there are more passengers than will fit in your car or a passenger requires a car seat and there isn’t one available.
Blume also said it’s a good idea to require passengers to wear a seat belt in the interest of safety and protecting yourself.
Learn where the cheap gasoline is and don’t drive around in between fares
Gasoline will be one of your most frequent expenses, so it’s best to reduce your fuel use and costs, Sullivan said.
He said he learned where the cheap gas is in the region and not to drive around in between rides. Instead, he said he doesn’t leave his home until his first ride of the day and then finds a spot to park and wait.
“Driving around for rides can throw gas away,” Sullivan said.
Clean your car regularly; carry phone chargers, a first-aid kit and cleaning supplies
It’s better to have the supplies to clean up puke and not need them than to not have the supplies and need to clean up puke.
Rideshare pros suggest drivers clean their car regularly and carry basic cleaning supplies and a first-aid kit in your trunk in case. Others recommend carrying things like bottled water and a variety of phone chargers for your riders’ convenience.
Sullivan said he thoroughly cleans his car every other week and it helps him earn positive ratings from customers. It’s another cost to factor in.
“You’re going to lose rides if you’re not putting in the effort,” Sullivan said.
What do Uber, Lyft drivers make in Wisconsin?
Rideshare drivers get paid a fee per fare plus tips, but what does that work out to for an hour of driving?
The job search website ZipRecruiter reports Uber drivers in Wisconsin make about $18 per hour and Lyft drivers in Wisconsin earn about $16 per hour.
The majority of Uber wages reported fall between $14 and more than $20 per hour while the majority of Lyft wages fall between $14 and $18 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter.
Don’t expect a huge cash windfall
Sullivan said ZipRecruiter’s data aligns with what he earns, but he also drives about 60 hours a week to make what he does.
Blume said he’s noticed Uber and Lyft have started to pay drivers less, and there are more rideshare drivers out there, a combination that often translates into lower income.
Both said they don’t expect the draft itself will generate thousands and thousands of dollars for new drivers, but they did say drivers can adopt different strategies during the event to make money.
On NFL draft days, consider driving odd hours. Or drive for Uber or Lyft in Appleton, Oshkosh, Wausau or other nearby cities
Large-scale events in Wisconsin tend to create a surge in demand for rides that lures drivers from across Wisconsin. Blume has traveled to cities like Madison for big events or weekends, and he expects the draft will draw rideshare drivers to the Green Bay area.
So while rideshare drivers based in Appleton, Oshkosh, Wausau, Manitowoc, Madison or Milwaukee might trek to the Green Bay area, Blume said he’d consider setting up in the Fox Cities or Wausau on draft days.
“My strategy is to go where they (other drivers) ain’t,” Blume said. “People still need rides.”
Sullivan also suggested drivers consider setting up away from the draft zone near Lambeau Field. He expects it could take a lot of time in line to pick up a fare from the draft zone, so it could be more profitable to park in another high-traffic area in the search for fares.
“Once you take someone and move them, you might not get another ride,” he said. “People will still be doing other stuff around the city.”
Don’t like to drive? Don’t like people? Find another side hustle
This may be obvious, but if you don’t like to drive or deal with people, rideshare driver is not the side hustle for you.
Multiple sites, channels and drivers say the job requires some communication skills to help make riders comfortable. They also said a smile and a friendly demeanor helps make an good impression on riders.
Contact business reporter Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 orjbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.