Boston the Latest City in the Mix to Host 2015 NFL Draft

Patriots owner Bob Kraft with his lady friend, Ricki Noel Lander

According to CSNNE’s Tom Curran, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is interested in bringing the 2015 NFL Draft to the city and has been in touch with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft regarding coordinating their efforts.

Said Kraft, “[Walsh] has had his staff working with the NFL. We’d love to see it happen. It’s about do we have the proper venue in the City of Boston, and what would it do for tourism and the so-called sizzle factor?” That per a report by CSNNE’s Phil Perry.

Traditionally held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, venue scheduling conflicts have forced the league to consider other locations for next year’s draft. Although alternative venues are being considered within NYC, Chicago and Los Angeles are being seriously considered.

Sources have told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that staying in New York is the least likely option. Scheduling at Madison Square Garden or the Barclays Center would be extremely challenging because the Knicks and/or Nets will likely still be playing in late April.

At this point nothing has been decided, and apparently there are a lot of different options on the table.

Said Kraft, “I know they’re seriously considering [Los Angeles] and Chicago as geographically well-suited to do this, but I think there’s some consideration for maybe even splitting the draft into two parts and doing it in different cities and moving it around. It’s all under exploration now.”

The decision to delve into this, rather than just pull the trigger on a location, may have been motivated by the overwhelming response to the possible change. At least a dozen cities expressed interest in hosting the draft, including: Dallas, Houston, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. And now Boston.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has an awful lot of information to review and factors to consider before making a decision later this summer.

And if the move is a success, next summer the league will have to seriously consider making the draft a roving event, with cities competing in much the same way they do for the Super Bowl.