Detroit (Special to NFLNewsbyZennie62.com) – With the 2024 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light fully under way, the NFL will put a special spotlight on the city of Detroit for Day 3 of the event, with programming that features Detroit culture, music, schools and community organizations on April 27.
For the opening moment that will start around noon, the league will have 32 International Fans of the Year taking the stage with local Detroit businesses and organizations.
Detroit Culture Means Focus On Music Scene
Spotlighting Detroit’s vibrant music scene and the home of Motown, the NFL and the Motown Museum will collaborate and highlight up-and-coming artists from the area. The artists will perform between club selections.
A “Detroit Style” interview series will feature on-stage discussions with local business owners and community organizations, as well as founders of unique activities that started in Detroit. With Fowling beginning in the Motor City, the founder of the sport will discuss the unique combination of football and bowling and demonstrate the game on stage. Paint By Numbers, which began in Detroit, will also have a moment on stage, with a local artist spotlight with Detroit Public School Students.
As an integral part of Detroit’s culture, dance will play a large role on Day 3 of the Draft. The Detroit Hustle will be celebrated across Campus Martius Park with fan participation encouraged, with an instructional lesson and group dance performance.
Fans At Saturday NFL Draft Day Detroit Will Get Chance At Super Bowl LIX Tickets
One lucky fan who attends the Draft on Saturday will also receive tickets to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
After Draft selections conclude on Saturday, Bazzi, Michigan-born and Los Angeles-based multiplatinum singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, will close out the 2024 Draft Concert Series presented by Bud Light at the Draft Theater in front of the award-winning Campus Martius Park.
Since releasing his 2018 smash single “Mine,” which went quintuple-platinum and broke into the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, Bazzi has generated billions of streams, sold out shows and most recently released his third full-length album “Infinite Dream.”
General fan viewing for the Draft Concert Series is free, standing room only and will be on a first-come first-served basis. For free entry, fans must download the NFL OnePass app or on the web at NFL.com/DraftAccess.
Detroit Culture Featured At NFL Draft Experience
With Detroit’s distinct culture in music, art, food and style, the Draft Experience features elements unique to the Motor City. Food and beverage vendors will highlight the local fare. Taste of Detroit concessions will represent various neighborhoods in the city, including soul food, Greek, Mexican, Middle Eastern and East African cuisines.
The NFL Draft Experience presented by Rocket Mortgage – the league’s ultimate fan festival – will be free and open to the public for the final day on April 27. Hart Plaza will host Draft Experience Presented by Rocket Mortgage, including games, exhibits, player appearances and sponsor experiences.
The NFL Play Football field at Corner Ballpark presented by StatusPRO will host youth-focused activities, including NFL FLAG skills and drills and football clinics. Fans are encouraged to plan ahead, as capacity is limited, and admission will be on a first-come first-served basis.
NFL DRAFT EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY ROCKET MORTGAGE – HOURS OF OPERATION
| DATE | HOURS OF OPERATION |
| Saturday, April 27 | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET |
PLAY FOOTBALL FIELD AT CORNER BALLPARK PRESENTED BY STATUSPRO
| DATE | HOURS OF OPERATION |
| Saturday, April 27 | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET |
NFL DRAFT PROGRAMMING – TIMING
| DATE | TIMING (ESTIMATED) |
| Saturday, April 27 | 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET |
Additionally, inspirational fans, community leaders, and special guests will join the NFL and participate in the 2024 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light by announcing Rounds 4-7 select picks live on stage and remotely. Draft selections on Day 3 will put a specific focus on community initiatives, including Inspire Change, Salute to Service, Pat Tillman Foundation and more. See a list below for the Day 3 guests who will announce picks.
NFL Draft Rounds 4 – 7/Day 3 Guests
Travis Peters (Inspire Change), Pittsburgh Steelers
As part of the NFL Inspire Change social justice initiative, the NFL and S.H.I.E.L.D 1, a non-profit started by NFL players to accelerate economic mobility in under-resourced communities, will host a special event during Draft week. The event will highlight the work of US Army Veteran Travis Peters and his organization Green Boots Urban Farm. The idea of Green Boots Urban Farm is to increase access to healthy foods and provide a therapeutic green space for the Detroit community. Travis counts himself as a Steelers fan.
