NFL draft site closes down early, as Detroiters hit maximum capacity

Campus Martius in downtown Detroit got so full for Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft that the NFL informed fans about an hour before the draft to stop coming because they had already hit capacity.

The message was sent through the “NFL OnePass” application, which was required for entry into the event. Here’s what the message said

“NFL DRAFT SITE CLOSED. THE NFL DRAFT HAS REACHED MAXIMUM CAPACITY AND WILL NOT REOPEN TODAY. DRAFT DAY 2 OPENS AT 12 PM TOMORROW.”

While there isn’t an official total of people in attendance downtown, early estimates suggest at least 150,000 people crowded downtown. According to FOX 2 Detroit, as of Thursday afternoon, the NFL OnePass app broke a record amount of downloads for this draft, and the expectation is for over 300,000 people to attend the event—which would break attendance numbers from last year’s draft in Kansas City.

Some of the photos and videos of downtown are downright breathtaking.

Well done, Detroit.