Axios Pittsburgh
April 24, 2026
1 big thing: Draft sets first-day attendance record
The NFL draft's first full day brought big crowds, packed park-and-rides and lively fan scenes across Downtown and the North Shore.
The big picture: Pittsburgh set a new first-day attendance record with 320,000 fans, commissioner Roger Goodell announced last night, surpassing Detroit's previous record of 275,000.
Context: The NFL counts draft attendance by tallying each entry through security, not unique visitors, KDKA reports.
Zoom in: About 25% of Pittsburgh Regional Transit's park-and-rides filled up by 2pm yesterday, PRT spokesperson Adam Brandolph told Axios.
- The ones along the light-rail (Washington Junction, Dormont and Mt. Lebanon) and in the North Hills (McCandless and Ross) filled up by noon.
- PRT had to secure 200 more spots at the Monroeville Mall.
The free Football Flyers will run daily from 10am to 1am. Buses will arrive every 15 minutes today and every 30 minutes tomorrow.
- Chrissy drove Downtown at 11am and parked at the Smithfield-Liberty garage for $40. Some city parking was as low as $25 a day. Check ParkPGH for rates and availability.
- Alexis parked in Market Square for $100.
- Rivers Casino cut daily parking rates from $250 to $100 as increased use of public transit and rideshares eased demand, TribLive reported.
🚲 Ryan biked from Bloomfield, and it took only 20 minutes.
- Bike parking was at the back end of the Wyndham.
The vibe: Market Square crowds enjoyed live music, games such as shuffleboard and drinks at the pop-up pub.
- Security checks to get into Market Square were lax — just a quick bag check.
The Pitt Block Party at Arts Landing runs from 9am to 6pm today and tomorrow.
- We arrived at noon. It wasn't too crowded; fans played cornhole, relaxed on the lawn and enjoyed vendors with very short lines.
We ended our day at Point State Park for the Great Pennsylvania Mascot Race, part of the NFL Draft Experience, which runs noon-10pm today and 9am-6pm tomorrow.
The walk from the Point to Acrisure via the Roberto Clemente Bridge took about 25 minutes.
Chrissy's thought bubble: Crowds were light before 1pm and picked up by 3pm but still felt manageable. Everyone stayed jovial at Point State Park, with Steelers and Birds fans trading friendly jabs.
- Driving and parking Downtown was a breeze. It was clear that people listened to city officials' warning not to drive. Higher parking rates and more remote workers likely helped keep traffic down, too.
- I left the garage at 10:10pm and was home in Forest Hills by 10:30pm.
Yes, but: The draft theater hit viewing capacity by 8pm, sending fans to Acrisure, the Point and Market Square to watch on big screens. Expect long lines at bars and restaurants and sizable crowds in the heart of the action — especially in the evening.
- PRT announced late last night that the large exodus of fans caused a back-up at the North Side light-rail station, but trains continued to move throughout the night.
Pro tips: Official draft campus activities at Acrisure and Point State Park are cashless, and every entrance has high-security screening.
- The NFL clear bag policy is also in effect at these sites.
- Entry is free. Register through the NFL One Pass app.
2. Find Giant Eagle's giant buggy Downtown
Here's one more oversized surprise you didn't have on your NFL draft bingo card: a Giant Eagle buggy — or shopping cart, for the uninitiated.
Zoom in: Giant Eagle's supersized street-legal buggy has been spotted all over town ahead of the draft. It's large enough for five passengers and a driver.
- It's rolled through Mount Washington, the Fort Pitt Tunnel, Federal Street, PNC Park and Mexican War Streets. It even powered up the dreaded Rialto Street.
What's next: The giant buggy will be stationed at PPG Plaza today and tomorrow from approximately 10am-6pm for photo ops, games and giveaways.
3. The Bridge: Steelers' new prospect
4. 🏆 1 mascot race to go: Nittany Lion wins
The other Battle of Pennsylvania went to Penn State's Nittany Lion mascot.
The intrigue: The "Great Pennsylvania Mascot Race" at the NFL draft campus at Point State Park pitted Steely McBeam, Swoop the Philadelphia Eagles mascot, Roc the Pitt Panther and the Nittany Lion in a 40-yard dash to help promote the state's tourism industry.
Zoom in: Nittany Lion won easily, finishing the race in 5.59 seconds.
- Steely McBeam finished second, followed by Roc the Panther, then Swoop.
Zoom out: Before the race, Punxsutawney Phil predicted that "the winner today is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania."
Yes, but: State College actually won.
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