CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland emerged from a year of pandemic-induced hibernation last week to shine on a national stage for the NFL Draft.
The Thursday night opening for one of the biggest events the city has ever hosted provided glamour shots of the skyline to millions of television viewers and gave an invaluable boost to downtown businesses and a psychological lift from a year of isolation caused by the coronavirus.
“Just being there and looking around and seeing it even with the [social] distancing, it was just amazing to see,” said David Gilbert, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission
And over the weekend, as the weather improved, the crowds kept coming. People again flooded the NFL Draft Experience site around FirstEnergy Stadium and Cleveland drew repeated praise from broadcasters for the job it did as the host city.
So, did the draft meet all of Cleveland’s enormous expectations? Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer checked in with Gilbert and other leaders. Here is some of what they had to say.
Why is the NFL Draft such a big deal?
The event was more than just an NFL party where the league’s 32 teams select players – 259 players this year over seven rounds.
The draft is a big draw, eclipsed in size among other recent events only by the Republican National Convention in 2016.
Events like that can be huge for Cleveland’s economy. Some estimates put the NFL Draft’s value to Cleveland as high as $100 million -- definitely huge for a downtown hospitality industry that struggled through forced closures and limits on reopening the last year from the coronavirus pandemic.
“There were a lot more people than we’ve seen downtown in a long time, and it felt good,” said Michael Deemer, interim president and CEO of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance.
Beyond that, the success of the draft points to longer term benefits.
Gilbert and Deemer both spoke of a sense of hope, particularly for downtown business, that the NFL Draft could be the beginning of real recovery.
As more and more people get vaccinated against the coronavirus and as weather improves, allowing more outside activity, there is a feeling that there is more to come.
“It feels so good to be involved in something normal and to engage in the community,” Gilbert said. “I think this gave people hope.”
How did Cleveland’s experience compare with other host cities?
From 1965 through 2014, the draft was held at venues in New York. It attracted fans then, but its popularity skyrocketed when the NFL took the show on the road, beginning with Chicago in 2015 and 2016.
Host cities used outdoor spaces and stadiums, in addition to the traditional draft stage, to accommodate bigger crowds.
The NFL estimates the Nashville draft in 2019 drew about 600,000 people to the draft and related activities.
The pandemic forced the league to hold the draft virtually in 2020.
Cleveland’s event wasn’t going to have wall-to-wall crowds like Nashville because of coronavirus limitations, but the city expected about 100,000 people – still a large event in terms of the convention and tourism industry.
Making a good impression, on broadcasts and to visitors in Cleveland for the event, could help Cleveland land other events in an industry worth tens of millions of dollars a year, Gilbert said.
“We truly could not buy this kind of attention,” Gilbert said. “It to me is one of the most important parts of what these events can be.”
What kind of crowds did Cleveland get?
The NFL had estimated 50,000 people could attend its events over the weekend.
Gilbert said the NFL Draft Experience site around FirstEnergy Stadium could accommodate about 15,000 fans a day, all in masks. Another 3,000 to 5,000 could be in the shelter housing the draft’s main stage.
The NFL hasn’t yet released attendance figures. But, crowds filled those areas on Thursday, even with lingering rain, cool temperatures and fog. In addition to the out-of-town visitors, Browns fans turned out in force and in full gear.
Activities set up for fans, as well as musical entertainment from big-name acts, helped keep those areas crowded throughout the draft. Broadcasts on Saturday showed thousands of people remained as the last of seven draft rounds ended.
But on top of that, large crowds attended watch parties, such as one with large screens set up on Mall C. And more filled sports bars and restaurants.
What does that mean for Cleveland’s downtown?
It was a big shot in the arm.
Cleveland’s hospitality and entertainment industry downtown lost millions in revenue in 2020. For the city of Cleveland, taxes collected just on tickets, parking, rental cars and hotel rooms, were down more than $20 million from 2019.
The pandemic forced some businesses to close and others to lay off workers, causing a ripple effect through Cleveland’s economy.
Safety guidelines were still in effect last weekend, but the crowds turned out.
“Just walking around downtown during the day and into the evening [Thursday] you could see that downtown was more animated than it has been in a long time,” Deemer said. “The early feedback from the bars and restaurants and hotels has been really positive.”
Gilbert, who doubles as president and CEO of Destination Cleveland, didn’t yet have exact numbers but said the downtown hotels all appeared to be full.
Did the weather cooperate?
Yes.
The rain tapered off Thursday by the time the draft began. While there was fog, the clouds were high enough to allow glamour shots that showed off Cleveland via multiple broadcasts.
