Canton, Pro Football HOF Want To Host '20 NFL Draft; Could Event Return To Philly In '18?

The city of Canton and the Pro Football HOF are eyeing '20 for a "shot at hosting the NFL Draft," according to Zac Jackson of THE ATHLETIC. The second phase of the renovation of Tom Benson HOF Stadium is "on track to be finished by this summer." Ground was broken earlier this year on the HOF Village project, a $600M complex "adjacent to the stadium and Hall of Fame that’s considered the key to hosting big events such as the draft." Sources said that construction deadlines and other plans "have been set with the idea that the Hall of Fame Village could host at least part of the draft" in '20. Canton and the HOF have eyed '19 as a "potential date to host a round of NFL owners’ meetings, and that could serve as a way to show off the new facilities and gain momentum." That Canton "could be a co-host with other cities and also could share some draft hosting duties with Cleveland are among the ideas that ultimately could be pursued" (THEATHLETIC.com, 5/5). Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said, "In order to get maximum value from all these other cities that want the Draft, you need to have a lot of cities clamoring for it, and it's a nice little bone that the Hall of Fame is throwing to the league by throwing its hat into the ring here to put pressure on other cities" ("PFT," NBCSN, 5/8).

PHILLY ON THE MIND: The MMQB's Peter King cited sources saying that the Draft is "going to Dallas next year." But with the event's reception in Philadelphia, King said the NFL has to "give it a triple take and say, 'Do we really want to not do this again. This is incredible.' But I think there's some people also in the league who say, 'OK, Chicago was really good. Philadelphia was incredibly good. Now, won't other teams, won't other markets, won't other cities also be incredibly good. Let's go see.''" King: "I really don't know. I think that there are a lot of people at the league who thought that they were going to Dallas next year and now I think they have to give it a legitimate going over" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/6). NFL Network's Gil Brandt said, "It’s going to be very hard for Philadelphia to lose the draft after the job that city did. ... That city did a job that was off the charts. And the fans were so great -- 100,000 people that one day, and I bet there were 99,999 different jerseys, with fans from everywhere" (MMQB.SI.com, 5/8). PFT's Florio said, "It's going to be very hard for any city to lure the Draft if it can't replicate that scene we saw Thursday and Friday night in Philadelphia. That's now part of the Draft experience. When you turn on the TV and you see a sea of humanity. That was amazing" ("PFT," NBCSN, 5/8).

MORE INTERESTED PARTIES: In Nashville, Joey Garrison noted Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. President & CEO Butch Spyridon has "made no secret in the past that he’s interested" in the city hosting the Draft. Spyridon: "We don’t know what years, the cost or any other requirements. It is very premature to speculate at this point. There is not even an RFP." He also attended Philadelphia's Draft to "learn and observe.” Garrison noted Nashville "has a lot going for it as a candidate," as it has "proven itself to be a big-event city." There is also "plenty of venue options" and the city’s "popular downtown" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/6).