The Cowboys are "closing in on being named the official host" of the '18 NFL Draft, according to sources cited by Charles Robinson of YAHOO SPORTS. Sources said that "despite some looming logistical and financial hurdles, the Cowboys’ bid is the leading candidate to host the event." The sources added that the process of naming an '18 host has been "slowed by the two-venue pitch" of Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, who is "aiming to split the festivities" between AT&T Stadium and The Star in Frisco. The Star is "located about 40 miles north of the stadium, creating additional financial considerations for the league and its broadcasting partners such as ESPN." While the NFL is "unlikely to say as much publicly, awarding the draft to Dallas would be a kickback of sorts to Jones for moving some financial mountains in recent years." That includes "helping broker a lucrative return" to the L.A. market and "building his own state of the art stadium and practice facility in Texas." In a "grandiose way, Jones has been pace-setting infrastructure strides that will likely impact the NFL for decades to come -- not to mention the league’s financial bottom line." The league "owes Jones for both deal-building and some standard-setting moves." Robinson noted the '17 NFL Draft in Philadelphia will be "hard to top -- but there is belief that if someone could raise the stakes or profile of the draft even further, it would be Jones" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 6/1).
