Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) Seeks Transparency in Vendor Selection for Pittsburgh NFL Draft Weekend

On Thursday, the Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP), in conjunction with the   Corporate Equity & Inclusion Roundtable (CEIR), released a statement seeking transparency and an outline for how vendors were chosen to participate in the upcoming NFL Draft weekend hosted in the city of Pittsburgh. Addressed to Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor, Allegheny Chief Executive Sara Innamorato, and the NFL Executive Committee, B-PEP highlights the Black majority of NFL players and “ the importance of ensuring Black communities and Black-owned businesses have fair and meaningful access to the economic opportunities associated with one of the league’s most prominent events.” 

READ THE FULL LETTER BELOW

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March 26, 2026

Corey O’Connor, Mayor of Pittsburgh
Sara Innamorato, Chief Executive of Allegheny County
NFL Executive Committee

We, at the Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP), are issuing this statement in response to growing concerns surrounding vendor participation opportunities tied to the upcoming NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.

Over the past several weeks, we have heard directly from community members, small business owners, and stakeholders across our region. These conversations, along with public reporting, reflect a consistent concern: that Black-owned and minority-owned vendors who wish to participate in the economic activity generated by the NFL Draft may be facing barriers to entry to participate in the upcoming Draft. 

We want to be clear that our intent is not to assign blame, but to ensure transparency in a process that carries significant economic implications for our region and communities.

We also believe it is important to acknowledge a broader context: the National Football League is a league in which a majority of its players are Black. That reality underscores the importance of ensuring Black communities and Black-owned businesses have fair and meaningful access to the economic opportunities associated with one of the league’s most prominent events.

We recognize that hosting an event of this scale requires coordination, and planning has its own unique challenges. However, we also believe that events of this magnitude, particularly those supported by public resources and hosted in a diverse city like Pittsburgh, must reflect equitable access to opportunity. It is the (B-PEP) and the Corporate Equity & Inclusion Roundtable (CEIR) that all parties in power will take every step and action available to help guarantee that African American vendors will have as many opportunities as possible to benefit from this ‘once in a lifetime’ NFL Draft in Pittsburgh! We want “no stone unturned’ to accomplish this important goal.

As part of our fact-finding efforts, we respectfully request the following:

• The public release of the official list of all approved vendors for the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
• A demographic breakdown, to the extent allowable, identifying how many of those vendors are minority-owned, including Black-owned businesses.
• A clear outline of the vendor selection process, including outreach efforts, evaluation criteria, and any diversity or inclusion measures that were implemented.

We are making this request in the interest of transparency and equitable economic participation. Our goal is to ensure that the opportunities created by this event are accessible to all, especially those historically underrepresented in large-scale contracting and event participation.

Respectfully,

Tin Stevens                                 Lorraine Cross