Canton, Ohio, is one of 23 cities hoping to host a future NFL draft, and with major construction going on at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 2020 is the year that’s being promoted.
Zac Jackson of TheAthletic.com reports that officials think the Hall of Fame Village can be ready to host at least part of the 2020 draft. There’s been some talk that Canton could be too small to hold the whole draft experience but that the draft could potentially be split between Canton and Cleveland, which is an hour north of Canton.
Hall of Fame President David Baker has said he’s not sure if a majority of owners will be on board with awarding the draft to Canton, “but we are going to fight for it.”
After half a century in New York, the draft moved to Chicago in 2015 and 2016 and to Philadelphia this year. Most NFL cities have expressed at least some interest in hosting the event, which the league is increasingly turning into a massive entertainment event that goes well beyond just football.