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.
"Our economy, our workforce, the hotel and hospitality community would benefit greatly," said Matt Meunier, bid director at Minnesota Sports and Events.
Meunier started thinking about the draft in 2019. With a bid to host now official, they're hoping to mirror the success of bringing Superbowl LII to Minneapolis.
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.
"It's a big deal"
This year's draft is being held in Pittsburgh, a city that's finding out there's a cost to getting all this set up.
"It's a big deal," said Andy Sheehan, a reporter with CBS News Pittsburgh.
In anticipation of up to 700,000 people coming in for the three-day event, Verizon is building a new cell tower. The city needed to fast track downtown construction and clean up.
Pittsburgh Public School students are also going to learn remotely during the draft to cut down on transportation issues.
"All of these things have to sort of come together in one fell swoop," Sheehan said.
"It's going to be an uphill battle"
None of it is free, which is Meunier's biggest concern. He said Minnesota lacks an established government fund to support large bids like this.
In 2023, Minnesota Sports and Events sought a one-time injection of $50 million in funding for the organization from the Minnesota Legislature. At the time, CEO Wendy Blackshaw said corporate fundraising and portions of ticket revenue would not be sustainable in future attempts to land marquee events.
"Event organizers are now asking that the funding is available at bid submission. We are currently the only major city of our size unable to provide that," Blackshaw said in 2023.
That measure did not appear to make it through committee in the Minnesota House, and it never made it to the Senate.
Meunier said the same is true now, pointing to other markets like Texas that have established funding sources.
Last year, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers awarded $2 million to Green Bay to cover the "public safety costs" after hosting the 2025 NFL Draft.
"Until we solve this sustainable funding model issue for Minnesota Sports and Events, it's going to be an uphill battle," Meunier said.
But it's a battle Meunier believes Minnesota will win. Buffalo, New York, is also in the running for 2028. The NFL could make a decision as soon as this May.
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 minus 4 degrees, 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. Besides Green Bay, Detroit hosted in 2024 and Chicago has hosted multiple times, most recently in 2016. The 2027 event will be in Washington, D.C.
