Detroit, MI
NFL Draft in Detroit generated $213.6 million in economic impact, according to study
The NFL Draft was a win for Detroit on the national stage, with the eyes of the football world on the city for one of the headline events of the sports schedule.
An estimated 775,000 fans from around the world descended on Detroit in late April, and the economic impact numbers back up the anecdotal evidence of the NFL Draft’s success.
According to Visit Detroit and the Detroit Sports Commission, the event generated $213.6 million in economic impact to the city and the region, with $161.3 million coming from visitors outside of southeast Michigan.
“Visit Detroit and the Detroit Sports Commission are thrilled to announce that the record-setting 775,000 people who attended the 2024 NFL Draft generated more than $213 million in total spending for Detroit and Southeast Michigan,” said Claude Molinari, president and CEO of Visit Detroit and co-chair of the Detroit Local Organizing Committee (DLOC) for the NFL Draft. “That spending went into the pockets of Detroit businesses and will help strengthen our community for years to come. I am also proud that more than 50 million people watched Detroit shine on national television, which will be critical for Michigan’s long-term population and economic growth.”
The number of visitors was a record for the NFL Draft and included 30.2% of the attendees traveling more than 100 miles to Detroit. It also included visitors from all 50 states and more than 20 countries. Local hotels benefited, with occupancy rates in Detroit hitting a high of 92% on Friday, April 25.
Business was booming throughout the weekend, and minority-owned businesses saw an increased benefit, as well. The NFL spent $12.1 million on local minority-owned businesses, and the Michigan Black Business Alliance (MBBA), Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), Visit Detroit and Detroit Sports Commission helped Black-owned businesses secure 34 contracts to work directly with the NFL, totaling nearly 40% of local contracts.
“The Detroit Local Organizing Committee (DLOC) for the 2024 NFL Draft has been committed to prioritizing business opportunities for minority-owned businesses in Detroit and the surrounding region since we began our strategic planning in 2022,” said Alexis Wiley, founder of Moment Strategies and co-chair of the DLOC. “Our valuable partnerships with the City of Detroit, local minority business organizations, and entities such as the Michigan Black Business Alliance, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the Detroit Lions, and local ethnic chambers of commerce have significantly benefited local minority businesses. These collaborations have also helped many of these businesses become certified and prepared to secure contracts for future major local events.”
Detroit, MI
Detroit artist Rashaun Rucker receives career award, rediscovers purpose as educator
“The joy is in the work,” said Detroit-based artist Rashaun Rucker.
On Sunday, Feb. 16, Rucker will receive the Alain Locke Recognition Award at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), alongside fellow artist (and Michigan native) Titus Kaphar, who will receive the Alain Locke International Award.
“It’s funny,” Rucker said. “I had this award on a vision board 17 years ago. When I moved here, it was one of the things I wanted to accomplish. And I saw people I knew getting it, like Hugh Grannum and Tylonn Sawyer — friends and family and peers. It was something I always had on my bucket list.
“I got a little emotional when I found out because it’s like a career award. You win the Alain Locke because of sustained excellence in art in our area; you don’t normally see people get it who haven’t been at it for a long time. This feels like validation of my sustained discipline.”
Along with his art practice, Rucker, a former Detroit Free Press photographer, now teaches art to grades kindergarten through eight at Charles Wright Academy of Arts and Science. It is this work he says that has been the most rewarding for him.
“I never thought about any of the big things, getting work in the Smithsonian and other museums,” he said. “I never thought about winning an Emmy at the Freep. All I ever wanted to do was be a middle school art teacher. My middle school art teacher in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Kathy Williams, was the first person that made me believe I could be an artist, and told my parents I could be an artist. She would stay after school with me and work with me all through middle school, and I grew wanting to be Kathy Williams for the next person.
“This is my first year working in a public school as an art teacher. After being in journalism for 20 years, and doing visiting lectures at colleges and different things, it’s kind of serendipity to get this award when I’m back to my original career goal from when I was a kid.”
He said finds he’s learning as much as the students are.
“Sometimes, you go to school and get a lot of education, and then you only follow those rules,” he said. “What’s great is the ability to break rules and create freedom. Kids have this artistic freedom that you eventually lose once you learn too many rules. Part of my education from them is being able to see that and find out for myself, because I can be very rigid in my own practice.
