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Philadelphia's World Champions

From the NFL Draft to a Super Bowl Victory, the City of Philadelphia is Flying High

Since April 2017 when Philadelphia hosted the most attended NFL Draft in history through to the Eagles epic Super Bowl victory, the city has been a sports destination focal point both nationally and internationally. The 2017-18 NFL season, starting with the Draft, serves as a poignant vehicle for telling Philadelphia’s story — one that’s rooted in history, tradition, passion and a touch of the unexpected.

As a destination, Philadelphia has earned a reputation as a city that can host amazing marquee events successfully. Few other cities can point to a history of repeated and flawlessly executed high-profile events like Philadelphia, including:

  • The 2015 World Meeting of Families, which brought Pope Francis for his first U.S. visit
  • The 2016 Democratic National Convention, which infused over $230 million into the regional economy and attracted 54,000 visitors
  • The 2017 NFL Draft, which scored record-breaking attendance of 250,000 and an estimated economic impact of more than $94 million

And now that we have achieved our ”World Championship City” status through the efforts and successes of our beloved Philadelphia Eagles, we have yet another win that catapults Philadelphia into the spotlight. This win also served as a great economic boon for the city, resulting in an increase of tourism activity throughout the city during the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl. The following are estimates of hotel bookings during the NFL Playoffs and the Super Bowl LII celebration:

  • 12,573 more rooms sold versus the same time last year
  • $3.3 million in incremental hotel room revenue generated versus the same time last year
  • Strong weekend occupancy throughout the Eagles’ playoff run, Sunday occupancy nearly double that of the same time last year (up 91%)

For Philadelphia, sporting events are more than just the game played; they serve as a unifier, bringing our city together like no other. From hosting the Northeast Regional Volleyball Qualifier, to the Lacrosse National Championships, the Army-Navy Game, the NFL Draft and even a Super Bowl victory parade, Philadelphia sets the standard for high quality and impactful sporting events.

As for our Super Bowl victory, we’ll be enjoying that win for quite some time. Philadelphians will continue to embrace this Philadelphia Eagles team, holding them up as an amazing example of the true spirit of this great city.

Fly, Philly, Fly!

Interested in learning how you can host your next event in Philadelphia and experience our sports-loving city? Our PHL Sports division is dedicated to ensuring every sporting event is successful.  Email PHLSports@discoverphl.com to start a conversation about how we can make your next sporting event a major win.


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