The seven-round NFL Draft will take place over three days in 2024, from April 25-27.
Detroit — Detroit is starting to feel the draft.
The NFL Draft is coming to the city for the first time in 2024, and the dates are set: April 25-27.
The draft will be held around Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza, and is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of fans. Millions more will watch the NFL Draft on television, from around the world.
“Detroiters have shown many times our ability to put on highly successful national events, and we will be ready again to welcome the world next April,” Detroit mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement. “Next year’s NFL Draft is going to be an incredibly opportunity for hundreds of thousands of visitors to see the progress our city is making.”
The seven-round NFL Draft will take place over the three days, with the first round set for Thursday, April 25; the second and third rounds Friday, April 26; and the final four rounds Saturday, April 27.
The city also will host the NFL Draft Experience, and interactive event that the city is billing as a “theme park.” There will be games, exhibits, musical performances and autograph sessions, plus fans will be able to take pictures with the Vince Lombardi Trophy (which doesn’t make it to Detroit very often, if you haven’t heard).
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The 2022 NFL Draft in Las Vegas drew 300,000 fans, and 10.03 TV viewers. The 2023 NFL Draft is scheduled for Kansas City, from April 27-29.
“We are excited to be partnering with the city of Detroit and the NFL to bring the 2024 NFL Draft to Detroit,” Rod Wood, Lions president and CEO, said in a statement. “We look forward to showcasing the culture, energy and passion of our vibrant downtown as part of the one of the NFL’s marquee annual events.”
The 2024 NFL Draft is one of several high-profile sports events scheduled for Detroit and the surrounding areas in the coming years, along with the NCAA men’s basketball tournament regional at Little Caesars Arena in 2024, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Final Four at Ford Field in 2027, and several marquee golf tournaments at Bloomfield Township’s legendary Oakland Hills.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tonypaul1984