Competition is growing among NFL cities to host the draft, and Washington, D.C. is throwing its hat in the ring.
The Commanders and D.C. officials want the 2027 NFL draft, according to the Washington Post. If another city wins the bidding for 2027, Washington would likely continue competing for a future draft.
It’s unknown where the major draft activities would be in the nation’s capital, but the National Mall is one possibility. The draft has drawn hundreds of thousands of people every year since the NFL turned it into a traveling roadshow in 2015, and Detroit had an estimated 775,000 visitors for the three-day event this year, making it the most-attended draft ever.
After decades as a relatively small event in New York City, the league has turned the draft into a major event that cities across the country vie to host in hopes of bringing in significant tourism revenue. Officials in Detroit said the draft weekend brought in more hotel revenue than any event in the city’s history.
The 2025 draft will take place in Green Bay and the 2026 draft will take place in Pittsburgh.