Pittsburgh might quickly host the NFL draft. And the entire soccer world will probably be invited. Even Cleveland Browns followers.
Although Detroit and Inexperienced Bay maintain internet hosting duties for the 2024 and 2025 NFL Draft, the percentages appear excessive that Pittsburgh will host the occasion within the following 12 months or two. Not solely wouldn’t it be a notable second for the Steelers’ franchise, it’d be a lift to the native financial system.
Sitting down with WTAE’s Andrew Stockey in a Wednesday interview, Rooney believes internet hosting the draft can be a historic occasion.
“I feel it’d most likely be the most important customer occasion within the historical past of town,” Rooney informed Stockey. “And so it’s very thrilling. We predict the place Pittsburgh is positioned, not solely will we have now hundreds of Steeler followers, however would have hundreds of followers from the entire NFL cities which might be, you recognize, let’s say inside a 500-mile radius of Pittsburgh. So, I feel it might be, primary, an enormous customer occasion for town.”
Pittsburgh has been going by the method of submitting a bid for a future draft, getting previous one logistical hurdle yesterday. If authorised, town would more than likely host both the 2026 or 2027 NFL Draft. It’s unclear the place it might happen, most likely not at Acrisure Stadium, and figuring out a correct location is one step in getting the NFL’s blessing to host the occasion. Maybe it might be held at Stage AE, a big venue for concert events.
Rooney maintained optimism Pittsburgh will host the draft quickly sufficient.
“We’re within the technique of finalizing the bid that we’re gonna be submitting to the league quickly, and we predict and hoping to have a call come from the league later this spring. And I might say we’re optimistic about Pittsburgh internet hosting the draft right here in 26 or 27.”
Kansas Metropolis reportedly generated greater than $160 million in income from the three-day occasion, with over 300,000 followers attending. Pittsburgh might see related or better figures. As Rooney talked about, Pittsburgh sits in the midst of loads of big-time soccer markets. Buffalo to the North, Philadelphia and New Jersey to the East, Baltimore and Washington to the South, Cleveland and Cincinnati to the West.
In a separate dialog with KDKA’s Bob Pompeani, Rooney mentioned he hoped to listen to phrase from the league no later than the Could proprietor’s conferences.
