4 Ways Pittsburgh Scored Big with the NFL Draft

Fittingly for a destination steeped in football lore, Pittsburgh scored big hosting the NFL Draft April 23-25. A record-setting crowd of 805,000 attended the three-day event featuring a host of festivities and activations beyond the actual player selection process.

The massive attendance underscores Pittsburgh’s strength as a premier event and leisure travel destination, according to Jerad Bachar, president and CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH.

“Pittsburgh stands shoulder-to-shoulder with—and in some cases exceeds—the benchmarks set by recent host cities,” Bachar told Inspired Insights. “By every meaningful measure, the draft was a tremendous success.”

Perhaps most important of all, the reception from locals and visitors alike was immaculate.

“I think Pittsburgh showcased themselves very well,” added Larry Aldrich, president and CEO of destination marketing firm Welcome to Aqua, who was in-town for the NFL Draft. “They put a lot of work into small projects in and around the city for beautification.”

Here, we look at four key takeaways from the NFL Draft and offer up some extra pointers for Washington, D.C., next year’s host.

1. Safety comes first.

In a remarkable feat given the huge numbers, there were minimal incidents involving police, the fire department, and other emergency services. Not only did this help create a friendly environment to enjoy the activities, but it also made the case for why the Steel City is ready to host future visitors.

Aldrich described Pittsburgh as “a hidden gem of a city once you visit.” The comment was, of course, a compliment, but the team at VisitPITTSBURGH prefers it not to fly under the radar.

It’s safe to say that the event raised the profile of Pittsburgh as a best-to-invest market with business decision makers and influencers like Aldrich. “Beyond the numbers, the city was showcased to millions of viewers worldwide, and we demonstrated our ability to host a complex global event safely and seamlessly,” Bachar said.

2. Pittsburgh leaned into its identity.

To generate massive interest in the NFL Draft, Pittsburgh played to its biggest strength: itself. “Pittsburgh is not a glamorous city, it is full of rich history mixed with championship iconic sports teams,” said Aldrich.

In that regard, the destination was the ideal pick to host a three-day football celebration. Three of the Steeler’s all-time greats—Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, and Ben Roethlisberger—appeared on stage together to lead the opening kickoff. Other legends participating in the Draft included Jerome Bettis, John Stallworth, Tony Dorsett, Curtis Martin, and Jimbo Covert, not all of whom played for the Steelers but share ties to the area.

Prior to the event, Kamin Science Center aired The Football Town, an NFL Films documentary highlighting Western Pennsylvania football history, to add to the event’s awareness.

3. The NFL Draft was a total team effort.

The Draft’s main stage was located outside Acrisure Stadium (formerly Heinz Field), but this was a true citywide event:

• A PicksBURGH Music Crawl was held the evening before the Draft, featuring more than a dozen local music venues.
• The Pitt University Block Party at Art’s Landing highlighted local football legacy while showcasing a newly opened downtown green space.
• A Draft Day 5K on the final day of the event hosted locals and visitors alike, which had participants from 34 states and 11 countries.
• The Draft Experience at Point State Park included views where the famous three rivers—the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio—converge. NFL fans of a certain age will recall the old football venue that was called Three Rivers Stadium.

Aldrich commended the way the city highlighted its natural beauty on-site and on television. “They used a lot of drone video coverage. That was a great idea and worked amazingly to cover the landscape of the city,” he said.

4. The game is not over.

Among the most important aspects of hosting an event like the NFL Draft is building off the momentum. “Pittsburgh should start their full summer and fall marketing blitz,” Aldrich suggested. “VisitPITTSBURGH should keep the momentum of sports going with the Pirates, all the way up to the NFL season. Host events with the new Draft picks, pick up steam on influencer marketing, show the city in the same views as was done for the Draft. Keep that going all year.”

The DMO is already working on adding to its touchdown. VisitPITTSBURGH will work with Patrick Rishe, founder and president of Sportsimpacts, to conduct an in-depth, independent economic impact assessment.

The report will measure: Visitors’ overall satisfaction with their trip to Pittsburgh, if opinions of Pittsburgh changed as a result of trip experience, and how visitors would rate Pittsburgh as host city for events like the NFL Draft.

“This is not a one-time spike—it’s a platform we will build on to drive sustained visitation and economic growth,” Bachar said.

Extra Points: What Washington, D.C. can learn for this year’s NFL Draft

As the nation’s capital, D.C. is no stranger to hosting major domestic and international events. Still, the home of the Commanders has a lot to live up to, Aldrich noted.

His advice:

1. Lower parking rates and hotel costs outside of the hub around the National Mall, where the Draft will occur, to ease congestion and promote visitors to explore other parts of the city.
2. Hold neighborhood events or parties to showcase local restaurants and businesses. The Mall itself is near many of the Smithsonian museums, but many of the area’s best venues are elsewhere, such as Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and U Street, to say nothing of Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland’s offerings.
3. Build out an influencer campaign early to spread the word about all of D.C.’s hot spots and to educate attendees and locals about the NFL Draft’s footprint.

Photo Credit: VisitPITTSBURGH