The 2023 NFL season unofficially began with the NFL Draft in Kansas City and ended with the Lombardi Trophy returning to Kansas City. Does that bode well for the Lions in 2024?
While Patrick Mahomes might have been a bigger factor in the Chiefs' championship run than the location of the draft, Lions fans will descend on the 2024 NFL Draft knowing their team has legitimate Super Bowl hopes for the upcoming season. That should only add energy to what is already a fun in-person experience.
The draft itself won't be all about the Lions. Detroit doesn't pick until No. 29 overall, and it's NFC North rival Chicago holding the No. 1 pick. But that doesn't mean Lions fans won't make their presence felt on the NFL's biggest night since February.
Here's a look inside the NFL's Detroit setup for the draft and what fans can enjoy at the 2024 NFL Draft experience.
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Detroit NFL Draft stage
The official NFL Draft stage — or "NFL Draft theater," as the league calls it — was constructed near Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit. That's where commissioner Roger Goodell will welcome the next generation of NFL players to the league.
Construction of the stage began on March 29 and continued into mid-April. The venue is open-air but well-covered in case of rain, which could be a factor on Saturday, according to latest weather forecasts.
NFL director of event operations Steve Farago told media outlets in mid-April that the theater is an "ode to the spirit of Detroit statue" that sits in downtown Detroit, explaining that the league is "trying to pull that spirit and look and feel of downtown Detroit" with its stage.
The stage will feature "elaborate LED displays," according to the Detroit Free Press, with colors that will change accordingly as different teams are on the clock. In all, 50 million LED pixels will make up the theater's light operation.
If you build it, they will come (on Thursday). pic.twitter.com/VznB3TgNyn
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 22, 2024
The theater is expected to hold about 1,500 people each day and has about two million square feet in total.
Yes, the structure will also feature a green room for prospects who choose to attend the draft. Like the rest of the stage, the green room was constructed specifically for the draft.
By now, the construction of a stage is nothing new for the NFL. The league broke tradition and took the draft on the road in 2015, leaving Radio City Music Hall for Chicago, but it wasn't until 2017 that the league started creating its own venues for the event.
From the NFL Draft on the Rocky Steps in Philadelphia in 2017 to the draft outside Union Station in Kansas City in 2023, the league has developed a routine leading up to the big weekend each year. Detroit appears fully ready to take on the NFL Draft in 2024.
MORE: SN's ultimate guide to 2024 NFL Draft
2024 NFL Draft Experience
The NFL Draft Experience, an annual fan favorite during draft weekend, is being held at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit. The event is family-friendly and features everything from music to food vendors.
More than two dozen food vendors will come together to form the “Taste of Detroit” experience, blending different cuisines as NFL fans from across America descend on Detroit.
Full details haven’t been released for the NFL Draft Experience, but last year’s events included kid-friendly games such as the 40-yard dash and vertical jump. Last year’s fan experience in Kansas City also featured a replica NFL locker room and an autograph stage.
Fans must register to attend the events and will receive a QR code to gain entry once they register. Registration allows fans to attend all or any of the event's three days.
NFL Draft schedule 2024
Dates
- Thursday, April 25 (Round 1)
- Friday, April 26 (Rounds 2-3)
- Saturday, April 27 (Rounds 4-7)
Start time
- Thursday, April 25: 8 p.m. ET
- Friday, April 26: 7 p.m. ET
- Saturday, April 27: Noon ET
The 2024 NFL Draft will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 25. The Bears will start the draft with the No. 1 overall pick, and the end of the first round will conclude Day 1.
Day 2 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, April 26. The second night of the draft will feature the second and third rounds. Rounds 4-7 will make up Day 3, which begins at noon ET on Saturday, April 27.
All seven rounds will be held at the NFL Draft theater at Campus Martius Park, not far from the NFL Draft Experience at Hart Plaza.
