The 2024 NFL Draft broke the league's all-time record for event attendance, with 775,000 people visiting Detroit for the annual rookie showcase. As a result, Motor City enjoyed substantial economic gains, with Visit Detroit and the Detroit Sports Commission revealing Thursday that the draft -- and its thousands of out-of-state visitors -- generated more than $213 million for the region.
A study developed by Dr. Patrick Rishe, director of the Sports Business Program at Washington University in St. Louis, compiled the spending from both local and visiting fans, as well as the NFL, to estimate a $213.6 million economic impact on Detroit and Southeast Michigan -- particularly Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Of the $213.6 million, an estimated $161.3 million (or 75%) came from visitors.
"That spending went into the pockets of Detroit businesses and will help strengthen our community for years to come," said Claude Molinari, president of Visit Detroit. "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."
An estimated 30% of all guests at the 2024 NFL Draft traveled more than 100 miles to visit Detroit for draft weekend, the report added, while $106.4 million of the $161.3 million in gross economic impact is being retained long-term within the Detroit region as new income for households, business proprietors, and tax revenues.
