Paying for the NFL Draft - City Council Week of Sept. 22

If you didn’t know, Pittsburgh was selected as the host for the 2026 NFL Draft.

While it has been decided that Pittsburgh will host, the funding arrangements are still being determined.

In Wednesday’s Standing Committee meeting, the Council discussed whether to approve $1 million in funding to support hosting the Draft.

The proposed funding would total $11 million, with additional contributions from Allegheny County, local corporate sponsors including PNC Bank, and Visit Pittsburgh.

There were two major concerns raised by the Council:

1. Increased Expenses: Separate from this funding, the city will be responsible for significant overtime spending in Public Safety, the Parks Department, and other areas.

2. Limited Economic Impact: The economic benefits of hosting the Draft may be confined to the areas where the event is held.

While there were no concrete commitments addressing these concerns, Visit Pittsburgh affirmed that they would take them seriously, including holding events across the city to help spread the economic impact.

Action Items

Have an idea on how the city can make the most of the event?Take the survey here (1 question) and let the Council know.