The Scouting Combine has taken place in Indianapolis since 1987, but that may change in 2023.
The NFL has not decided where to hold future Scouting Combines, and Indianapolis wants to keep it. But both Dallas and Los Angeles are angling to host it as well, and the Cowboys think the Dallas area would be an ideal host.
“Indy has been a great host,” Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said, via the team’s website. “If the league so chooses to move it, which it sounds like they might, we’d certainly love to be at the top of the list if we can.”
The Cowboys note that they have a rabid local fan base that would surely sell out the Combine, wherever in the Dallas area it would be held. The NFL is increasingly trying to use the Combine not just to assess potential draft picks but to draw in fans, with 10,000 tickets available for the upcoming Combine in Indianapolis.
“I think it would be great for our fans,” Jones said. “To have it in our market, have the experience of being around it. It’s a positive thing. I think people can’t get enough of the NFL and football. It’s great for them to see these young players in our market and be a great experience for them.”
Jones called talks on hosting the 2023 Combine “in the early stages.” But there’s no doubt that the NFL is looking to make the Combine an even bigger event, wherever it takes place.