Only three cities have had the privilege of hosting the NFL draft over the past 50-plus years, but several cities across the country seem eager to get their chance. New York City hosted the draft from 1965 until 2014, and the past two years it was held in Chicago. This year’s draft is in Philadelphia for the first time since 1961.
Where will the 2018 NFL draft be located?
Representatives from 14 cities are scouting this year’s draft to potentially bid on the 2018 draft.
James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
Philly will have some competition if it is looking to host next year’s draft, however. Representatives from 14 cities attended this year’s draft to scope things out and potentially bid to host next year’s event.
“When we left New York, we really found out that this was a great opportunity to engage more fans. And now I think we’re going to continue to move it around. Whether we’ll do it every year, I think that is a different question. But clearly we have, I think, 14 cities here that are all interested in hosting the draft,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday on NFL Network.
Dallas looks like one city that could be in the mix. Earlier this month, ESPN’s Field Yates reported that Dallas “has emerged as a favorite to host the 2018 NFL draft at the Cowboys’ new training facility,” citing league sources. Yates mentioned Kansas City and Green Bay as two other less likely possibilities.
Goodell shot down Yates’ report when given the chance, however.
“Well I don’t know who came up with that,” Goodell said. “Fourteen cities wouldn’t agree with that. I think everybody really loves the draft, and I think they see the opportunity here. There’s a lot of competition for this, and Philadelphia is raising the bar.”
The league won’t likely rush to announce next year’s draft host, but other cities that could be interested include Atlanta, Chicago, Canton, Denver, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles.
If Dallas is awarded the bid, it will mark the first time the NFL draft has ever been held there.
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