in Chicago

The 2015 NFL Draft

was one of the most
watched and talked about
sports events of the year.
The event helped fill
downtown hotel rooms
and drove increased
traffic to local restaurants
and businesses.
Attracting new events
and demand generators
like the NFL Draft
will help Choose Chicago
reach the visitation
goals set by Mayor Rahm
Emanuel.
The results featured
in this report are
provided by the Sport
Industry Research Center
at Temple University
and Choose Chicago.

The residents of Chicago

showed the true spirit of our city
by being world-class hosts for
the NFL Draft. While the NFL Draft
put our skyline in the spotlight,
it was Chicagoans who showed
why our city is the perfect home
for marquee events.
MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL

3
2015 NFL DRAFT IN CHICAGO: BY THE NUMBERS

After 50 years in
New York City, the NFL
brought the 2015
NFL Draft to Chicago.
Held April 30th through
May 2ndat the Auditorium
Theatre at Roosevelt
University, the NFL also
hosted a reimagined,
free fan festival in Grant
Park called Draft Town.

8.8M

TV Viewers Watched
Round 1 of the Draft

200K

Visitors to Draft Town

4.7M

Tweets and 6th Most

Tweeted Sports Program
Over the Past 12 months

$81.6M 2,095
in Total Economic Impact

Temporary Construction
and Labor Jobs

846
New Jobs

Securing high-profile events such as the NFL Draft

are central to achieving the goals set forth by Mayor
Emanuel, including increasing annual visitation
to 55 million visitors by 2020. The national exposure
and intent to visit is significant.
DESIREE ROGERS, CHAIR, CHOOSE CHICAGO

On behalf of the Chicago Sports

Commission and Choose Chicago,
we thank the NFL for their

$456K
in City Hotel Tax
Revenue Generated

partnership and enthusiasm in

creating a memorable experience
not only for our teams, but for
the more than 200,000 fans
who experienced a completely
reimagined Draft.
DON WELSH, PRESIDENT & CEO, CHOOSE CHICAGO

$6.5M

in Total State and

Local Taxes Generated

From hospitals to schools,

flag football to family
football clinics, thousands
of local children and their
families experienced the
excitement of the NFL
Draft through a series
of free events.

A big thank you goes to everyone

that contributed. You exceeded our
expectations and turned Chi-Town
into Draft Town for the 200,000
fans who joined in our festivities.
ROGER GOODELL, NFL COMMISSIONER

7
2015 NFL DRAFT IN CHICAGO: BY THE NUMBERS

650+

Volunteers Worked Over

1,300 Shifts Over 3 Days

1,000+

Students from 10 Chicago

Public Schools Attended

Thanks to the Mayors commitment, the Chicago Bears

support, the Park District, Roosevelt University and
the support of so many partners, the reimagined Draft
was an incredibly successful experience for the city,
the NFL and most importantly, the fans.
KARA BACHMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHICAGO SPORTS COMMISSION

36,576
Hotel Room
Nights Generated

Results indicated that 60% of attendees

were male and 60% had children.
Nearly half (49%) of attendees were
from outside Chicago.

In 125 years of operation, an estimated twenty million

people have been through the Auditorium Theatre
at Roosevelt University. Fifty million saw the Theatre
on TV in just three days of the NFL Draft.
BRETT BATTERSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AUDITORIUM THEATRE

9
2015 NFL DRAFT IN CHICAGO: BY THE NUMBERS

83%

of Attendees Would
Recommend Chicago
as a Travel Destination

65%

of Attendees Plan
to Return to Chicago
for a Vacation in the
Next 12 months

The NFL Draft was a huge success for restaurants

in Chicago. We saw increased business during
typically slower hours, especially in the time between
lunch and dinner. And you cant beat the star power
- a good number of prominent NFL players and
coaches dined at our restaurants.
PATRICK DOYLE, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, THE GAGE/ACANTO

TOUCHDOWN
With over a hundred
downtown hotels
and non-stop service from
our two international
airports, Chicago is the
perfect city to welcome
NFL teams and fans
from across the country.

11
2015 NFL DRAFT IN CHICAGO: BY THE NUMBERS

Just a couple years ago who would have thought that

an event of this type would have the type of viewership
that it has had? It has grown into a spectacleprobably
the biggest event of the offseasonand were thrilled
that were going to have it right here in Chicago.
GEORGE MCCASKEY, CHAIRMAN, CHICAGO BEARS

$114.7M
in Established TV and
Digital Media Ad Value

$0

Taxpayer Dollars Spent

July 2015