DETROIT (WOOD) — The nation is seeing a renewed Detroit on NFL Draft day.
Motor City has always been innovative, but downtown hasn’t always been that way. There was a lot of neglect until a shiny, new Ford Field finally got to host the Super Bowl in 2006, kicking off a new era for the city. It forced a transformation.
“I’m very excited to see all those people downtown and get the whole world to see Detroit maybe in a different way than they perceive right now,” Lions CEO Rod Wood said.
Now, the city is alive, thriving and buzzing as the eyes of the entire nation are on it for the NFL Draft. Locals are helping get the city’s message out there.
“I just wanted to put Detroit in your face, especially for those that know Detroit from the outskirts,” Detroit artist Fel’le said. “I just wanted to represent Detroit well.”
Football fans in Detroit can take pictures with 20 giant cleats scattered throughout downtown. All painted by local artists, they will be auctioned off to benefit a charity of the artist’s choice.
That’s only part of what makes Draft Day in Detroit unique.
“The first day people could register for it, we had almost 100,000 people sign up, which is 2.5 times what signed up for the first day in Kansas City,” Wood said. “So, I think it’s going to be a ruckus downtown environment. I think it’s going to be dynamite for the city.”
NFL Network Analyst Charles Davis was in Detroit for the official announcement, and it was unlike any other Draft announcement he’s seen.
“The governor of the state, Gretchen Whitmer, the commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell, the lieutenant governor, the mayor, are you kidding me? Oh, and by the way, Mrs. Sheila Hamp, who’s running the Detroit Lions and owns them, was there,” Davis said. “That’s not supposed to happen. I knew that day that Detroit was taking dead aim at what the best draft was in terms of attendance … I can’t wait to watch this unfold. I’ve been looking forward to it ever since I came.”
The NFL Draft attendance record is 600,000 people over the three days. That was in Nashville in 2019.
Detroit is on the clock, but it’s running out.