Detroit set NFL Draft attendance record, what’s next?
City leaders will look to attract more big events to Detroit, after several hundred-thousand people visited downtown during the NFL Draft.
Fans stand outside the NFL Draft Theater in downtown Detroit on Thursday, April 25, 2024.
The NFL Draft in Detroit racked up record attendance numbers. It’s estimated that more than 775,000 football fans gathered downtown during the three days of festivities.
On two occasions, crowds swelled to maximum capacity at about 275,000 people — forcing organizers to temporarily pause entry into the main Draft footprint. The turnout was a win for city officials, who spent months hyping the event as an opportunity to put Detroit’s best foot forward.
Detroit fans react
Supporters of teams from around the NFL were represented in the draft audience, but the crowd was overwhelmingly decked out in the Detroit Lions’ iconic “Honolulu blue.” Fans like Craig Smith.
“When you have this many football fans against other teams,” says Smith, “it’s always competition and having everybody here — it’s good.”
Smith says he’s never seen more people downtown than during the NFL Draft.
Alex Burcroff was in attendance on the final day of the event with her family. She says they were excited to support the Detroit Lions.
“We are just coming into an era of our own, with [Lions head coach] Dan Campbell as our leader,” said Burcroff.
Long-known as lovable losers, the Lions have turned it around in recent years. They’ve put together back-to-back winning seasons and a series of postseason wins.
Matt Messing was walking around the NFL Draft carrying a homemade sign of Detroit’s general manager Brad Holmes with light-up blue eyes. He says the region’s sports community is pumped up by the new-found winning ways, driving big turnouts.
“What I’ve seen here is nothing but happy Lions fans that have accepted and are living in our new reality,” said Messing. “And our prolonged future – because they’re building this to last.”
Listen: The sounds of the NFL Draft and what’s next for Detroit.
Out-of-town fans react
For organizers in Detroit hoping the draft shows the city can host big events, it wasn’t only about the hometown fans. The experience of visitors was important too and that feedback was largely positive.
New York Giants fan Dan Weinberg says he was in Detroit for the first time.
“The weather is surprisingly good,” said Weinberg. “The people are super nice. I can’t believe how many girls are here for the draft — that’s really weird.”
Weinberg says fewer women show up at sports events in New York and New Jersey. He was also complimentary of the Detroit food scene, as was Tennessee Titans fan Sam Dean.
Dean, who calls himself “Mr. First Down,” says his first trip to the Motor City was better than expected.
“The people have been really friendly as well, so it’s been just a stellar experience and I’ll definitely be back,” said Dean.
What’s next?
City officials are already hailing the 2024 NFL Draft as win for Detroit. Mayor Mike Duggan says he’s received a lot of positive feedback.
“We made an impression that I think is going to last a long time,” Duggan said. “Detroiters should be proud of the way we welcomed America.”
Christopher Moyer of Visit Detroit says a successful draft weekend gives the region a boost when it comes to attracting other events.
“We’re going after things like the Big Ten Football Championship, the NBA All-Star Game, the NHL All-Star Game. We’ve got the NCAA Final Four in three years,” Moyer said.
“I think it can be even bigger and better, because now you have a reenergized fanbase here in Detroit.”
— Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Jerome Bettis on another Super Bowl in Detroit
In the lead-up to the NFL Draft, many city leaders mentioned wanting to host another Super Bowl at some point.
Somebody else who hopes that happens is Detroit and Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis, who played 13 seasons in the NFL as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. His last game as a pro was the 2006 Super Bowl in Detroit, which he won.
Bettis says if the Super Bowl was held in the city now, it would be different than how it was nearly 20 years ago.
“I think it can be even bigger and better, because now you have a reenergized fanbase here in Detroit,” Bettis said.
The soonest that a Super Bowl could possibly return to Ford Field would be in 2028. The NFL has already picked host cities through 2027.
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