Cities named to host ’20, ’21, and ’23

The NFL recently announced that Las Vegas (2020), Cleveland (2021), and Kansas City (2023) will host the NFL draft in the coming years.

the 86^th NFL Draft will take place in Cleveland in 2021 and will bring fans together for free celebrations at iconic downtown locations around FirstEnergy Stadium, including the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as well as on the shore of Lake Erie.

The announcement was made today at the annual Spring League Meeting in Key Biscayne, Fla. following a review of the proposal by the Super Bowl & Major Events Advisory Committee and full ownership.

“Cleveland has a passionate fan base and the city offers distinctive iconic locations and attractions that will bring the NFL Draft experience to fans in unique and exciting ways,” said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. “We look forward to collaborating with the Cleveland Browns, the City of Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Destination Cleveland to celebrate the achievements of the next generation of players and create a memorable fan experience.”

As part of the event, the free NFL Draft Experience – a massive free football festival – will enable fans of all teams to participate and test their football skills, enjoy interactive exhibits and autograph sessions, and take pictures with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The Draft Experience will be open all three days of the event.

“We are incredibly honored to be able to showcase the City of Cleveland and the passion of Browns fans through the unique international platform the NFL Draft provides,” said DEE and JIMMY HASLAM. “This is an exceptional opportunity for Northeast Ohio that even extends beyond football, and we look forward to continuing the work ahead with Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, the City of Cleveland, Destination Cleveland and the NFL to ensure that the 2021 NFL Draft is truly memorable for Northeast Ohio and football fans across the world.”

“The City of Cleveland welcomes the 2021 National Football League Draft,” said MAYOR FRANK G. JACKSON. “We are home to the Cleveland Browns and well-known as a city with passionate sports fans. Visitors will find Cleveland has an unmatched ability to provide Midwestern warmth and hospitality coupled with the amenities found in other major cities. We look forward to hosting the Draft and once again showcasing Cleveland’s ability to organize successful, world-class events.”

“Cleveland is honored to be selected as the host city for the 2021 NFL Draft and we are excited to once again show the world that this city can set a standard for hosting some of the world’s largest events,” said DAVID GILBERT, President and CEO of Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. “This event will provide international media exposure and has proven to provide more than $100 million in economic impact to the host city. We look forward to showing NFL fans across the nation how Cleveland throws a party. Being awarded the 2021 NFL Draft wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering commitment of the Cleveland Browns, the support of the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, the State of Ohio and so many others who helped make this a reality. As Cleveland continues to shine in the national spotlight with the unique opportunity to host four major sporting events over the next six years, including the Draft, we are proud of this achievement which few destinations are able to accomplish.”

The 2023 NFL Draft will take place in Kansas City in the iconic area around Union Station and the National World War I Museum and Memorial and will bring together fans to celebrate one of the most-anticipated sports events of the year, the NFL announced today.

The announcement was made today at the annual Spring League Meeting in Key Biscayne, FL following a review of the proposal by the Super Bowl & Major Events Advisory Committee and full ownership.

“We are excited to work with the Kansas City Chiefs, the City of Kansas City, and the Kansas City Sports Commission to showcase the area for a week-long celebration of football that will be watched by millions of fans,” said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. “We know Chiefs fans will come out to celebrate along with thousands of fans from teams around the country for an incredible experience as we welcome the next generation of NFL players.”

As part of the event, the NFL Draft Experience – a massive free football festival – will allow fans of all teams to participate and test their football skills, enjoy interactive exhibits and autograph sessions, and take pictures with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The Draft Experience will be open all three days of the event.

“This is a historic day for Kansas City and Chiefs Kingdom, and we are thrilled to be named the host city for the 2023 NFL Draft. Today’s announcement would not have been possible without the tireless work of Kathy Nelson, the Kansas City Sports Commission and the Kansas City civic community. It was a tremendous team effort, and we look forward to continuing to work together to showcase Kansas City on the national stage in 2023. Chiefs Kingdom is home to the most passionate fans in the world, and I know they will make Kansas City proud as the host of one of the NFL’s premiere events.”

“Kansas City and Chiefs Kingdom are thrilled to have been selected by the NFL to host this prestigious event,” says KATHY NELSON, President & CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission. “Hometown pride runs deep in the Midwest. We are excited to show the world our unparalleled passion for sports – especially our passion for professional football. Fans from every corner of the country should look forward to experiencing Kansas City’s hospitality, our vibrant food scene, innovative neighborhoods, historic attractions and a whole lot of fun in 2023.  Thank you to our city leaders, our community partners and the Kansas City Chiefs for the collaborative effort in attracting the NFL Draft to our region.”

The NFL Draft has become one of the biggest and most-anticipated sporting events of the year. The 2019 Draft reached new heights and record numbers as the highest-rated and most-watched Draft ever, eclipsing previous records set in 2018. The 2019 Draft was broadcast over three days and attracted more than 47.5 million total viewers and over 600,000 in attendance. The NFL Draft achieved a combined 3.9 HH rating and average of 6.1 million viewers across the broadest distribution including NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, as well as NFL and ESPN digital and social properties.

NFL DRAFT LOCATION HISTORY

Draft	Location	City
1936	Ritz-Carlton	Philadelphia
1937	Hotel Lincoln	New York
1938	Hotel Sherman	Chicago
1939	Hotel New Yorker	New York
1940	Schroeder Hotel	Milwaukee
1941	Willard Hotel	Washington, D.C.
1942-44	Palmer House	Chicago
1945-47	Hotel Commodore	New York
1948	Hotel Fort Pitt	Pittsburgh
1949-50	Bellevue-Stratford Hotel	Philadelphia
1951	Blackstone Hotel	Chicago
1952	Hotel Statler	New York
1953-54	Bellevue-Stratford Hotel	Philadelphia
1955	Warwick Hotel	New York
1956	Bellevue-Stratford Hotel (Rounds 1-3)	Philadelphia
​	Ambassador Hotel (Rounds 4-30)	Los Angeles
1957	Warwick Hotel (Rounds 1-4)	Philadelphia
​	Bellevue-Stratford Hotel (Rounds 5-30)	Philadelphia
1958-61	Warwick Hotel	Philadelphia
1962-64	Sheraton Hotel	Chicago
1965-66	Summit Hotel	New York
1967	Hotel Gotham	New York
1968-71	Belmont Plaza Hotel	New York
1972	Essex House	New York
1973-74	Americana Hotel	New York
1975	Hilton Hotel	New York
1976-78	Roosevelt Hotel	New York
1979	Waldorf	New York
1980-83	Sheraton Hotel	New York
1984-85	Omni Park Central Hotel	New York
1986-94	Marriott Marquis	New York
1995-2004	Theatre at Madison Square Garden	New York
2005	Jacob Javits Convention Center	New York
2006-2014	Radio City Music Hall	New York
2015-16	Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University / Grant Park	Chicago
2017	Benjamin Franklin Parkway	Philadelphia
2018	AT&T Stadium	Dallas
2019	Downtown Nashville	Nashville
2020	Las Vegas Boulevard and Surrounding Areas	Las Vegas
2021	Downtown Cleveland	Cleveland
2022	TBD	TBD
2023	Downtown Kansas City	Kansas City