[mlmpetert]

SmootSmack, you mentioned you might buy a share just to say youre a owner. Im not sure if that was anecdotal, but do you think people would consider paying 250 for this thing if it said in big bold letters “Not a Real Stock” or “Souvenir Stock” or “Has No Value” on it? Of course not. Someone wants this thing so they can hang it in their office or in their home as a talking piece and “Fake Stock” would quickly kill any conversation. The vast majority of people who buy this thing are going to display it and speak to it like it’s a real stock, partly because I honestly believe most people don’t really know what it is.

Financial instruments are not intuitive to most people. I work in a finance related field, volunteer and work with a VCU finance club which volunteers within the Richmond community to spread financial awareness, and I try to at least yearly volunteer with Junior Achievement who’s primary goal is to spread financial literacy to underprivileged kids. I can promise you most Americans have a limited understanding of financial instruments and products; not because they are dumb, but because most people have little experience with what is a very large, broad and complex industry. So when a company makes and sells fake stock to people who may not be informed on what they are buying its pretty upsetting to me.

I knew Green Bay made “Stock Offerings” but like most people out there I assumed they were actually making legit offerings. I clicked on this link today thinking there was an offering of sorts for stock, the real kind. I never thought that Green Bay was selling fake stock to people to who intentionally or unintentionally represent it as real stock to others. Honestly I would bet the majoirity of people who actually buy arnt truly aware of what it is or its value. Even the price is what a reasonable person would think a share of ownership in the team would cost. The whole thing is pretty appalling to me.

The primary disclaimers are awful:

COMMON STOCK DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN INVESTMENT IN “STOCK” IN THE COMMON SENSE OF THE TERM.
PURCHASERS SHOULD NOT PURCHASE COMMON STOCK WITH THE PURPOSE OF MAKING A PROFIT

It should say this is a Souvenir/Ceremonial/Reproduction Stock, not something and ambiguous as “this doesn’t constitute an investment in sock in the common sense”. Guess what, options and other derivatives arnt investments in stock in the common sense either. It should just flat out say that this is not Common Stock in any sense the either word or term.

The second part kind of resembles an investment disclosure, and makes people think that while you shouldn’t buy this with the intent to make a profit, that making a profit may be possible. Just like how they see things like “past performance is no guarantee of future results” or “investments should suite your risk tolerance”.

It should be clear that these are NOT Redeemable or Transferable. They should also list the actual value of .03 cents or whatever it in clear view. It should be clearly stated that this not a Common Stock in any sense of the term and has no value other then sentimental. It should be apparent that this is merely a donation to Green Bay with worthless voting rights attached, used to confuse the purchaser.

I am all for personally responsibility and the buyer beware mentality but if youre going to sell something and you say youre Issuing Common Stock you need to make sure its instantly apparent to anyone who goes on that site that this is in no way common stock or anything more than a gag or souvenir. Otherwise call it what it is, Fake Common Stock.