Minnesota hopes to host 2028 NFL draft, targeting potential $200M economic impact
Minnesota has formally submitted a bid to host the NFL draft in 2028, organizers announced Wednesday.
The bid comes from Minnesota Sports and Events in conjunction with the Vikings and U.S. Bank Stadium, which would serve as the hub for the draft.
"Hosting the NFL Draft would be a defining moment for Minnesota — not just as a world-class event, but as a global showcase of who we are," Minnesota Sports and Events President and CEO Wendy Blackshaw said. "We've proven we can deliver on the biggest stages, and this bid reflects both our ambition and our confidence in what this region can offer. At the same time, opportunities like this reinforce the importance of establishing a sustainable, long-term funding model, so Minnesota can remain competitive for events of this scale in the future."
The draft is a three-day production and often includes ancillary events. Minnesota Sports and Events said previous drafts have drawn more than half a million fans to host cities and generated more than $200 million in economic impact.
"This is an excellent opportunity to showcase our city, of course, support the Vikings and make sure that the whole world gets to see this exceptional place that we get to call home," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a video about the bid.
This year's draft is being held in Pittsburgh, while the 2027 event will be in Washington, D.C.
2028 will mark 10 years since Minneapolis last hosted a major NFL event — in 2018, U.S. Bank Stadium served as the site of Super Bowl LII. The draft's late April timeframe would hopefully provide more hospitable weather for visitors. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the high temperature on the day of the Super Bowl was 4 below zero, and 2.5 inches of snow fell the day before.
Minnesota has never hosted the NFL draft before, but every other city in the NFC North has — Green Bay in 2025, Detroit in 2024 and Chicago multiple times, most recently in 2016.
