Indianapolis Would Be A Perfect Host For The NFL Draft
Cleveland just announced the final dates and locations for the NFL Draft they'll be hosting next year.
It's a legendary diehard football town with loyalty unknown to most fans, and I'm sure it'll be added to the list of Philly, Chicago, Dallas, and Nashville as truly great locations for the draft. But that part you know.
What you might not know is that Indianapolis would be the most perfect location for the NFL Draft, and it's a must that Indy gets a shot to showcase what they can do with nice weather just before the biggest month of the year for Hoosiers.
We do this all the time. Conventions damn near every weekend. The NFL Combine since 1984. Multiple Final Fours. The Super Bowl in 2012.
It's the most underrated city in America - Big Cat's words not mine.
We did the Super Bowl in 2012 better than it had been done to that point.
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Indy hasn't become a regular yet unfortunately. Teams keep building new stadiums and Tampa, Miami, New Orleans keep getting their regular rotational spots. Plus, it doesn't help that LA is getting the fuckin' Battlecruiser and Vegas has a team now, too.
Not likely the Super Bowl will be coming to Indy, but damn as I sit here on this beautiful 75 degree and sunny day in late April, I can't help but daydream about what a time it would be here in the Heartland if the NFL came to town for a weekend to highlight the next generation.
The stage already has a perfect setup on Monument Circle. It's the heart of our city smack dab in the middle. Reminds me a lot of Philly's set up on the Rocky stairs from a few years back. We host a tree lighting on the circle with a big ol' stage just like would be necessary for the draft. Shut down Meridian, throw up the stage, and bam you've got an entire street for fans and the audience to line.
NFL people are already well-versed with Indy being they have to be here for a week during the Combine every year. St. Elmo's and Prime 47 will be on a different level with nice spring weather. Jerry Jones would have to be removed by local law enforcement if his bus can't get him out.
Remember how Vegas was planning on taking the draft picks up to the stage via boat? How bout a custom team designed IndyCar to pull the players up to the stage and let 'em hop out in style.
That probably won't happen, I mean they'll definitely have the custom IndyCars, but doubt they'll put the players in them.
Then once the draft is over, your team picked, or you're just straight tired of standing around - you're just a short block or two walk away from any particular strip of bars you want - Mass Ave, Georgia Street, South Meridian.
It'd be a thing of beauty, and I'm begging BEGGING for the NFL to remember the work that was done here in 2012, the work that is done here every year in February, and reward Indianapolis with an NFL Draft.