Should the NFL rotate the draft?

[Ohio Vol]

Simple question here. The NBA and NFL drafts are both held in the same location every year (Madison Square Garden for the NBA, Radio City Music Hall for the NFL). However, the NHL rotates from city to city, which was started in 1985.

Having attended the 2007 draft in Columbus, it's a massive event that can be of great benefit to the host city. In addition, it allows large numbers of fans who don't have the means to travel long distances to be able to see a unique event. With a draft being held in Chicago, for example, it would allow fans from Minnesota, Green Bay, and Indianapolis to have easy access to this event. One in Cleveland would allow Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Detroit to make a short drive, and so on. Every NFL city with the exception of Green Bay also has an NBA/NHL arena within the city (and Green Bay is a short drive to Milwaukee, which does), any one of which would be able to hold between 15,000 and 20,000 fans instead of the current 5,000.

Here are the pros and cons as I see them.
PRO: It would allow hundreds of thousands of NFL fans the chance to see a unique event
PRO: It would become a coveted event for host cities, second only to the Super Bowl as far as NFL events go
PRO: It would provide a PR benefit to the league by creating the perception of reaching out to fans rather than shrugging their collective shoulders

CON: It means that we wouldn't get to see a few hundred Jets fans booing their latest first-round disaster as soon as the pick is announced

Of course, I'd recommend that the NFL attempt to remedy one of the great mistakes of the lockout, which was by canceling the Hall of Fame Game and acting like it was no big deal. To atone, why not have the first draft outside New York City held in April in Canton? After that, start rotating among the NFL cities.

 

[YankeeVol]

No. If it ain't broke.......

 

[TrueOrange]

Yeah seems like it's held in the best place for it

 

[SDV]

I personally like seeing all the rowdy J-E-T-S fans

 

[TrueOrange]

You'll also have nowhere near a turnout if it's rotating NFL cities


...don't take it the wrong way, but I get the feeling that mainly you want this so that you can go see the draft


It doesnt seem potential pros outweigh the likely cons (few more than listed) here

 

[Ohio Vol]

No. If it ain't broke.......

But that's not how the NFL, a very forward-thinking league, has always done things.

You'll also have nowhere near a turnout if it's rotating NFL cities

...don't take it the wrong way, but I get the feeling that mainly you want this so that you can go see the draft

It doesnt seem potential pros outweigh the likely cons (few more than listed) here

I disagree. The RCMH has a capacity of about 5,000 to 6,000, but consider the massive TV ratings. Every year, a few million people tune in to see the draft, which is something that's normally associated with a hot live event. The NHL, NBA, and MLB all rotate their All-Star games to create maximum exposure, and the NHL rotates the draft...why not the NFL, which rotates neither the draft nor the Pro Bowl?

NFL.com news: Second-largest television audience ever for NFL draft

I think the real question that I have is this. What benefit is provided by having the draft in New York City, and specifically at Radio City Music Hall? Does it attract casual fans to a unique event? Does it provide a financial boost to the local area? Do local businesses see a bump? Are there logistics that make it more worthwhile than other venues or other locales?

The only benefits I can think of as it currently stands are tradition and nothing else. It's always been in New York, so therefore it should always be in New York. I think the benefit of taking it to San Francisco, Houston, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Minneapolis, or Detroit would far outweigh the loss of tradition.

Of course, this is an open discussion, so I'm hoping for more people with more opinions to chime in.

 

[Crew]

I like the NFL draft the way it is.

....nba draft. meh. 1 round and a cloud of dust compared tot he nfl draft.

 

[Thrasher865]

LOL canceling the HoF game wasnt exactly one of the greatest tragedies in the NFL lockout.

Your opinion is a bit biased because you probably live near canton and are one of the few people who cared.

 

[Escape Goat]

I personally like seeing all the rowdy J-E-T-S fans

They make me want to vomit, personally

Yes, rotate it. Would be good for other states economies

 

[Ohio Vol]

LOL canceling the HoF game wasnt exactly one of the greatest tragedies in the NFL lockout.

Your opinion is a bit biased because you probably live near canton and are one of the few people who cared.

I live a little over two hours away from Canton, thank you.

With NFL Lockout in Play, Hall of Fame Game in Limbo - WJW

Joanne Murray, the Director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival for the Canton Area Chamber of Commerce says a 2005 study revealed the economic impact to Stark County alone is $34 million.

For the State of Ohio the number swells to $50 million.

It's not a matter of just the game itself...every local establishment sees a boost, and there are several events that take place the week of the festivities that were absolutely hammered this year as well.