D.C. working on bid for 2027 NFL Draft, which would include events at National Mall

From 1964 to 2014, the NFL Draft was held in New York. Since then, other cities have gotten the chance to play host to the big event, including Philadelphia, Chicago, Nashville, Las Vegas and most recently, Detroit. 

Next year, Green Bay will be the backdrop when prospects get selected. 

Other cities are already working on their bids to play host to the most-watched sports draft in America. The nation’s capital is one location looking for its first chance at hosting. Washington, D.C., is working on its bid and it involves some historic spots.  

The National Park Service confirmed to the Washington Post that draft festivities for the three-day event in 2027 could be held at the National Mall. 

“The National Park Service has provided a letter of support to Events DC [the organization in negotiation with the NFL] for the NFL draft ‘to the degree that portions identified to take place on the National Mall can be organized and managed within the special event, sponsor recognition, and turf management guidelines in place for this iconic cultural landscape,’” National Park Service (NPS) chief of communications Mike Litterst said in a statement.

Representatives from Events DC and NPS have been in discussions with NFL executives for months. 

The proposed plan is to have the main stage on 4th Street, Between Madison and Jefferson Drives, near the National Gallery of Art and the National Air and Space Museum. Part of the event would be held on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, where those attending could go to the Mall. 

“As you can imagine this [is] very important to [the] District, and they are trying to put forth a winning bid proposal,” Marisa Richardson, an official in the NPS’s division of permits management, wrote to NPS officials back in January. “And we want to be good partners, but also realistic regarding our limitations.”

Some restrictions of the Mall location include weight limits to protect the turf, logo size restrictions and alcohol limitations. Another difficulty they may run into is securing the spot with enough time for planning. The agency doesn’t accept permit applications for events more than a year in advance, but putting on an NFL Draft requires a lot more time than a year.

D.C. was interested in hosting the draft in 2024, but it was awarded to Detroit. Representatives for 12 cities, including D.C., were present at the most recent draft to conduct site surveys. 

Considering there is no game involved, the NFL Draft has a very high number of attendees and viewers. It is no surprise that cities want the spotlight for the event, to generate money for the state and showcase the best they have to offer. 

Detroit officials said the city had its best hotel revenue week of all time while the draft was being held. That draft also broke attendance records with 700,000-plus fans.