The NFL Draft has become a traveling show since leaving Radio City Music Hall in 2014, and according to reports, the Cincinnati Bengals are looking to bring the action to Cincinnati. The draft will be in Washington, D.C., in 2027 and Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2028.
2029 is still up for grabs, and in a Media Day appearance with local reporters, Bengals Executive Vice President confirmed their interest in hosting the three-day event along the Ohio River.
“We’ve expressed interest, as have many other
cities,” Blackburn told The Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway. “We are exploring it and seeing whether we can have an opportunity to do that. We would love it if we could. We would be excited about it. We’ll continue to work on it to see if it can happen.”
This is the first time the Bengals themselves have confirmed their interest in hosting the draft since it began traveling from city to city, so it sounds like they will aggressively pursue the opportunity to make it happen. Quarterback Joe Burrow has spoken about growing the game with the team’s upcoming trip to Madrid, Spain.
Hosting the draft could be another way to highlight not only the Bengals, but Cincinnati as a city. The Banks entertainment district lies directly between Great American Ballpark and Paycor Stadium, and there are plenty of areas throughout the city that can handle the setup for the draft stage and crowd.
Other cities will certainly make their pitches, and Cincinnati is by no means guaranteed the selection, but it is nice to see the team making an effort to join in on the fun.
Would you attend the draft in Cincinnati? Let us know in the comments!
