‘Pittsburgh welcomed the football world’: Preliminary data released from 2026 NFL Draft

8 billion PR impressions. The 2026 NFL Draft Week also became the most socially viewed Draft on record, with attendees from 105 countries represented across NFL OnePass registrants. “We could not be prouder of how Pittsburgh welcomed the football world,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said.

“From the energy throughout the draft footprint to the hospitality across our neighborhoods, the event reflected the passion and pride that define our city and region. We are grateful to our public and private partners whose collaboration helped deliver a safe and memorable draft experience to the thousands of fans in attendance, as well as a lasting impression of our beautiful city for the millions of fans who tuned in from around the world. ” Spread across the city Pittsburgh’s hospitality sector experienced significant activity, with Downtown Pittsburgh achieving 92% hotel occupancy on peak nights, VisitPITTSBURGH says.

Countywide, peak hotel occupancy reached 85%, and the average countywide hotel occupancy during the event period was 75%. Transportation systems and visitor operations functioned efficiently, despite the crowds in Downtown and the North Shore. Pittsburgh Regional Transit riders utilized public transit, with 485,000 rides , a 51% increase compared to average ridership.

Football Flyers supported 60,000 rides and The T supported 128,000 rides. The Gateway Clipper also transported a record 26,500 passengers via river transportation more than 74 trips and 240 hours of operation by a 10-person crew. RELATED COVERAGE >>> Channel 11 rides the T with NFL Draft visitors as PRT transports thousands of passengers Additionally, 45,000 fans visited Steelers Country in Point State Park and 26,000 draft postcards were distributed.