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.”