NFL and Pittsburgh leaders discuss massive 2026 Draft preparations

Acrisure Stadium will be the focal point of the NFL Draft fan experience, officials announced Friday, as the region begins ramping up preparations for the April event.

Robert Morris University hosted a panel to discuss logistics for the upcoming NFL Draft, featuring NFL Director of Event Operations Steve Farago and Pittsburgh Steelers Vice President of Business Development and Strategy Daniel Rooney.

The draft is expected to have a significant financial impact on the city, bringing an estimated $130 million to $160 million directly into the community through purchases at hotels, bars and restaurants, said Jim Britt, vice president of sports events for Visit Pittsburgh.

“That’s money directly out of pockets for most folks coming in,” Britt said.

To ensure as many businesses as possible benefit from the draft, the NFL will begin reaching out to local companies as part of a “Source Program,” which is a collaborative effort designed to give local businesses an opportunity grow their revenue by supporting the draft.

“Whether it’s dry cleaning, restaurant, catering service, whatever it might be, the need is kind of endless there,” Farago said.

Motor City comparisons

Detroit hosted the NFL Draft in April 2024 across 100 acres of open space. Pittsburgh, however, presents a greater logistical challenge for large-scale events because of its hilly terrain and tighter layout.

“We threw some rivers, some bridges, two different areas to him. So good operations people like Steve and his team love a challenge, and we’ve seen that,” said Troy Schooley, CEO of P3R, an event management organization.

”Pittsburgh is definitely challenging, but we’ll make it work.”

To prepare for the influx of people, the city has been renovating areas of Downtown such as Point State Park, Market Square and Arts Landing. Detroit has reported that the draft drew 775,000 fans over three days.

Besides the North Shore, Point State Park will also serve as a key location for fan entertainment.

Farago and his team plan to return to Pittsburgh in December to begin announcing where the main draft stage will be located. In March, they will release the Know Before You Go program, which will provide timelines and programming information.

Rooney said he wants to use the draft as an opportunity to highlight Pittsburgh’s football legacy.

“We keep talking about the football legacy of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania,” Rooney said. “We want to tell that story to the rest of the world. It’s not just about the Steelers.”