How much public money will the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh Steelers attempt to extract from taxpayers’ pockets for this deal?
That’s the operative question following a Post-Gazette report that the Steelers are hoping to host the 2026 or 2027 NFL draft.
Per the P-G’s Thursday dispatch:
“’The draft has become the most anticipated offseason event of the year,’ said Brian McCarthy, the league vice president of communications. ‘Cities have been clamoring to participate in upcoming events, knowing that it brings together fans of college and NFL teams. It’s become very intense.’
“McCarthy said a team has to submit its intention to host the draft on behalf of the city. But the request has to also include the support of local and government officials. He said the NFL would not announce the site of the 2026 draft until the league owners meetings in May.”
Uh-oh. Now, we might have been born at night but it wasn’t last night. For we all know when anybody starts talking about “the support of local and government officials,” it’s all about what kind of public money those officials can fork over to subsidize an event.
So, how deep does the NFL expect it can dive into taxpayers’ pockets? Nobody’s saying just yet. Reports have it that the city and the Steelers have submitted their formal bid.
But, given the P-G states as fact the supposed wonderful economic benefits that will accrue to the city and county, you can expect it to be a four-pocket turnout if not then some.
Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten pretty much confirmed that scenario in a statement to the P-G that read, in part:
“The NFL draft will draw hundreds of thousands of fans and out-of-town visitors, and we look forward to working with local and state officials and community leaders to ensure we craft a successful bid to host the 2026 or 2027 NFL draft.”
Ka-CHINGGGGGGGG!
And more proof-positive that this will be an orchestrated effort to make taxpayers help subsidize what only the rich barons of sport should, the cartel already is out with its “direct economic impact” projections.
Jerad Bachar, president and CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH, told the P-G “the NFL draft could have a direct economic impact of between $120 million and $160 million on the city, based on information obtained from other cities who have staged the three-day event.”
But those not so enamored by the rah-rah-sis-boom-bah of it all have long taken a sobering view of such plug-in-the-numbers projections of those seeking to rationalize shaking down taxpayers.
Look at it this way: If the returns for hosting the NFL draft are so darn good, why is there a “need” for taxpayer backing in the first place?
Taxpayers have absolutely no business paying the NFL for the “privilege” of hosting the draft. In fact, the NFL should be paying for the extra public services it will consume during the draft.
Simply put, the NFL can more than pay its own way. And it should.
Colin McNickle is communications and marketing director at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy (cmcnickle@alleghenyinstitute.org).
