The first night of the NFL Draft was a hit in Detroit, as the NFL reported a single-day attendance record of 275,000 fans while police officials estimated the turnout at 400,000. Driving "was an ordeal and parking a fantasy." Entire streets were "cordoned off and turned into tailgates." The crush of people was "so thick that pedestrians were allowed to walk in only one direction on some streets." Visitors wearing "a kaleidoscope of colors representing seemingly every NFL team" roamed from the draft theater in Campus Martius to an entertainment zone at Hart Plaza to a players' red carpet at the Fox Theatre. Detroit's NFL Draft footprint "hit maximum capacity" around 6:30pm yesterday, "prompting officials to shut off entry for the rest of the evening and causing some fans to try to go around police" (DETROIT NEWS, 4/26).

Until yesterday, Nashville held the previous one-day attendance record of just over 200,000, officials said. The NFL used its X feed to show a drone video of the massive gathering, along with the words: "This is wild." The massive crowd "was not without problems," as many attendees "experienced trouble getting food or just getting where they wanted to go" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/25).

Eminem helped ring in the draft "in explosive fashion," as the rapper and Detroit native joined NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on stage before the Bears took QB Caleb Williams first overall. The capacity crowd in Detroit then "went nuts" for former Lions Calvin Johnson and Barry Sanders, with current Lions Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Aidan Hutchinson "sending the reaction home" (MLIVE, 4/26).

A city and its fired-up fanbase "reveled in their shared renaissance." Detroit "didn’t just show out" -- it showed up en masse, turning Campus Martius and Cadillac Square "into another sea of blue." Some fans were lined up to enter the draft viewing area at sunrise yesterday, more than 12 hours before the actual show. It "seemed like a reprise" of the Lions' stirring playoff run, "scaled up in an almost unimaginable way" (DETROIT NEWS, 4/26).

This year's NFL Draft was the fourth time in the common draft era that QBs went with the top three picks, with three more going in the top 12 -- the "fewest number of picks for six QBs to be drafted" in the history of the event. This marked the first time five QBs were drafted in the top 10 and "matched the famed 1983 class" with six first-rounders in all. The draft "started in predictable fashion" with Caleb Williams going first to the Bears, Jayden Daniels second to the Commanders and Drake Maye third to the Patriots. But then the Falcons "pulled off the biggest shocker" by taking the Univ. of Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick less than two months after signing Kirk Cousins (AP, 4/26).

The first 14 picks of this year's draft "were historic as all of them were offensive," the first time in Draft history that happened. UCLA DE Laiatu Latu "broke the streak" by becoming the first defensive player drafted when the Colts took him with the No. 15 pick (USA TODAY, 4/26).

Last night's NFL Draft saw CAA Sports break its own record for most first round picks by a single agency to subsequently dethrone Athletes First's four-year reign over round one. CAA Sports ended the night in Detroit with 12 picks, one more than their record previously set in 2018. WME Sports and Athletes First tied for second-most first round picks at four each and Excel Football and Wasserman saw two.

No agencies touted the Bears’ No. 1 pick of USC QB Caleb Williams, whose representation team was led by his father, Carl Williams. Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 4) was also repped by his father, Pro Football HOFer Marvin Harrison, marking two top five picks managed by parents. CAA also snagged the most top five picks -- North Carolina QB Drake Maye (No. 3) to the Patriots and Notre Dame OT Joe Alt (No. 5) to the Chargers. QBs swept the top three spots with Williams (Bears), LSU’s Jayden Daniels (Commanders), who was repped by Ron Butler of Agency1 Athlete Management Group, and Maye (Patriots).

 

Former NFL coach Bill Belichick made his media debut on “The Pat McAfee Show Draft Spectacular” that streamed on ESPN platforms last night, and his performance showed just how “natural” he “looked and sounded behind the desk.” Over four hours, Belichick offered perspective “only someone who has his history of winning could.” He also offered a glimpse of what is to come Mondays this fall when he regularly appears on McAfee’s daily afternoon show. Belichick’s mechanics were “more than solid.” He “flexed his producing muscles and leveraged his connections to score timely guests.” Any fears that Belichick, who was “tight-lipped” as the coach of the Patriots, would be “reticent in front of the cameras can be forgotten.” He “wasn’t windy, but Belichick wasn’t shy.” He interjected without interrupting and “laid out when McAfee and his crew dialed up the bro levels.” Belichick’s points were “nearly always clear and concise” (USA TODAY, 4/26).

Marvin Harrison Jr. has "yet to sign" a preliminary NFLPA licensing agreement which would "allow his name and likeness to be monetized" after he was drafted last night and before his NFL contract is signed. His jersey "will not be available for purchase" and he "will not be featured in video games" until his NFLPA group licensing deal is signed (X, 4/25). The "Madden" video game franchise "cannot feature Harrison until he signs on the dotted line" (ARIZONA SPORTS, 4/25). The league posted the following on NFLShop and other sites where you can buy official merchandise: "ATTN CARDINALS FANS: Currently, Fanatics and other retailers are not able to offer Marvin Harrison Jr. merchandise until he signs a licensing contract with the NFLPA. Products will be immediately available once he signs" (NFL).

A small stake in the S.F. Giants is for sale "at a price that could value the team" at about $4B, according to sources. The MLB team is owned by around 30 partners, and the stake up for sale is "less than 5% and related to estate planning." Minority stake sales in sports teams "have often passed hands unannounced," but the rapid rise in team valuations "has brought extra attention to changes in ownership" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 4/25).

