What kind of reaction would Minnesotans give Rodger Goodell if the NFL held the draft in the Twin Cites?
Would we boo every pick just like every other city does? Or would we cheer him but “politely” talk bad about him behind his back? (Definitely the second one.)
Well you’ll have about five years to think about it because the Vikings submitted a bid to host the NFL Draft, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press,
Vikings vice president Lester Bagley said the team applied to host the NFL Draft in 2022 or 2023, adding he event has “great brand value and economic impact.”
It would be the first professional draft held in Minnesota since the Wild hosted the 2011 NHL Draft at the Xcel Energy Center.
After nearly a 50-year run in New York, the NFL decided to move the draft around to other cities. The last two were held in Chicago and Philadelphia, and Philly could host the event again next year as a record crowd of 250,000 people showed up this year.
To put that in perspective, the MLB All-Star Game in Minneapolis a few years ago drew an estimated 160,000 visitors.
The three-day event would be held at U.S. Bank Stadium and the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center in Eagan, which is set to open next March. The Vikings, of course, be hosting the upcoming 2017-18 Super Bowl.