“Being a public schoolteacher, the kids look at you like a big brother. But you’re also a second parent, you are a social worker, you are a caterer, you are a party store. You’re everything. I had a big moment last week — it’s Black History Month, and the kids in the third grade dress up as somebody that had a profound effect on Black history. One of the students wants to be me. That lets me know I’m making a difference, I’m hitting that mark that I need to hit with these kids.”
Rucker said students run up in the halls and excitedly show him sketchbooks full of work they’ve created at home.
“And now,” he said, “when I’m on lunch duty, I see kids drawing in the cafeteria and I know I’m having an impact.”
He said his biggest surprise in this role has been how much children need.
“How much more love is needed,” he said, “how much more exposure, how much more education is needed. I don’t think you can understand that unless you’ve been a teacher. Even if you give 100%, our kids need so much more. Sometimes, I’ll go home and I’m exhausted, but my parents are both teachers. If you give 100% to this job and you care about it, it’s going to exhaust you, but you know you’re doing the right thing, and I can say that about all the teachers I work with in this building.”
Last year’s Alain Locke Recognition Award recipients were David and Linda Whitaker, art collectors, philanthropists, and major guiding forces in Detroit’s art community. Linda also spent her career in education, including many years as a principal in Detroit.
“We have breakfast in the same place a couple times a week,” Rucker said. “On the weekend, I’ll go there and we see each other. Linda and I talk about education, and she told me something last week that really touched me. She said, ‘You can’t be a good teacher and be afraid to lose your job. You’ve got to be a fearless educator.’ ”
Linda has great admiration for Rucker and his career work.
“Rashaun Rucker’s photography, drawings, and printmaking capture the spirit of African-American life,” she told the Free Press in a written statement. “He connects with us by creating artwork that exhibits our spirituality, sense of community, and social commentary. His works stimulate our thought processes because (they) can make you feel at home with a sense of belonging or make you take a stand for justice and equality. His works scream, ‘I care.’
“Rucker also utilizes his talents to support and interact with the artistic educational process of our youth and young adults. He is a multifaceted star.”
Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti echoed the commendation of Rucker’s educational work.
“We are immensely proud to have Mr. Rucker as part of our DPSCD team, where he inspires and educates our visual arts students at Charles H. Wright,” said Vitti. “In a remarkably short period, Mr. Rucker has captivated students with the essential elements and principles of visual art, offering them fresh perspectives on the world around them. We celebrate Mr. Rucker’s lifelong dedication to the arts and his well-deserved recognition with the Alain Locke Award.
“The Alain Locke Recognition Award celebrates local artists and contributors. The award highlights the transformative power of art and its role in enriching cultural heritage and community life. Mr. Rucker’s contributions are a testament to the transformative power of education and the arts.”
Rucker is represented in metro Detroit by Ferndale gallery M Contemporary Art. Owner Mellanie Chard spoke of him as an inspiration.
“What I find so inspiring about Rashaun,” she said, “is his ability to convey artistic intent regardless of the material he is using. I’ve seen him make incredible work with just colored pencils. But whether he is drawing, printmaking, painting or reinterpreting a familiar object, you know it’s him. You can tell it’s his work. To me, that is what makes a true artist. It doesn’t matter what medium he is working in, the intention is always clear.”
Rochelle Riley, the city of Detroit’s director of arts and culture, had high praise for both Rucker and Kaphar.
“The entire city should be proud of what the Friends of African and African American Art at the DIA are doing, recognizing brilliance because it is necessary and it is right,” she said. “That this year’s honors are going to MacArthur genius Titus Kaphar and Detroit genius Rashaun Rucker — who are both known, as the Friends noted, for ‘dismantling classical structures’ — is vitally important.
“I’ve known Rashaun for a quarter-century and marveled at his pivot from news photographer and editor to renowned artist whose work is in the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the ‘Blacksonian.’ The Locke Awards ceremony is a moment that should make all Detroiters, all Michiganders stand and cheer.”
Rucker’s latest solo show, “Patron Saints of a Black Boy,” recently left the University of Texas at Austin and is headed to the University of North Carolina Charlotte this spring. It has been four years since his last big solo show in Detroit; he hopes to deliver another in the region next year.
