Aug. 21, 2015; Kansas City, MO; Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt at Arrowhead Stadium. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The NFL Draft is likely to move from Chicago, the city that has hosted the event the past two years.
And Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt wouldn’t mind if Kansas City played host to the annual selection process.
“Absolutely,” Hunt said Friday. “I think we’ve all seen the event that the draft has turned into and I think Chicago has shown everybody that you can have the draft somewhere else other than New York City and it can be very, very successful.
“Clearly, I’m personally interested and the organization is interested, and I think the Kansas City community is interested in trying to bring the draft here. So, when we get that chance we will put our best foot forward.”
Kansas City also wouldn’t mind hosting the Super Bowl, but there are numerous logistical matters to settle.
Hunt doesn’t believe hosting the NFL Draft would meet the same challenges.
“I think it’s a question of coming up with the right venue,” Hunt said. “Clearly, Chicago has a great venue and a lot of open space for the draft. But I think we need to put some thought into what the best venue in Kansas City would be to do it, but I really don’t see anything that would preclude us.”
PRIMETIME MATTERS
Hunt appeared pleased with the 2016 regular schedule, especially the three games televised to a national audience.
“I like having as many primetime games as we can have,” Hunt said, “and I’m glad we’re going to be on Sunday Night Football a couple of times this year.”
The Chiefs are on the road in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, and then have two home games at Arrowhead Stadium.
The first home game on primetime features a Week 14 matchup against the Oakland Raiders on NBC’s and the NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football, followed by a Christmas night game in Week 16 against the Denver Broncos on NBC.
“Obviously, delighted to have the Thursday night game with the Raiders,” Hunt said. “But, frankly, we feel like we deserve more primetime games. I’m disappointed we don’t have a Monday night game.”
———-
Herbie Teope is the lead Chiefs beat writer for The Topeka Capital-Journal and ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @HerbieTeope.
———-
