NFL Draft in Detroit sets attendance record

A little more than two years ago, not long after it was announced the 2024 NFL Draft would be held in Detroit, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell challenged the city to break the event's attendance record.

Mission accomplished.

From the draft theater in Campus Martius on Thursday night, Goodell announced the 2024 draft set the single-day attendance record with 275,000 people live for Round 1.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the previous single-day record was "200,000+".

The NFL number is attendance with the draft footprint, said Christopher Moyer with Visit Detroit. The police estimate of 400,000 is for all of the people who visited the city on Thursday, he said.

"The message is: Come back tomorrow," Moyer said. "We're going to keep setting records."

Detroit's draft is on pace to smash the three-day attendance record, which was also set in Nashville (600,000).

About 90 minutes before the draft began at 8 p.m., the league began turning people away at the draft footprint entry areas because it had reached capacity.

nbianchi@detroitnews.com

@nolanbianchi