Goodell: Titletown could be 'great' for draft
MINNEAPOLIS - Commissioner Roger Goodell said he has seen no proposal for Green Bay to host the NFL draft in future years, but he wasn’t dismissive when asked about the possibility.
Spearheaded by president Mark Murphy, the Packers have expressed interest locally in hosting the draft as early as 2019. It would celebrate the franchise’s 100th birthday, as well as the opening of the new Titletown District northwest of Lambeau Field.
There are major challenges for Green Bay to host the draft — chief among them securing enough local hotel rooms to meet massive out-of-town demand — but Goodell is intrigued with the new Titletown District.
“I think that whole development that’s happening around the stadium could be a great place for it,” Goodell said, “but a lot of communities are trying to do this. Each community is putting their own twists on these things, which is really great.”
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Goodell last visited Green Bay last season when the Packers hosted the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving night. Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre’s retired number was unveiled on Lambeau Field’s façade during a halftime ceremony that included former quarterback Bart Starr.
It’s unclear, Goodell said, if anyone at the league office has seen a proposal from the Packers.
Murphy’s expected pitch to the league will focus on the franchise’s rich football history. With more resources expected soon, Lambeau Field could be an ideal setting for the NFL’s biggest offseason event. At least from a football perspective.
From a financial perspective, Murphy has acknowledged Green Bay would be unlikely to be awarded a bid.
"It depends on what the priority is for the league,” Murphy said at the annual shareholders meeting in July. “If it's just to generate revenue and room nights, we might be at a disadvantage. I would still say it would be a tough one for us."
Green Bay would be a David slaying many Goliaths around the league.
After years of hosting the draft in New York, it moved to Chicago the past two years. Philadelphia was named the hosting city for 2017. The draft will continue rotating
Perhaps Green Bay could get its turn eventually.
“Chicago, obviously, they took that and made it special,” Goodell said, “and they made it something different than they had in New York. I’m sure Philadelphia will do the same, and the next communities will do the same. The hope for us would be to allow the communities to take the event and make it something special for them, and obviously continue to grow the draft, which has been a great event for us and our fans.”
rwood@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ByRyanWood