Where in cleveland is the nfl draft being held?
For almost 50 years, football fans knew that NFL Draft locations were never going to change. It was held in New York City from 1965-2014, including long runs at the Theater at Madison Square Garde (1995-2004) and Radio City Music Hall (2006-14). In recent years, though, things have changed.
To make the draft more of a spectacle and destination event — to much success thus far, it should be said — the league has been changing NFL Draft locations every year with host cities being home for various franchises.
In 2015-16, it was held in Chicago. Since then, the draft has gone to Philadelphia (2017), Dallas (2018), Nashville (2019), Cleveland (2021), Las Vegas (2022), and Roger Goodell’s lounge room (2020, thanks to COVID). But where is the draft headed in 2023, 2024 and in the rest of the future years? Let’s take a look.
The 2023 NFL Draft will be held in Kansas City, MO right outside of famous Union Station. This will actually mark the first time that the reigning Super Bowl champions will host the draft under this new format. Given that and the raucous atmosphere that shows up every week at Arrowhead Stadium, the draft being in Kansas City should be quite the event.
The 2024 NFL Draft will be located in Detroit, MI. The event will take place at Campus Martius Park in Hart Plaza and will be held from April 25-27.
On Monday, May 22, the NFL awarded the 2025 NFL Draft to be located in Green Bay, WI, home of the Packers. The release from the team noted that the draft would be held “inside and around” Lambeau Field, which is the obvious choice for where to hold the draft.
Moreover, we don’t have any information yet available about 2026, 2027 or anything beyond the 2024 draft.
Update: The NFL announced on Monday, May 22, 2023, that the 2025 NFL Draft will take place in Green Bay at Lambeau Field.
On May 22, NFL Insider Ian Rapoport tweeted that the location of the 2025 NFL Draft would be one of the items discussed at the Spring League Meeting in Minneapolis this week. The goal is that the location will be finalized by the end of the two-day event.
The 2023 NFL Draft was hosted in Kansas City, Missouri, and the 2024 NFL Draft is set to take place in Detroit, Michigan. The 2025 NFL Draft will presumably take the event someplace new, and while there are countless possibilities, there are also some restrictions to note.
MORE: Top 50 2024 NFL Draft Prospect Watchlist
The 2025 draft likely won’t be in a city that’s also slated to host the Super Bowl in the near future. That rules out Las Vegas, New Orleans, and San Francisco — the cities lined up to host the next three championship games.
Beyond those three, however, virtually all major cities are fair game. But which cities might command the most interest from involved parties? Let’s take a look.
From 1965 to 2014, the NFL Draft was held at various venues in New York City, the most recent of which was Radio City Music Hall. A scheduling conflict with an Easter event forced the draft to move in 2015, and since then, the location has rotated.
It would be a fitting nod to the event’s legacy, to move the NFL Draft back to New York City for a cycle. NYC is by no means short on potential locations. And both the Jets and Giants appear to be ascending — one with Aaron Rodgers, and one with Daniel Jones and Brian Daboll.
It’s entirely possible that the 2025 draft is held in a completely new location to accommodate the NFL‘s sprawling growth across markets. But if the league decides to draw from its recent rotation, there are quality locations available — one of which being Nashville, Tennessee.
The 2019 NFL Draft was held in Nashville, at the Draft Main Stage on Lower Broadway. That location would be readily available once again for the NFL. Furthermore, Nashville, in particular, is a rich city with attractions for tourists to enjoy while they’re in town for the event.
The recent implementation of an NFL Draft rotation has opened the doors for many cities across the nation to host the event. Given the event’s financial implications, some cities even covet the chance to host. Green Bay is one of those cities with an active interest in hosting the draft.
Green Bay, a storied football city, was a finalist for the 2024 NFL Draft and has been lobbying for a long time. Packers team president Mark Murphy, in July 2022, expressed optimism that Green Bay would host the draft in either 2025 or 2027.
For a large portion of the 21st century, Ohio has been a dead zone when it comes to professional football. Both the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals were starved for playoff success and relevance. But now, the Bengals are coming off two AFC Championship appearances.
MORE: When Is USC QB Caleb Williams Draft Eligible?
The 2021 NFL Draft was held in Cleveland, where some of football’s most ardent fans bore witness. In 2025, the draft could return to Ohio, this time in one of the league’s surging cities. Led by Joe Burrow, Cincinnati is relevant again, and may finally be a fitting stage.
