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Minneapolis vying to host NFL Draft in 2028
The Minnesota Vikings have launched a bid to host the NFL Draft in 2028, with the Vikings saying U.S. Bank Stadium is the best stadium in the NFL.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The NFL is holding its Spring League Meeting this week in Orlando, Fla., where it’s expected to be announced that the Minnesota Vikings will be the host for the 2028 NFL Draft.
Vikings to host NFL Draft
What they're saying:
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and national NFL reporter Albert Breer, the Vikings and Minneapolis are expected to be the host site for the NFL Draft in 2028.
The announcement could come as early as Tuesday, after all 32 NFL owners put it to a vote.
The Vikings, in conjunction with the Minnesota Sports and Events commission, submitted a bid back in March to be a host site for the NFL Draft.
Minnesota has hosted its fair share of large-scale sporting events, between the 2018 Super Bowl, Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game and multiple NCAA Final 4s. The NFL Draft was in Pittsburgh this year, and drew more than 800,000 spectators over three days.
Vikings bid to host draft
Local perspective: In recent years, the NFL has placed greater emphasis on the draft, promoting it as a destination for fans.
The Vikings say U.S. Bank Stadium is the best stadium in the NFL, and should be the host of the 2028 NFL Draft.
Why you should care:
Lester Bagley, executive vice president of public affairs with the Minnesota Vikings, said, "[U.S. Bank stadium] is the best stadium in the NFL, it is the anchor of our draft campus and we're excited about it. The NFL loves it too. They encouraged us to integrate U.S. Bank Stadium into the draft experience. So we're very excited to bring that, and bring fans here to experience our amazing stadium and our amazing community."
"Vikings Sundays are great, but the Super Bowl, it was a totally different story. It was packed for four days, probably. The media comes in two weeks early, and the Super Bowl is probably the busiest we’ve ever been," said Dave Holcomb, Co-Owner of Gluek's Restaurant and Bar.
"An event like this, when everyone's coming in from out of town, or so many people are coming from out of town, that's when we do really well, when we get the tourists. So an event like that would be awesome for us," said Holcomb.
Upcoming NFL Draft sites
The 2027 Draft will be held in Washington, D.C., with most of the events taking place on the National Mall. The Washington Commanders are planning a new $3.7-$3.8 billion stadium on the site of the former RFK Stadium. It's expected to open by 2030. The 65,000–70,000 seat, domed venue will feature a transparent roof and a colonnade design, with 30% of the site featuring parks and waterfront access.
Last year, the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field hosted the NFL Draft. They were the eighth different city to host the draft.
What we don't know:
If the Vikings do officially get the 2028 NFL Draft, the actual host site is yet to be announced.