Report: Cincinnati has 'inside track' to hosting 2029 NFL Draft
TL;DR
Cincinnati is reportedly favored to host the 2029 NFL Draft, while Minneapolis-St. Paul is the frontrunner for 2028. The NFL events committee will discuss hosting options next week, with a vote expected on May 19-20.
Key points
- Cincinnati could host the NFL Draft in 2029
- Minneapolis-St. Paul is favored for the 2028 Draft
- NFL events committee to meet next week
- Vote on hosting sites expected May 19-20
- Pittsburgh set an attendance record of 805,000
May 1—Cincinnati could be hosting an NFL Draft in three years.
According to a story in the Sports Business Journal, citing "numerous sources," Minneapolis-St. Paul is considered a clear favorite to win hosting rights to the 2028 NFL Draft, and Cincinnati "has the inside track" for 2029.
The NFL events committee is scheduled to meet next week to discuss hosting site options, and a vote is expected at the owners' meeting May 19-20 in Orlando.
Sources told the SBJ that it's possible the NFL looks to award two drafts at the same time or in relatively short order. That aligns with commissioner Roger Goodell's comments to ESPN talk show host Pat McAfee last week, when he said, the league is "going to probably have to start allocating the drafts a little further in advance" because of the event's size.
Pittsburgh set a new NFL Draft attendance record with 805,000 spectators in attendance April 23-25. The event draft was staged in immediate proximity to the Steelers' Acrisure Stadium but past drafts have been located in downtown areas.
It's unclear what Cincinnati's plan would be for such an event, but the Banks was built between Paycor Stadium and Great American Ballpark also with these kinds of events in mind.
The NFL Draft, which is slated to take place next in Washington, D.C., and hosted by the Commanders at the National Mall, routinely draws hundreds of thousands of fans to a free, festival-like environment. The event has moved around annually since 2015, including traveling to other mid-size cities in the Midwest region in recent years, such as Green Bay in 2025, Detroit in 2024 and Kansas City in 2023.
Goodell told McAfee that 10 teams had representatives at last weekend's draft in Pittsburgh to learn and develop their own vision for hosting. Originally, Cincinnati had explored the idea of putting in a bid for the 2027 and 2028 drafts, but ultimately decided to shift focus toward 2029.
Q&A
Why is Cincinnati considered to have the inside track for the 2029 NFL Draft?
Cincinnati is seen as having an advantage due to insights from numerous sources cited by the Sports Business Journal.
When will the NFL decide on the hosting sites for the 2028 and 2029 drafts?
The NFL events committee will meet next week, with a vote on hosting sites expected during the owners' meeting on May 19-20.
What record was set during the recent NFL Draft in Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh set a new NFL Draft attendance record with 805,000 spectators attending the event from April 23-25.