As the NFL transitions to the next era of greats beyond Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the New England Patriots, it might be fitting to give a nod to the dynastic football empire of the 2000s and 2010s, and host the 2025 NFL Draft in Patriots territory.
The multipurpose TD Garden in Boston might be a more suitable venue than Gillette Stadium, but the premise is the same. This choice of location honors what has been in the NFL, while also turning an eye to the future.
These are, of course, just a few of many potential options for the location of the 2025 NFL Draft. There are many factors to take into consideration — among them infrastructure, financial capacity, logistics, and fan engagement — and all of those are items that the owners will discuss at the Spring League Meeting.
NFL Draft Experience, the NFL’s interactive football theme park, is coming to Cleveland around FirstEnergy Stadium during all three days of the 2021 NFL Draft, April 29 – May 1. The event is free and open to the public. In order to ensure a safe experience for all attendees, reserve your free ticket through the NFL OnePass, available now for download on the App Store and Google Play or on www.nfl.com/OnePass. Each fan can reserve tickets for themself, one additional adult and up to five minors. No walk-ups will be available. All fans 18 or older must be registered for NFL OnePass in order to enter the NFL Draft Experience, even if your tickets are reserved through another member of your party. NFL OnePass is your waiver to participate in any games and includes your health promise.
In Downtown Cleveland within North Coast Harbor, which includes lakefront landmarks such as FirstEnergy Stadium and the Great Lakes Science Center.
The NFL Draft experience will be open all three days of the Draft. Fans have the opportunity to participate in immersive exhibits and sponsor activations, including:
Click here for a list of all scheduled Draft Experience activities, and check in with the NFL OnePass app and RocktheClockCLE.com for announcements on even more events and activities as they are announced.
Yes, from April 26 - May 1, fans can call 216-946-7400 to speak to a customer service representative equipped to answer questions for both the Draft Experience and the Vaccinated Fan Zone. Its hours of operation will be:
Session registration will be limited to one session over the three-day period for two adults and up to five minors per transaction. No walk-ups will be permitted. All attendees will be provided a Draft Experience session wristband after they pass through security screening. Each session of the day will correlate with a session wristband color and once your session expires, you will not be permitted to enter any queue lines to any games & attractions if you do not have the current session wristband. This will ensure that all health & safety protocols related to physical distancing will be maintained and that as many NFL fans as possible can enjoy the 2021 Draft.
The Draft Theatre will not be visible from the Draft Experience, however, fans will be able to view the Draft from multiple screens around the Draft Experience during their OnePass reserved time slot. There is also the unique opportunity to watch the Draft inside FirstEnergy Stadium for fans who have Draft Experience reservations during the times that Draft is operational.
We know tickets for the NFL Draft Experience are in high demand, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of it all. Visit Downtown Cleveland and experience The Land during the NFL Draft by:
There will be many ways to catch all the NFL Draft action. Further information will be forthcoming regarding city activations and other around-town events will be provided on RocktheClockCLE.com.
Inner Circle guests have been preselected by each of the NFL's 32 Clubs as their Draft Ambassadors. Each NFL Club had the ability to use these tickets to honor front line workers and other fans who made an impact on others during this past year. The Inner Circle presented by Subway is completely committed at this time and all guests in this area will be fully vaccinated.
Outside food and beverage is not permitted at NFL Draft Experience. Food and beverages will be available for purchase within the concession area, including the Taste of Cleveland food court.
Prohibited items and items determined to not be appropriate for entry into the area will be the responsibility of the fan and cannot be accepted or checked by the venue. A full list of items prohibited at the 2021 NFL Draft is available here. Please note that the NFL will be instituting a clear bag policy for the NFL Draft Experience.
NFL OnePass is your digital key to making the most out of attending NFL Events. Fans can download the app in the App Store or on Google Play. Alternatively, fans can register on www.nfl.com/onepass to receive their QR code (i.e. NFL OnePass). Registration is FREE for NFL OnePass – no purchase necessary.
You may register for NFL OnePass on your desktop by visiting www.nfl.com/onepass. Fans using this method will receive their NFL OnePass via email.
For technical app questions, please be sure to contact the NFL OnePass customer service team at OnePass@NFL.com.
Rock the Clock End Zones are a great way to enjoy the NFL Draft in Cleveland outside of the Draft Experience. Each of the three locations at Mall C, Playhouse Square and Flats East Bank will provide extended outdoor dining for local takeout, live entertainment, Draft broadcasts and more each day and night of the NFL Draft. Come Downtown, support local businesses and celebrate the Draft in CLE! Click here for operating hours snd other details.
