2 days ago
Massive crowds in Oakmont for U.S. Open serve as preview for year of large sporting events in Pa.
Massive crowds have arrived in Oakmont for the U.S. Open and they are only expected to grow as play continues.
While all eyes are on the U.S. Open Championship, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is getting a test run for a huge year coming up.
Advertisement
Pennsylvania will be at the center of the sports world in 2026.
The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off in Pittsburgh in April.
The PGA Championship will be held just outside of Philadelphia.
Some World Cup Games will also be held in Philadelphia, along with the MLB All-Star Game.
Hosting just one of these events would be huge for the Commonwealth but all of them combined are expected to have a huge impact.
'It's projected that all of these sports events and tourism in general are going to generate 90 billion dollars in economic impact across the state, which is just massive,' said Deputy Secretary for Tourism for PA, Anne Ryan. 'When you can host an event like the NFL draft or FIFA World Cup, the site selectors who are responsible for identifying the next host cities say 'they have the infrastructure, the operations, the people - the fans.'
The NFL Draft is expected to bring 600,000 people to Pittsburgh.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
