When Green Bay joined what was then the American Professional Football Association in 1921, it had a population of roughly 31,000 and was the smallest of several small Midwestern cities among the 21 members. The only smaller city was Tonawanda, N.Y., which played one road game and folded. Other than a few brief periods in the 1920s, Green Bay has remained the NFL’s smallest city ever since.
The Packers’ loyal and fanatic fan base is often credited for keeping the team alive and justifiably so – to a degree.
What was more important through World War II when Curly Lambeau’s teams won their six NFL championships was how well the Packers drew on the road, particularly in New York and Chicago, the league’s two biggest cities.