Latest news with #VisitPittsburgh
CBS News
13-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Pittsburgh unveils official 2026 NFL Draft countdown clock
Pittsburgh is officially on the clock for the 2026 NFL Draft. Now, the first visible step toward welcoming the NFL draft to Pittsburgh next year is standing tall on the North Shore Great Lawn. The Steelers, VisitPittsburgh and local officials on Monday unveiled the Steel City's 2026 NFL Draft countdown clock across from Acrisure Stadium. "Great day for Pittsburgh and one of we hope many great days to come over the next year," Steelers president Art Rooney II said. "It's here for all of us to count down the days, and create excitement, and to celebrate all things Pittsburgh together," said Jerad Bachar, president & CEO of VisitPittsburgh. As we all wait until the draft is here from April 23 through April 25, the large clock is the perfect backdrop for a selfie or group photo. The steel beam that holds up the clock is inspired by our iconic sister bridges. Bachar also said the design celebrates the people, places and traditions that truly make Pittsburgh special. "Along the beam, you'll find 212 engraved notches. One side represents the Western Pennsylvania high school football programs that continue to build our storied football legacy, and the other side showcases all of our 90 unique neighborhoods," Bachar said. Rooney shared his excitement with the community. He told KDKA-TV that they're staying in touch with the NFL. With a lot of teamwork underway, he believes the city will be ready to host the draft. "When we went on the clock at the end of the Green Bay draft, it started to come home that we were on the clock. This clock will remind everybody day in and day out, not only are we going to have a lot of fun, we have a lot of work to do over the next year," Rooney said. As the clock is counting down the seconds, Downtown Pittsburgh is getting a big makeover and preparations for hundreds of thousands of visitors are in full force. "I think my grandfather and my dad would be amazed that this many people were going to come to the North Shore, that's for sure. It would be exciting for them to be here," Rooney said. "The reason why it is so big, I believe, we'll get a million people in this region, a million people to come to our draft. It'll be the biggest one the NFL has ever seen," Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said. "The economic impact on our local community is expected to be $100 to $200 million in economic activity, which is incredible," said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. That means every county in southwestern Pennsylvania, not just Allegheny County, is on the clock too. "Let's remember this is just the beginning. Together we will show the world what makes Pittsburgh the city of champions," Bachar said.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pittsburgh Expects Record-Breaking Crowd for 2026 NFL Draft
The 2026 NFL Draft is coming to Pittsburgh! Click for more coverage from the Steelers Now team. Pittsburgh expects the 2026 NFL Draft to be the biggest event in the city's history. As the rest of the NFL prepares for the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, the city of Pittsburgh is focused on hosting the 2026 NFL Draft, which is expected to have a record-breaking crowd. VisitPittsburgh expects the 2026 NFL Draft to be the biggest event in the city of Pittsburgh's history. 'In just 13 short months, we will welcome between 500,000 to 700,000 visitors to the shores of Downtown Pittsburgh,' Jerad Bachar of VisitPittsburgh said. Advertisement Pittsburgh is doing whatever it takes to make the event a success, which includes sending a team of about 20 people to Green Bay, Wisconsin, next month. That will give them the oppportunity to see what works and what doesn't. 'This is a game-changer for our region and a defining moment for Pittsburgh,' Michele Meloy Burchfield of VisitPittsburgh said. While the Steelers are fully focused on this year's draft, they've done a lot of work to make sure next year's draft will be successful for them as well. The team has been very strategic in its moves this offseason. The Steelers let several free agents walk out the door that are expected to be countable for a compensatory draft pick slot. Advertisement According to Over the Cap, the Steelers are estimated to be eligible to receive a third-round pick for left tackle Dan Moore Jr., a fourth rounder for quarterback Justin Fields, a fifth or a sixth for running back Najee Harris, a sixth for guard James Daniels, a sixth for cornerback Donte Jackson and a seventh for linebacker Elandon Roberts. Quarterback Russell Wilson, who just signed a one-year deal with the New York Giants, is also expected to net anywhere from a fifth- to third-round pick. The Steelers won't get all of those since they've signed other players and can't have more than four, anyway. But it seems like they're loading up to give themselves the ammo it'll take to land their next franchise quarterback in front of their home crowd. The 2026 quarterback class looks strong, led by Texas scion Arch Manning, Penn State's Drew Allar, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and Tennessee's Nico Iamaleava.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
