Minneapolis is making a bid to host the 2028 NFL Draft.
The bid was submitted to the NFL just a couple of weeks ago according to Minnesota Sports and Events CEO Wendy Williams Blackshaw, who joined Vineeta Sawkar on the WCCO Radio Morning News.
"It's very competitive," Blackshaw says. "The NFL Draft is one of the most competitive bids events out there."
She says U.S. Bank Stadium would serve as the draft's backdrop, and all costs for hosting it would be raised privately.
"Most sports commissions have that public, you've heard me talk about this before, that public funding, and we do not," Blackshaw explains. "So we are having to raise the money from a private corporate standpoint, which is what we did for the Super Bowl. And that does make it a little bit more difficult."
Blackshaw said the bidding war began several years ago and they just submitted their final proposal to the NFL recently.
"We do really well with these events," she adds.
"The NFL knows we put on a great Super Bowl, and a lot of the people who are here at Minnesota Sports and Events actually put on the Super Bowl. So this is a really great opportunity, and again we're going to give it our best shot."
Minnesota and Minneapolis hosted the Super Bowl in February, of 2018. Minnesota Sports and Events have also brought several other big-ticket sporting events to the Twin Cities including last year's World Junior Hockey Championships, the 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Trials, the 2019 men's and 2022 women's NCAA Final Fours, plus the upcoming WWE Summer Slam and 2027 NCAA Tournament first and second round.
For decades, the league hosted the draft in New York City. But as the league grew, and interest in the draft grew, the NFL started exploring other venues. That began in 2015 with back-to-back years in Chicago. Other venues that hosted are Las Vegas, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Arlington (Dallas), Cleveland and Detroit.
Pittsburgh is hosting this year's NFL Draft beginning April 23. Last year, the draft was held in nearby Green Bay. The 2027 Draft is already scheduled for Washington D.C. on the National Mall.
Expect stiff competition for Minnesota, however.
Buffalo, with one of the league's most passionate fanbases, is expected to make a bid as well. They'll be debuting a brand-new stadium in 2026, something the league may decide to highlight. There are rumors they may push for 2029 though. Denver, which lost out on the 2027 bid, may also try to host again in '28.
A decision could come in May, with that timing ultimately up to the NFL.
