Green Bay may be a small city, but it proved its strength during the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite having just over 100,000 residents, Green Bay managed to welcome around 600,000 fans over three eventful days. Lambeau Field and the surrounding Titletown District transformed into a football wonderland, featuring free NFL Draft experiences, autograph signings, and even the Lombardi Trophy available for fan photos. The event is expected to bring in $90 million across Wisconsin and $20 million for the local Green Bay area.
Green Bay 🤝 Pittsburgh
See you in Steel City for the 2026 #NFLDraft! pic.twitter.com/Z0AnvqucR9
— NFL (@NFL) April 26, 2025
However, Green Bay didn’t pull this off alone. With only about 4,300 hotel rooms available in the city, many visitors had to stay in neighboring cities like Milwaukee, Madison, and Sheboygan. The Packers organization, along with Discover Green Bay, had been preparing for this moment since 2014, studying other cities’ drafts to perfect their own hosting strategy. Their efforts paid off spectacularly, as the draft attracted more fans than Green Bay’s entire population.
Now, the torch has been passed to Pittsburgh, which will host the 2026 NFL Draft. This will mark the first time Pittsburgh has hosted the draft, and Steelers owner Art Rooney II is confident that his city can surpass Green Bay’s attendance record. Speaking to Steelers Nation Radio, Rooney said he believes Pittsburgh will draw an even bigger crowd, suggesting that fans will travel from all over to attend.
At the 2025 draft, Green Bay surpassed Nashville’s previous attendance record of 600,000 set in 2019. Pittsburgh now faces the challenge of breaking not just Green Bay’s record, but potentially exceeding Detroit’s 2024 draft numbers, which hit around 775,000 attendees.
Although Pittsburgh is still finalizing draft venues, many are optimistic about the city’s potential to host a major event. Pittsburgh has been investing heavily—around $600 million—into revitalizing its downtown, known as The Golden Triangle. Improvements include the new Arts Landing outdoor entertainment venue, upgrades to Market Square, and renovations to Point State Park. All these projects are scheduled to be completed by April 2026, just in time for the draft.
Beyond just attendance numbers, Pittsburgh is aiming for a strong economic impact. Green Bay’s draft is projected to generate $90 million across Wisconsin, while Detroit’s 2024 draft generated $213 million for the region, including $161 million in direct visitor spending. Pittsburgh, with its larger size and improved infrastructure, hopes to achieve a financial windfall on the same scale—or even greater.
Adding to the excitement, there’s speculation that the Steelers might target a franchise quarterback in the 2026 draft, possibly even Arch Manning. If that happens, the atmosphere in Pittsburgh could become even more electric, as fans would be eager to witness a pivotal moment in Steelers history.
Ultimately, Pittsburgh is not only trying to beat Green Bay’s attendance record; the city is aiming to capitalize on the full economic and cultural potential of hosting one of the NFL’s biggest events.