“I think all of this is a testament to just staying with it,” Rucker said of his career achievements. “One of my eighth graders was just telling me about what they couldn’t draw something, and I said, ‘Don’t start with the excuses. Excuses are the tools of the incompetent. Don’t specialize in excuses. They’ll lead you nowhere. A lot of people I graduated college with are not working in this field, and when they see me, they always tell me, ‘Man, you made it and I didn’t!’ The only difference between me and them is I never stopped making art.
“When I worked at the Freep, I was always making art. I never stopped. I tell my students, ‘The thing between you and your dreams is work. And you can’t skip the work.’ I think between social media and influencers, young people think that you can skip the work now. The work is always gonna be the work. I told him, ‘You can fail, just fail forward. And if you have to start over, at the end of the day, it’s just a piece of paper.’ Everything in life is like that: You do the work to get better. I smile when I see kids who cross some kind of barrier they reached with an art project. It makes me happy that they figured it out.”
“The joy,” he said, “is in the work.”
He said finding his calling as a public school teacher has reinvigorated him.
“As an artist, you breathe life into something,” he said. “What I like about my job is watching students breathe life into their pieces every day when I come in here. And just like they do with their pieces, I have to breathe life into them. Belief, confidence — that’s a strong thing to give somebody.
“I wish everybody gave others confidence. The world would be a better place.”
The 32nd annual Alain Locke Awards will be held Sunday, Feb. 16, at the DIA, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Tickets are sold out.
Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@freepress.com.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Lions rookie review: Where are things trending heading into Year 2?
ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions didn’t receive as much depth or playing time from their most recent rookie draft class compared to previous years.
But that’s what happens when a franchise continues to improve and win more games — the window for playing time and spots continues to shrink. Let’s get into a full review of the first season from the most recent draft class and where they are trending ahead of Year 2.
Round 1, Pick 24: CB Terrion Arnold
Terrion Arnold finished third on the defense in terms of snaps played and received a true trial-by-fire rookie season. When he was healthy and available, Arnold was a full-time starter from start to finish, and that’s no easy task.
There were more than a few bumps along the way, with a ton of penalties littering the first half of the season and his aggressive nature biting him a couple of times. But the Lions love Arnold’s aggressiveness and how he plays the position. The first-rounder also cut down on his penalties, showing an improved comfort regarding technique and how the NFL game is officiated.
Eight of Arnold’s 10 penalties came during his first four games, with only two flags thrown his way the rest of the season. The Lions want him to be aggressive and in the face of receivers, so if he can keep that trending in that direction, there is a ton of room for growth.
“But I think all those snaps that he played are going to serve him well going forward,” Lions general manager Brad Holmes said after the season ended. “And then you just saw, the waters were a little choppy early, and then you saw the waters kind of calm down, kind of midpoint to later in the season.
“So, very high expectations for him going forward. Again, we all know how he’s wired. He’s wired the right way. He’s long. He’s athletic. He’s got instincts. He’s tough. He’ll tackle, and so all those reps are just going to improve his confidence even more.”
Round 2, Pick 61: CB Ennis Rakestraw
Ennis Rakestraw couldn’t shake the injury bug. He said he was in line for a starting opportunity in Week 2 at nickelback, but then suffered a pre-game injury and never got that close again. Rakestraw worked through ankle injuries in training camp, and then persisting hamstring injuries hampered his first year.
He was limited to only 46 defensive snaps and another 95 on special teams, finishing the year on injured reserve. Depending on what happens with Carlton Davis III in free agency, Rakestraw could be staring down a meaty opportunity when the Lions hit the field again, though.
“One thing, I like my back against the wall and people not having faith in me, people don’t believe in my abilities, it’s just going to give me the fire to do what I always needed to do,” Rakestraw said during locker room cleanout day. “Nothing never came to me easy. Everything always came hard.
“It’s just brought me back to my roots of everybody doubting me, not believing in what the kid from West Dallas can do. I’m just appreciative that they gave me my fire back, and I’ll use it in the offseason. I’ll be better, I promise.”
Round 4, Pick 126: OL Giovanni Manu
Giovanni Manu was a healthy scratch all season. No surprise there, the behemoth out of the University of British Columbia was always viewed as a developmental project. The Lions are set at offensive tackle with Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker. But Dan Skipper is a free agent, and if he lands a deal elsewhere after another solid year, that could open a door for Manu.