The NFL estimated that 12.6 million people watched those broadcasts Thursday, second only to 2020 when events planned for Las Vegas were canceled and the draft was held virtually.
Friday morning’s rain gave way to sunshine before the draft opened Rounds 2 and 3. On Saturday, temperatures warmed into the 60s with sunshine.
How was security for the event?
Nearly all Cleveland officers were on duty through the event to provide mounted, bicycle, motorcycle and foot patrols downtown while still covering the neighborhoods.
The safety and security plans were similar to those Cleveland used successfully for the first presidential debate last September.
Some streets were closed. On-street parking was prohibited in much of downtown during the draft. The city also barred items, particularly weapons, from the draft area.
No significant problems were reported, but the administration of Mayor Frank Jackson did not respond to a request for details from cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
Cleveland officers and state agents also monitored downtown establishments to make sure they were following state and local regulations for the coronavirus – mask wearing, social distancing and capacity limitations.
Two bars were cited on Thursday for violating those regulations. They will have to appear before the state’s Liquor Control Commission.
What did people say about Cleveland’s hosting?
The NFL was pleased, Gilbert said. “In all the discussions, I think, they were positive.”
Fans from out of town and hometown offered their praise.
“I think it’s an ultimate ride for an NFL fan. That’s how I would describe it,” said Al Phillips, who came to the draft from Buffalo. “I think the NFL really put on a great show, Cleveland put on a great show, so hats off to Cleveland.”
With out-of-towners enjoying the experience, native Clevelander Dionne Ficklin, who grew up on Lakeshore Boulevard, praised the atmosphere.
“To me, the atmosphere, the people, the staff are great,” Ficklin said. “The staff is great. They’re so friendly. It’s awesome.”
What makes all that even more remarkable is that as the event approached, organizers were unsure what they’d be allowed to do, given the pandemic. Just a few months ago, they still did not know how many people would be allowed on site, Gilbert said.
How did the Browns do?
The team nabbed Northwestern’s Greg Newsome II, a cornerback, in the first round, providing much needed help for the defensive secondary and traded up to get a linebacker in the second round.
Columnist Terry Pluto for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer said that while it takes time to see whether draft picks pan out, the Browns’ decisions showed the team had a plan.
“There is a sense of draft calm about the Browns,” Pluto wrote. “That infuses the fan base with confidence because what the franchise has done this weekend makes sense.”
Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer gave the Browns a grade of A, second only to the New England Patriot’s A+.
NFL.com also gave the Browns a grade of A.
How else did Cleveland benefit?
As part of the NFL Draft activities, the NFL and the Browns teamed with the Greater Cleveland community on several efforts to make a positive impact on Cleveland.
Among those were a donation to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank to fight food insecurity, working with the Cleveland Public Library to start a program to address the digital divide, working with the YWCA to address racial equality and social justice, and breaking ground on refurbishment of a football field and a community garden in East Cleveland.
Could this event’s success help land a Super Bowl in Cleveland?
Probably not, Gilbert said.
Five times the Super Bowl has been held in cold-weather cities -- twice each for Detroit and Minneapolis in domed stadiums. The only open-air Super Bowl in the north was played in MetLife Stadium – home for the Giants and Jets -- in New Jersey across from New York in 2014.
Without a domed stadium, landing a Super Bowl is unlikely, Gilbert said. That likely will keep Cleveland from hosting the NCAA Men’s Final Four, which has been held in domed stadiums rather than smaller basketball arenas since the 1990s.
What’s on the horizon?
The Downtown Cleveland Alliance and Jackson administration hope this could launch a resurgence in the hospitality industry.
There’s already a feeling of optimism, Deemer said. Playhouse Square intends to reopen in June with a month-long run of “The Choir of Man.” Cleveland is set to resume reviewing permit requests for summer events. Already the city announced plans to reopen some parks and its outdoor pools.
“I think what we’ve shown as a community is we are able to get together safely and responsibly,” Deemer said.
Meanwhile, Cleveland will compete for other major events.
The success of the draft could sway those attending or TV viewers to visit again or invest money into events in the city, Gilbert said.
Already lined up are the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, the 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four for basketball, hosting six early round games in the 2025 NCAA Men’s basketball tournament and the 2026 NCAA wrestling championships.
“We are positioned very well,” Gilbert said. “The key long term is how do we continue to be one of the top cities in America for hosting these.
Reporters Cameron Fields and Joey Morona and sports columnist Terry Pluto contributed to this story.