The NFL is expected to name Nashville the host of the 2019 draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Schefter tweeted out the news early Monday morning, saying the decision was expected to be released during the owners meeting in Atlanta.
A different kind of pick tipping: Nashville is expected to be named host of the 2019 NFL Draft at this week’s owners meetings in Atlanta, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 21, 2018
According to Butch Spyridon of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp., the NFL has not confirmed any rumors, but he said they're expected to make a decision Wednesday morning, and Spyridon said that the city is ready to host the draft if Nashville is indeed selected.
Many have suggested that if Nashville is not awarded the 2019 NFL Draft, they will likely be awarded the 2020 NFL Draft.
“It’s clear to me that at some point Nashville’s going to have the NFL Draft here just because it’s such a great destination for those kind of events, whether it’s this year or some other year, we’ll find out," Nashville Mayor David Briley said. “I think it’s clear to people around the country that Nashville’s a great place for an event like the NFL Draft, and eventually it’s going to be here, and I’m sure the CVC [Convention & Visitors Corp] and everybody will throw a great party for people coming for the draft.”
The NFL Draft is one of the biggest events surrounding the NFL, and it means big business and big exposure for the host city.
"When it does come, it’s going to be thousands of reporters alone, plus many thousands of people coming to participate in the events, so it’s going to be great when it does come here," Briley said.
Spyridon said that it's been a long process to try to get the NFL Draft in Nashville. He started pitching the NFL in 2011, and last November, the city made an official pitch the the NLF, which got them in a group of 5 finalists for the draft.
A final 169 page proposal was sent to the NFL with potential plans, venues, and other logistics, and Spyridon made it clear that Nashville as a whole would be on board to help.
“I think our pitch was kind of: I know we don’t have a host committee and we don’t have an event, but if we did, we already have Kirk Herbstreit, Eddie George, Tim McGraw signed up to participate," Spyridon said, explaining that they all expressed interest in being on a host committee. Spyridon also added that Carrie Underwood, Kings of Leon, Vince Gill, Keith Urban, and many others have said they'd participate in some capacity.
The 2019 NFL Draft will be the 84th annual meeting of NFL teams to select newly eligible players and will be held from April 25 to 27.