“I give credit to the whole coaching staff,” Manu said. “They were just on me, developing me and all that … On the field, Hank (Fraley) was always demanding of me to be physical because of my frame. That showed. That showed halfway through the season, I was able to start moving guys, it was great. It’s just the first steps. It’s going to get better from here.”
Round 4, Pick 132: RB Sione Vaki
Sione Vaki was the second-most utilized draftee this season as a special teamer. The safety-turned-running back appeared in 16 games. Vaki caught a fake punt pass for a first down, was solid and dependable in kick coverage, and added six carries for 14 yards and three catches for 37 yards.
Vaki is so new to running back and showed an impressive ability in the passing game during his first training camp. There is only room to grow, and his natural ability on special teams will extend his leash as he learns the new position.
Round 6, Pick 189: DL Mekhi Wingo
Mekhi Wingo suffered a late-season torn ACL after appearing in 11 games. Wingo was playing a key rotational role and could have come in handy down the stretch with injuries continuing to mount. The Lions love Wingo’s versatility to kick inside or play defensive end, and he was getting more looks as the year progressed.
His injury timeline is one to watch for in the offseason program and training camp. That’s a tough break for someone who looked to be in line for more.
Round 6, Pick 210: OG Christian Mahogany
Christian Mahogany has a ton of positive momentum heading into his first full offseason. He started late in the season on the road against the Chicago Bears and then filled in for Kevin Zeitler in the team’s divisional-round defeat.
Mahogany flashed as a physical mauler in the middle of Detroit’s offensive line. And it wasn’t easy to get to this point, with the sixth-round rookie missing all of training camp and the preseason with mononucleosis. But he came back, worked on his craft in practice, then impressed when his number was called.
He also got a taste of left guard and right guard, filling in once apiece for Graham Glasgow and Zeitler. The latter is a pending free agent, and Glasgow didn’t finish the year on the best note, so Mahogany is one to watch for 2025.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Tigers Young Future Ace Has Added Multiple Pitches to Lethal Arsenal
The Detroit Tigers are getting closer and closer to the 2025 season with spring training getting underway this week via the arrival of pitchers and catchers.
One of those pitchers just so happens to be perhaps the most anticipated young arm in all of baseball this year.
Tigers top prospect Jackson Jobe is ready to try to take the league by storm in his rookie campaign after a brief stint in The Show last season.
Once seen as a likely lock for the starting rotation before the team made several acquisitions, including bringing back Jack Flaherty on a two-year deal, Jobe will now battle with several others to prove why he deserves a spot on the Opening Day roster.
He is trying to take the next step and become a fixture in the rotation this season, telling Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press that he has added both a curveball and two-seam sinker to his arsenal as he tries to improve on generating more swing and misses with a two-strike count.
“I need something that’s going to put guys away,” Jobe said. “That comes with me experimenting with the curveball to have that north and south approach playing off my four-seam while still having the east and west approach with the cutter that’s really a slider and the changeup, as well as working on a two-seam.”
Jobe dominated in 2024 with Double-A Erie, pitching to a 1.95 ERA and 1.086 WHIP over 16 starts, but he didn’t generate quite as many strikeouts as both he and fans would hope for from a pitching prospect of his caliber.
With 81 K’s in 73.2 innings pitched, the young future ace is hopeful that adding a couple more knockout-type pitches will help him fan more hitters as he transitions to the big leagues.
In four innings of relief work in late September for Detroit, Jobe was impressive with just one hit given up and no runs allowed, but things turned ugly once he was placed on the playoff roster.
In two appearances and just 1.2 innings pitched, both against the Houston Astros in the Wild Card round and the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, Jobe posted a 16.20 ERA.
Even though things didn’t go well, it was still valuable MLB experience which he will try to use in the future.
If Jobe can impress coaches in the spring with his new arsenal of pitches and show the rough October performances aren’t a reflection of him not being ready yet, the righty will have a great chance to earn a rotation spot at start of the year.
With less pressure on him since the Tigers added more arms to the staff this winter, perhaps Jobe will be able to pitch freely and flash the kind of talent that makes him so intriguing.
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