The '15 NFL Draft "will move to Chicago and be held at Roosevelt University's Auditorium Theatre April 30 through May 2 with a fan festival to be held at nearby Grant Park," according to Brad Biggs of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. The Draft is leaving N.Y. "after 50 years there." The move "likely is a result of aggressive lobbying" by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s "ongoing drive to broaden the appeal of the league." Chicago was selected over L.A. to host the draft. The Draft in N.Y. had "outgrown Radio City Music Hall," and speculation is that the NFL "could look to host future drafts in NFL stadiums." Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones said that he would "like to have the draft" at AT&T Stadium. The Draft "could become a traveling show, not unlike the Super Bowl, and the league will certainly want to keep" N.Y. in the mix. Former NFL exec Jim Steeg said that the idea of moving the Draft out of N.Y. "has been a topic debated for about 15 years" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/3). In Chicago, Danny Ecker noted the Draft is moving "due to scheduling conflicts." Auditorium Theatre has a "seating capacity of just over 3,900 seats, far smaller than Radio City Music Hall, which seats about 6,000" (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 10/2). Also in Chicago, Ruthhart & Dardick note Emanuel used his "skill of lobbying hard for votes to secure the event." Sources said that the "deciding factor was the city’s commitment to hold a fan festival in Grant Park." Emanuel "met with Goodell" at the NFL's N.Y. HQ on June 3. A source said that the meeting "was followed up by numerous phone calls between Goodell and Emanuel, as well as 'many, many visits' to Chicago by various NFL team representatives over the last several weeks." The Bears also "lobbied heavily for the event" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/3). The CHICAGO SUN-TIMES' Adam Jahns notes the "persistent lobbying" of Bears Chair George McCaskey "undoubtedly helped, too." At times, L.A. "appeared to be the favorite with its Hollywood vibe and ample venues." But Emanuel was "unyielding in his attempts to secure the draft from the beginning" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 10/3).
WAITING GAME: In L.A., Sam Farmer writes if the NFL were "confident a team was absolutely determined to relocate to L.A. after this season ... the league surely would have awarded the 2015 draft to the nation's second-largest market." An L.A. Draft would have been a "quintessential drum roll for a team's return." There has been a "lot of speculation lately the Rams are ready to leave St. Louis and have quietly packed the moving vans," but L.A. getting the "Heisman stiff-arm should quiet that chatter for a bit." That is "not to say there won't be an NFL team in L.A. next season," as it "could still happen." At "minimum, this draft news was a setback in that regard" (
L.A. TIMES, 10/3).
