President Trump introduced Monday that Washington, D.C., will host the 2027 NFL draft, touting it as a significant cultural occasion and as a part of a broader effort to enhance town.
Trump was flanked within the Oval Workplace by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington Commanders proprietor Josh Harris and Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), in addition to a number of administration officers.
“I’m pleased to reveal that the 2027 NFL draft — that’s a big thing — will be held right here in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., on the National Mall,” Trump mentioned.
Officers mentioned they anticipated greater than 1 million individuals to come back to the nation’s capital to attend the NFL draft, which has in recent times rotated amongst totally different cities. Final month’s draft came about in Inexperienced Bay, Wis., and the 2026 draft will happen in Pittsburgh.
The draft announcement comes on the heels of a $4 billion settlement between the Commanders and the District for the crew to construct a stadium on the website the place RFK Stadium stands. The crew at the moment performs its house video games in Landover, Md.
“We believe in investing in sports because they have helped us transform neighborhoods, and the NFL bringing this event to the nation’s capital will help us fill hotel rooms, our restaurants; and Americans from all 50 states will come to their nation’s capital and enjoy our beautiful city and museums,” Bowser mentioned.
The mayor and her crew have been working for practically a 12 months to carry the draft to the Nationwide Mall.
Bowser’s look within the Oval Workplace marked a stark distinction to Trump’s first time period, when she butted heads with the president, specifically throughout 2020 protests within the metropolis.
Trump has repeatedly inserted himself into varied sporting occasions within the early months of his second time period, attending the Tremendous Bowl, the Daytona 500 and an Final Combating Championship occasion since taking again the White Home.
The president weighed in throughout final month’s NFL draft to query why groups had been passing on quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who was ultimately drafted by the Cleveland Browns within the fifth spherical.