The Premier Lacrosse League has tapped Endeavor SVP Tom Brady as its new Chief Media and Marketing Officer overseeing the PLL’s production house, media and marketing division and global content distribution. At Endeavor, Brady led content strategy and development for WME Sports, servicing sports properties, athletes and branded content.

PLL co-founder & CEO Paul Rabil noted Brady in 2019 helped the league "lay our foundational media strategy."

Brady’s appointment comes ahead of PLL’s sixth season, noting it is an “important inflection point for the league” now that all of the teams have home markets tied to them. Brady said he wants to be thoughtful and critical with “where they want to go.”

Brady: “The team and our growth is evident. The numbers speak for themselves across viewership, ticket sales, social engagement. All of those things are there and so that is what is exciting to build upon and continue to show more fans, teams, city markets, investors, media partners, all of it for people to see that this league is a rocket ship.”

This year’s PLL Draft will air May 7 on ESPNU and ESPN+, with the season kicking off June 1.

Expansion USL W League club Richmond Ivy SC has signed CarMax as its inaugural front-of-kit sponsor and hummus brand Sabra as a sleeve sponsor. The team is owned by 22 Holdings, which also owns the USL Championship Richmond Kickers, and will begin play in the pre-professional W League next month at City Stadium. 

CarMax and Sabra will be featured on the Ivy’s home and away kits. For CarMax, the deal adds to a women’s sports portfolio that also includes league-level deals with the NWSL and WNBA, as well as several team-level deals. The Richmond-based auto retailer is also a sponsor of several local teams, including the Kickers, the Double-A Eastern League Flying Squirrels, Univ. of Richmond and VCU. Sabra hummus is produced in nearby Chesterfield County. 

The 49ers are looking for an EVP/Marketing and a Senior Dir of Brand & Integrated Marketing. The EVP/Marketing is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of all external-facing marketing for the 49ers and Levi's Stadium, including brand/creative, game entertainment/live events, digital/social, content creation and content distribution (49ers EVP/Marketing). The Senior Dir of Brand & Integrated Marketing -- who reports to the EVP/Marketing -- is responsible for the development, execution and measurement of an integrated marketing strategy in addition to managing and supporting the design, influencer marketing, global marketing and fan engagement teams (49ers Senior Dir of Brand & Integrated Marketing).

USA Pickleball is looking for a VP/Membership Development & Service. The Scottsdale-based position is responsible for developing and implementing plans to increase membership sales as well as improve membership satisfaction and retention, among other duties. Prodigy Search is leading the charge to fill the position (USA Pickleball).

Major League Rugby is looking for a Chief Operations/Competition Officer. The hybrid, Dallas-based position is responsible for leading all activities related to MLR competitions including: competition management, referees, player personnel management, medical protocols, league high performance initiatives and grassroots development initiatives (Major League Rugby).

The WTA is looking for a Dir of Social Media. The open-to-remote position is responsible for working with the marketing department to drive the global advancement of women's tennis by delivering promotion across tournaments, players and the WTA brand (WTA).

The NFL is looking for a Manager of Player Communications. The N.Y.-based position is responsible for quality control and information accuracy of football content and communications to players, legends, clubs and internal league staff (NFL).

To have your job postings included in “Roster Spots" -- a feature in Morning Buzz on Fridays -- please send information to ogreen@sportsbusinessjournal.com.

Lift Sports Management, which is run by former NBAer Mike Miller,has signed Grizzlies G Ja Morant for representation. Morant needed a new agent after he split from Jim Tanner earlier this month (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 4/25).

A documentary chronicling the Las Vegas Aces' 2023 championship season is set to premiere. "Aces vs. Everybody" will debut on Fox at 6:30pm PT Wednesday and on the team’s YouTube channel at 8pm (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 4/25).

The Harlem Globetrotters have signed with IMG to further develop the brand in anticipation of their 100th anniversary milestone in 2026. Under the new agreement, IMG will develop a wide range of products and experiences from toys, collectibles and memorabilia, to publishing and video games. IMG will also be seeking an official outfitter and footwear partner for the Globetrotters (Globetrotters).

The S.F. CHRONICLE looks ahead to the Paris Olympics under the header, "Paris Games could save Olympic movement, if it can overcome looming threats." The Paris Olympics are set to begin in three months, with "an open-air parade of athletes, humanity and goodwill down one of the world’s most iconic waterways." The Seine Opening Ceremony is "meant to symbolize accessibility, humanity and the joy of the Olympics." That is, "if all goes to plan." One hundred years ago, the 1924 Paris Olympics "became known as the Games that saved the modern Olympic movement." A century later, these Olympics are "being set up in similar fashion" -- not only as the Games that "will rescue a battered Olympic brand, but as a vehicle to preserve broad-based sport," in the U.S. and around the world.

Also:

• Rory McIlroy’s U-turn comes as golf sums spiral further out of control.
• How athletes and entertainers like Shohei Ohtani get financially duped by those they trust.

How does that saying go…”I was born at night…but not last night”

— Zak Brown (@ZBrownCEO) April 26, 2024

The #Falcons will likely pay QB Michael Penix Jr. $16M over the next 2 seasons to ramp up/learn behind Kirk Cousins (who will earn $90M over that span)

After that, they'll have MPJ on a 2 year, $6.8M guarantee through 2027, plus the 2028 option to boot.

There's time for value…

— Spotrac (@spotrac) April 26, 2024

"The 42-foot-high statue of Athena in this state capital is the tallest indoor statue in the United States."

"What is Nashville?"