NFL Draft Attendance Record Shattered in Detroit
The NFL draft has set a new attendance record, with over 700,000 fans flocking to downtown Detroit for the three-day event. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the news at Campus Martius Park on the final day of the draft.
The NFL draft in Detroit
“It has been a historic week here in the great city of Detroit,” Whitmer said Saturday. “We have shown the world what the Motor City is all about.”
While it will take years to know if this week’s picks delivered, there’s no doubt that Detroit made the most of an opportunity to host hundreds of thousands of fans and show 50-plus million viewers the new-look city.
Motown beat Music City’s three-day attendance record of 600,000 set in 2019, when fans filled Broadway in Nashville.
The Detroit skyline
The NFL did not charge fans to attend the event in Detroit, though the visitors and area residents were expected to generate more than $160m in economic impact at sold-out hotels, packed bars and restaurants, as well as retail stores in the heart of downtown.
Former Lions running back Billy Sims was enjoying brisk sales of barbecue from his restaurant under a tent on a sidewalk along Woodward Avenue on Saturday.
Billy Sims’ barbecue
The event was a huge success, with fans and locals alike enjoying the festivities. As the city looks to the future, one thing is certain - Detroit has proven itself as a top destination for major events.
The NFL draft crowd
