Could NFL draft lead to Super Bowl in Nashville?
Since the 20,000 fans who packed Lower Broadway for the Titans' uniform unveiling in early April helped persuade the NFL to award the 2019 draft to Nashville, it makes sense that the draft could one day lead to Music City hosting a Super Bowl. Right? "Obviously I’ll never shy away from the big event," said Butch Spyridon, the president and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., speaking alongside Mayor David Briley and Titans chief revenue officer Stuart Spears on Wednesday in downtown Nashville. "I think it’s a little premature. If you ask me that question after the draft next year, I’m probably going to have a better answer. But obviously we would like to show off our capacity and our capabilities. We intend to do that, so when the question does come up, we’re ready to answer it."
Spyridon had all the right answers to lure the NFL draft, seven years after initially pitching the idea to the league. He also had the backing of Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, who hours earlier emerged from the league owners' spring meeting in Atlanta with a major victory for Middle Tennessee.
“We are thrilled for the city of Nashville, our fans and our team that we have been selected to host the 2019 NFL Draft,” Strunk said. “The city and the Titans put a lot of effort into this proposal, and we can’t wait to see it come to life next year . ... Nashville is known as an entertainment destination, and we look forward to showing the football world what that looks like on a very big stage.”
Nashville was among five cities being considered to host the draft in either 2019 or 2020, along with Las Vegas, Denver, Kansas City, Mo., and a combination bid from Cleveland and Canton, Ohio.
The draft is scheduled to take place from April 25-27, 2019, and probably will include the use of multiple downtown venues. Spyridon said the pitch to the league included the use of Music City Center, Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Ascend Amphitheater, Lower Broadway, the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge and Nissan Stadium.
"If you look back at the direction of our city and moments that have really sent us in a positive direction, I think one of the days is when our city voted to approve the bonds for the construction of the stadium that’s right behind us," Briley said. "Over the years the NFL has really brought great things to Nashville. Now, the NFL sees that Nashville is really the best place in the country for this kind of event."
New York traditionally hosted the annual NFL draft from 1965 until the league moved it to Chicago in 2015 and ’16. Philadelphia hosted the draft in 2017. It was at the Cowboys’ stadium in Arlington, Texas, last month.
“Following an exciting and successful event in Dallas, we’re thrilled to take the NFL Draft to Nashville," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "The city has a passionate fan base and offers iconic locations that will enable us to expand the Draft in unique ways. We look forward to working with the Tennessee Titans, the City of Nashville, and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. to deliver a memorable celebration of football to our fans and incoming players.”
Spears said the announcement is a proud moment for the Titans.
"This franchise moved to this city over 20 years ago," Spears said, "and to see where we started compared to where we are today, it is truly remarkable. This moment is why Bud Adams chose Nashville. He believed in this city’s can-do attitude and incredible spirit, that it could make Nashville a great NFL city, and he’s 100 percent right."
Reach Jason Wolf at jwolf@ tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @JasonWolf and on Instagram and Snapchat at TitansBeat.