Brigadier General Michael B. Lalor (Salute to Service), New York Giants
Brigadier General Lalor has served in the United States Army in a variety of troop leadership positions and staff assignments for nearly 30 years, most recently serving as the Commanding General of the Detroit Arsenal’s U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command. April is the Month of the Military Child, during which the Department of Defense pays tribute to the children of our military service members. Joining Brigadier General Lalor to announce a Day 3 pick on behalf of the New York Giants will be his children Grace and Allan Lalor.
Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Viele (Special Olympics), Denver Broncos
Liz is a Special Olympics Michigan Unified flag football athlete. She has been involved with Special Olympics since middle school and credits the organization with helping her and her peers find acceptance. In addition to her many sports with Special Olympics, Liz serves as an athlete leader, championing others to lead an active lifestyle, co-leading Special Olympics Michigan’s Athlete Leadership Input Council, serving as the athlete representative on the Special Olympics Michigan board of directors, and representing the organization at numerous public speaking opportunities.
Derik Smith (Crucial Catch, American Cancer Society), Denver Broncos
Hope College two-sport, student-athlete Derik Smith is a junior physical and health education major from Niles, Michigan (Edwardsburg HS) who competes on the Flying Dutchmen’s football and track and field teams. As a child, Smith had part of his right leg amputated after a cancer diagnosis. Last fall, Smith appeared in two games and made one tackle as a defensive lineman for the Flying Dutchmen football team.
In track and field, Smith has competed in the discus for the Flying Dutchmen during the indoor and outdoor seasons and the long jump during the outdoor season. Smith also represented Team USA at the 2022 International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation World Games in Santo Antonio, Portugal. Smith won his division in the discus, long jump and 100-meter run.
Kristine Longstreet (Neighborhood Defender Service of Detroit), San Francisco 49ers
49ers fan Kristine Longstreet has dedicated her career to advocating for the rights of individuals in Detroit who are facing legal challenges. As the Managing Director of the Neighborhood Defender Service of Detroit (NDS Detroit), she leads a team of dedicated advocates who work to ensure that all residents have access to high-quality legal representation, regardless of their financial circumstances.
The NFL recently selected Neighborhood Defender Service as one of its Inspire Change social justice grant recipients, as part of their work to support organizations that work in the criminal justice reform space.
The NFL recently added Neighborhood Defender Services as one of their Inspire Change social justice grant partners.
Jessica Day (American Heart Association), Los Angeles Rams
Jessica is a kindergarten teacher at Minges Brook Elementary School in Battle Creek, Michigan, where she serves as the American Heart Association Kids Heart Challenge Coordinator. Dedicated to creating a nurturing learning environment, she’s part of one of the nation’s first Trauma Certified Elementary Schools. Her class won the 2023 NFL PLAY 60 and American Heart Association Race to the Super Bowl, promoting active, healthy lifestyles to improve mental and physical health.
Mary Owen (Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation), Detroit Lions
Mary Owen is the Board Chair and Life Trustee of the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and a Detroit Lions community representative. Mary was selected because the Ralph C Wilson Foundation has been instrumental in supporting the expansion of Girls Flag Football and helping to provide access to sports to youth in the community.
Nazarina Mwakasege (Ruth Ellis Center), Detroit Lions
Nazarina Mwakasege is the Director of Development and Advancement for the Ruth Ellis Center, a Detroit-based organization the creates a supportive community and provides trauma-informed services for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults of color. The Lions have been working with the Ruth Ellis Center on employee education. Nazarina’s adoration for the NFL mirrors her commitment to Detroit – a city of resilience and revival.
Deborah Trimble and Jeremy Glasstetter (Pat Tillman Foundation), Arizona Cardinals
Through the NFL’s Salute to Service initiative alongside its partner the Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF), the legacy of Pat Tillman will be honored at the 2024 NFL Draft by Deborah Trimble and Jeremy Glasstetter, both Tillman Scholars, who will be announcing the 226th pick, which was Tillman’s draft selection in the 1998 NFL Draft.
