Minnesota Vikings bid to host NFL Draft in 2028

Vikings bid to host 2028 NFL draft

Minnesotans are excited that the Vikings bid to host the 2028 NFL draft. FOX 9's Leon Purvis has the latest. 

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Vikings are vying to host the 2028 NFL Draft. 

Vikings bid to host draft

Minneapolis vying to host NFL Draft in 2028

The Minnesota Vikings have launched a bid to host the NFL Draft in 2028, with the Vikings saying U.S. Bank Stadium is the best stadium in the NFL.

Local perspective:

In recent years, the NFL has placed greater emphasis on the draft, promoting it as a destination for fans.

The Vikings say U.S. Bank Stadium is the best stadium in the NFL, and should be the host of the 2028 NFL Draft.

What they're saying:

Lester Bagley, executive vice president of public affairs with the Minnesota Vikings, said, "[U.S. Bank stadium] is the best stadium in the NFL, it is the anchor of our draft campus and we're excited about it. The NFL loves it too. They encouraged us to integrate U.S. Bank Stadium into the draft experience. So we're very excited to bring that, and bring fans here to experience our amazing stadium and our amazing community."

"Vikings Sundays are great, but the Super Bowl, it was a totally different story. It was packed for four days, probably. The media comes in two weeks early, and the Super Bowl is probably the busiest we’ve ever been," said Dave Holcomb, Co-Owner of Gluek's Restaurant and Bar.

"An event like this, when everyone's coming in from out of town, or so many people are coming from out of town, that's when we do really well, when we get the tourists. So an event like that would be awesome for us," said Holcomb.

Dig deeper:

The leadership team working on Minnesota's bid for the 2028 NFL Draft is the same one that brought the Super Bowl to Minneapolis in 2018. Minnesota is no stranger to hosting big sporting events, hosting the NCAA Final Four for men's basketball multiple times, and Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. 

The economic impact from recent drafts is between $100 to $200 million, with more than 600,000 people attending last year in Green Bay. 

Several other cities are submitting bids to host the draft in 2028. The NFL's 32 owners review the bids to host the NFL Draft sites, then vote on them determine who gets them.

Upcoming NFL Draft sites

Why you should care:

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pa., with events around Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 2027 Draft will be held in Washington, D.C., with most of the events taking place on the National Mall. The Washington Commanders are planning a new $3.7-$3.8 billion stadium on the site of the former RFK Stadium. It's expected to open by 2030. The 65,000–70,000 seat, domed venue will feature a transparent roof and a colonnade design, with 30% of the site featuring parks and waterfront access.

Last year, the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field hosted the NFL Draft. They were the eighth different city to host the draft.