Chicago was an "easy pick" by the NFL to host the '16 Draft after "exceeding expectations" this past spring, according to Robert Channick of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the decision yesterday during the owners meeting, and Goodell said, "They've earned it. The success we had last year set a new bar for the draft, it set a new opportunity for fans to interact with the NFL. It had a tremendous impact on this community." He added that Chicago "did an extraordinary job, but the league expects the city to promote the event's continued growth" in '16. That may include a "larger footprint and similar accommodations by the city, which provided several venues this year at no cost." Choose Chicago President & CEO Don Welsh said that the format will "likely remain the same, using Grant Park for the outdoor festival and Roosevelt University's Auditorium Theatre to host the actual draft." Channick notes it was "unclear if any facilities will once again be made available to the NFL at no cost." NFL Senior VP/Events Peter O'Reilly said that "several cities were in the running to host the draft" in '16, but an analysis of this year's successful event "ended the competition quickly." He said that the league "will open up bidding" for the '17 Draft this fall, "creating a 'more formal process' to allow all NFL cities to participate." Channick notes the announcement "was not even on the agenda for NFL owners, who were in Chicago for a special meeting to consider bringing pro football back" to L.A. (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/12). NFL Network's Solomon Wilcots said, “They did a wonderful job hosting that event, and everyone had a wonderful weekend." Chicago is a “great host city, and I thought the way they laid everything out everyone had a wonderful time." People "flocked to that city just to be part of this wonderful event” ("Inside Training Camp Live," NFL Network, 8/11).
SECOND CITY GETS A SECOND VISIT: In Chicago, Patrick Finley notes as a condition to host the '15 Draft, Chicago agreed to host the event next year "if the NFL wanted to return." O’Reilly said that L.A. "was an option, but the league, which owed Chicago an answer by Sept. 30, realized 'relatively quickly' they wanted to return." Bears Chair George McCaskey: "The city knocked it out of the park last year. So it’s just a question of taking that model and improving upon it.” Finley notes that includes "creating more action inside the theater, to keep fans from wandering outside, and convincing top picks to attend." The top two selections, Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston and Titans QB Marcus Mariota, "were not among the 26 that witnessed the draft in person." Welsh said that Chicago will be "prepared to bid" again for the Draft in '17 and beyond. However, Goodell "hinted that moving the draft around the country could be beneficial, saying the first year in Chicago proved that 'a lot of good things can happen if you’re not afraid of trying to make it better' every year" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 8/12). ESPN.com's John Clayton noted the league "wants to have the event in one centralized area." While this year's Draft was held at the Auditorium Theatre, "more than 200,000 fans watched it at Draft Town, a three-day fan festival held in Grant Park that was considered a great success." Emanuel said, "We're going to do the same places, everything is going to be the same -- Grant Park, the (Auditorium Theatre). We made the investments already and upgraded so we'll continue to do it there." He said the city has "ideas on how to make it even a bigger event." Emanuel said that the city is "going to bring a James Beard winner from each city that has an NFL team." Emanuel said that "no public money will be used by the city in hosting the event" (ESPN.com, 8/11).
PERMANENT VACATION? SNY’s Chris Carlin said it "doesn't make much sense" that the NFL would return to Chicago after officials explained the decision to leave N.Y. by saying they wanted to "move it around the country." Carlin: "Chicago did a nice job, but what about L.A.? How about Dallas? What about San Francisco?” Carlin said the NFL needs to “give other towns a chance here, or at least stick to the normal plan” (“Loud Mouths,” SNY, 8/11). THE MMQB's Robert Klemko writes returning to Chicago "is hogwash." Klemko: "I had no idea the NFL was thinking of permanently relocating the draft from New York to Chicago until recent rumblings. I always envisioned a new city every year, with a stop in Los Angeles next May as the NFL prepares to send a franchise to Southern California. Hollywood and the NFL’s marquee offseason event were meant for each other" (MMQB.SI.com, 8/12).
