Nashville Frontrunner For 2019 NFL Draft, Report Says, But Where?

NASHVILLE, TN -- Nashville is the top contender to host next year's National Football League Player Selection Meeting - less formally, that's the NFL Draft - according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter tweeted Thursday "Nashville has emerged as the leading contender to host the 2019 NFL Draft, per league sources," with a decision expected to be announced during the league's May 22 and 23 meetings in Atlanta. Schefter added that if Nashville misses out on 2019, it's all but certain to get the 2020 draft.

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Nashville, along with Cleveland/Canton, Las Vegas, Kansas City and Denver, was one of five finalists announced for the drafts in February. The same city cannot host the draft in both years. Traditionally held in New York, the league has started taking the three-day, made-for-TV event on the road, with visits to Chicago in 2015, Philadelphia in 2016 and Dallas this year.

Should Nashville be awarded the draft, it will be interesting to learn where it will be held. The Nashville Rock 'n' Roll Marathon is historically held the same weekend as the draft and indeed the 2019 version is scheduled for April 27, the Saturday of the draft's triduum. The marathon traditionally finishes in the shadow of Nissan Stadium, uses the Music City Center for registration and staging and closes streets throughout downtown and its environs. Bridgestone Arena is a possibility, however, it too is hamstrung by marathon road closures and hosts the post-race concert; further, that weekend is either the tail end of the first round or the start of the second round of the NHL playoffs, meaning the Predators would have to forego at least three potential dates for hockey games. Similarly, venues like the Ryman Auditorium and Ascend Amphitheater, while presenting a cool visual, would run into the same traffic issues.

In any case, Butch Spyridon, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation, has said he envisions using multiple venues - all the aforementioned, plus the Grand Ole Opry - to host the draft, according to The Tennessean.

While criss-crossing the city presents a solution of sorts to the venue problem, it doesn't solve the lodging issue, as hotel rooms are already at a premium during marathon weekend.

Photo by Olivia Lind, used with permission