VisitPittsburgh expects 500-700,000 people for 2026 NFL Draft
The 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh is expected to be the biggest event in the city's history. 'This is a game-changer for our region and a defining moment for Pittsburgh,' said Michele Meloy Burchfield of VisitPittsburgh. The NFL Draft is still 392 days away, but planning has been well underway. 'In just 13 short months, we will welcome between 500,000 to 700,000 visitors to the shores of Downtown Pittsburgh,' said Jerad Bacha of VisitPittsburgh. Advertisement On Wednesday, some conceptual renderings of how the Draft in the Steel City will look were shown at VisitPittsburgh's annual meeting. While the exact plans aren't finalized just yet, this is the first time the NFL Draft will have two main locations separated by a river. 'Then NFL looks at it as an opportunity. Obviously, it's a challenge that's uniquely Pittsburgh, but there's also a lot that we can offer from a solution standpoint,' Bachar added. Those challenges are transportation between the Point and the North Shore, and public safety. 'I'm very confident in the meetings that we've had with public safety, city police, county police, state police, and everybody else involved. It's going to be a very safe event for our city,' said Troy Schooley, CEO of P3R. Advertisement To make a weekend like this successful, organizers say they are going to need a 'small army' of volunteers. 'We're going to need probably 3,000 volunteers to help out throughout draft weekend,' Schooley said. Schooley said local colleges have already been reaching out to get students involved as volunteers, too. 'The volunteerism in this city really shines when big events come in, so we don't see it being an issue of collecting these volunteers and wanting people to be involved,' he said. Not only are local businesses like hotels, restaurants, and museums ready for that busy weekend, VisitPittsburgh said they are looking forward to the 50 million people to watch the draft on TV. Advertisement 'They might not have known about Pittsburgh, but when they see it on TV and they see our bridges, and see our stadium, it also allows VisitPittsburgh and that team to be attract bigger events through out the upcoming years,' Schooley said. VisitPittsburgh is sending a team of about 20 people to Green Bay, Wisconsin, next month to see what works for their draft — and what doesn't — before Pittsburgh is officially on the clock for 2026. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
CBS News
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
VisitPittsburgh unveils 2025 Insider's Guide to the city ahead of 2026 NFL Draft, other events
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A new insider's guide to all things Pittsburgh has been unveiled ahead of the city's upcoming hosting of the 2026 NFL Draft and others events. VisitPittsburgh unveiled the 2025 Insider's Guide to Pittsburgh, which is being called the first of its kind, on Wednesday morning. The new guide is designed with travelers in mind and can be accessed digitally as well as being able to receive a pocket-sized, printed version of the publication. "Pittsburgh is a city full of surprises, and we wanted to create a guide that truly reflects the diverse experiences found across our destination-and surprise and delight readers with a special edition Fan Guide to the 2026 NFL Draft," said Jerad Bachar, President & CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH. "By tailoring the guide to our readers' unique travel personas, we hope to inspire both day and overnight travel, while encouraging visitors to make the most of their time in market." VisitPittsburgh says the new guide includes things like features of the city's 90 neighborhoods, a special section about the 2025 U.S. Open that's coming to Oakmont Country Club, the 2026 NFL Draft, profiles on local people from Pittsburgh, and spotlights on events coming to the city, among other things. More than 120,000 copies of the guide are expected to be distributed around the city and through online requests. You can request a printed copy of the guide online submitting your name, address, and email address. Delivery is expected to take 3-6 weeks before it arrives.