Deborah is a United States Air Force veteran and current Tillman Scholar at the University of Michigan where she is pursuing a medical degree to support the military community. Jeremy is an Army veteran and a member of the inaugural class of Tillman Scholars. He continues to serve his community as a State of Michigan employee.
Rebecca Holdaway (Wounded Warrior Project), Seattle Seahawks
Rebecca served in the United States Navy as an Operational Intelligence Analyst at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. During her time in Washington state, she developed a love for the Seattle Seahawks, citing the “atmosphere of the people and their love for football” as the reason for her affection for the team. Rebecca participated in NFL Salute to Service partner Wounded Warrior Projects’ (WWP) Project Odyssey, a mental health program that she states “enriched and improved” her life.
During Rebecca’s nearly four years of service as a volunteer for WWP, she has reached approximately 75 Warriors and their families through Peer Support Group meetings and community connection Alumni events. She is deeply passionate about her fellow women warriors and is committed to ensuring that no veteran ever faces the isolation she once experienced as a newly transitioned veteran before finding WWP.
Rebecca credits WWP for saving her life, stating that her participation in WWP programs is the reason she can be a mother to her two children, a wife to her husband Dan, and a servant to her community of veterans in Detroit.
Jimmy Darts (NFL FLAG-In-Schools), Minnesota Vikings
Jimmy Darts is a social media personality who is on a mission to spread kindness. He has teamed up with national nonprofit GENYOUth, in collaboration with the Detroit Sports Commission, and Alltroo, a professional fundraising platform that connects the world of sports and entertainment with charitable fundraising. Together, they are raising funds to bring GENYOUth’s NFL FLAG-In-Schools program to Detroit area middle schools.
This initiative is a featured component of the Detroit Sports Commission’s long-term Living Legacy initiative focusing on Education (Literacy) and Youth Sports (Girls In Sports), beginning with the 2024 NFL Draft and extending across all major sporting events coming to Detroit.
NFL FLAG-In-Schools Funded By NFL Foundation
The NFL FLAG-In-Schools program, which is funded by the NFL Foundation, has given millions of kids across the country the opportunity to be physically active, develop a lifelong love of sport, and its popularity is soaring among girls. Learn more about how to donate at Alltroo.com.
For more information on the 2024 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light, fans should visit nfl.com/draft/event-info and download the NFL OnePass app or on the web at NFL.com/DraftAccess. All adults are required to register for free entry to the NFL Draft but can also register up to five children to get into the event.
Please note the Draft site has limited capacity, and OnePass registration does not guarantee entry, as admission is on a first-come first-served basis. For those without a smartphone, registration on site via Fan Services staff is also permitted. The NFL Draft presented by Bud Light is a fully accessible event.
The NFL Draft presented by Bud Light will be broadcast live on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes and streamed on NFL+ beginning Thursday, April 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET with the first round, followed by Rounds 2-3 Friday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m. ET and Rounds 4-7 Saturday, April 27 at noon ET from Detroit.
About Bazzi
For Bazzi, magic alchemizes emotion into music. The Michigan-born and Los Angeles-based multiplatinum singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer molds skyscraping pop melodies, otherworldly R&B grooves, and adventurous alternative soundscapes into a reflection of his feelings.
Bazzi has artfully and eloquently converted emotion into anthems since his emergence in 2017. His 2018 smash single “Mine” went quintuple-platinum and broke into the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 as it paved the way for his platinum-certified full-length debut album, COSMIC.
Blasting off to the forefront of popular music and culture, his dynamic catalog expanded to include the quadruple-platinum “Beautiful” [feat. Camila Cabello], platinum-certified “Paradise,” “Why?,” and “I.F.L.Y.,” and gold-certified “3:15,” “Myself,” and “Honest.
After generating billions of streams, selling out shows everywhere, and earning acclaim from Billboard, The FADER, Rolling Stone, and more, he harnesses the power of this magic like never before on his third full-length album, Infinite Dream, including the singles “Heaven,” “Only Fan,” and more. As he prepares to release new music this year, Bazzi enters a new chapter, promising to continue captivating audiences with his unique blend of genres and heartfelt storytelling.