Only food and soft drink takeout is allowed within the Rock the Clock End Zone outdoor dining area. You may not bring takeout alcoholic beverages from restaurants.
Per NFL security procedures, bags must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and not exceed 12"x6"x12" (Official NFL team logo clear plastic tote bags are available through club merchandise outlets or at nflshop.com). Bag must not have any buckles, grommets/hardware or decor concelaing any part of the bag. One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags are allowed. The only non-transparent bags allowed MUST be smaller than 4.5"x6.5". Click here for moreinformation on NFL security procedures.
Yes, Kulture City will have a presence in the concourse of FirstEnergy Stadium with their Sensory Activation Vehicle (or S.A.V.E., a mobile sensory experience) and Sensory Bags for fans who might feel overwhelmed by the Draft environment.
Yes, service animals are permitted to enter the events and go wherever members of the public are allowed access.
First Aid will be located at both the Southeast corner outside FirstEnergy Stadium by the Firefighter statue and the Northside of FirstEnergy Stadium in the Vaccinated Fan Zone. If you are having a medical emergency, notify staff on hand and they will contact EMS promptly.
The NFL has instituted the following measures to ensure a safe and healthy Draft Experience for all of its fans:
In addition, all event staff will be doing their part by implementing the following measures:
The City of Cleveland has put out health and safety guidance, which includes asking all visitors of Downtown Cleveland to adhere to all CDC guidelines concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, including social distancing, wearing a mask and avoiding large groups. Furthermore, upon reserving tickets for the NFL Draft Experience, all fans must agree to the Fan Health Promise, the full text of which, along with other health and safety guidelines, can be found online in the Draft Experience Health and Safety Playbook.
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please isolate at home and stay away from others. If you’re not sure where to go to get tested, go to https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/ and click on the “Testing and Community Health Centers” tab, or call the Ohio Department of Health at 1.833.427.5634. If you begin to feel ill at the NFL Draft Experience, get help immediately by going to the fan dedicated isolation area at the event.
We will have Wayfinders surrounding the Draft Experience from West 3rd Street down Lakeside Ave and north on East 9th Street. They will help welcome visitors to our city and aid guests with restaurant and sightseeing recommendations. Ambassadors will provide directional support as guests with reserved tickets make their way to the entrance of Draft Experience. In addition, they will pass out Destination Cleveland Official Visitor Guides, walking maps, and share details about other community-supported events taking place throughout the city.
RTA is Cleveland's public transportation system. Buses and rapid transit lines will get you to and from Downtown Cleveland and FirstEnergy Stadium. For more info: http://www.riderta.com/.
Getting around Cleveland is easy! Walking, biking, public transportation and rideshare are all great options. Click here for more details.
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is located 10 miles southwest of Downtown. A hotel courtesy phone center, located in the middle of the Baggage Claim level, provides information and reservations for area hotels, many of which offer shuttle service to and from Hopkins. Also, limousine service, car rental shuttles and taxis are located outside the Baggage Claim level. The RTA Red Line offers fast and inexpensive transit service (just a 22-minute ride to/from Downtown Cleveland's Tower City Station).
Lyft, Uber and other rideshare services are all available in the Cleveland area.
Parking lots and garages are conveniently marked on this map of Downtown Cleveland. Please refer to this list of road closures and parking restrictions and plan accordingly.
In Cleveland and greater Cuyahoga County, the ReadyNotify system is available for emergency alerts. Head to https://ready.cuyahogacounty.us to register for alerts.
If you see something suspicious, say something. Report any suspicious activity to safety officials. Call 9-1-1 for emergencies, 216-621-1234 for non-emergencies or report anonymously via Crimestoppers by calling 216-25-CRIME.
There are specially designated lanes on the outer ends of the entrances for patrons with disabilities. To find them, look for the ADA signs shown above the entrance lanes. Patrons can go to the Fan Services tents for answers to questions specific to the Accessibility Program, information relevant to patrons with disabilities, and a power outlet for recharging power wheelchairs. Further questions related to ADA access or entry to the Draft Experience can be directed to Experience.Support@nfl.com. A Mobility Assistance Team is available to help provide push service for patrons in wheelchairs requesting it. They can be found inside both the East and West Entries to Draft Experience, as well as near the Firefighter statue/end of the Pepsi Helmets.
