Min/Cin Favorites to host the '28/'29 Drafts. Will it ever come to Buffalo?

[Augie]

On 5/1/2026 at 2:24 PM, Low Positive said:

 

It's not about the owner or the team. It's about hotel rooms and infrastructure. Two of the largest corporations in the world are headquartered in Cincinnati (P&G and Kroger). There is also Cintas and Chiquita, as well as 5/3 Bank and a few national insurance companies. That means that even though it's a small(ish) city, there are a lot of high-end hotel rooms downtown. There are also a TON of lower-priced hotels and motels on both sides of the river, because it is a common stop-off point for people on I75 going between Florida and Canada. The airport is also much bigger. In WNY, OTOH, it's hard to get a room for a Bills home game unless you book it months in advance. 

This may be unpopular, but I think I’d prefer watching a draft in downtown Cincinnati over Buffalo. Cincinnati has a nice, interesting downtown and I could see having a decent event there. It would have to be better than what it looked like in Pittsburgh. 

 

EDIT: My wife just found a bunch of cheap airfares, and we can go to Cincinnati for $119 round trip until August. We want to work that in for a long weekend to see my old friends and haunts and maybe catch a Reds game. 

 

 

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Edited May 2 by Augie

[JohnnyCash]

What puts Cincinnati ahead of Buffalo for an opportunity to host a draft?  The Bills have been around longer, have had a much more successful franchise, and a shiny brand new stadium.  Cincinnati has a terrible owner.  
 

So let’s give them a draft to host. F that.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18 hours ago, Chicharito said:

There are plans to bring hotels and restaurants to the area.

What plans?  Do tell?

Edited May 2 by JohnnyCash

[SectionC3]

6 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

It went to Green Bay and is going to Minnesota.... is the weather that much worse in Buffalo? 

It depends.  If it's at Canalside, then yes.  I live here and I'm not going to Canalside to stand around at night in April.  Especially if there's ice on the lake.  Too windy, and too cold.  At that location, it's miserable. 

 

In Orchard Park, however, it's different.  The stadium is a little south of that area, and it's distant enough from the water where a 50 degree night with a little bit of a breeze wouldn't be unpleasant.  It has the space (parking lots and stadium) to easily accommodate the draft.  Hotels would be an issue, but that's a different question.  

 

[Rich Stadium Original]

20 hours ago, blitzboy54 said:

There are simply not enough hotel rooms to host 300k people. The reason Hotel rooms are more expensive in downtown Buffalo than Manhattan is because there are so few of them. It's always going to be a limiting factor. 

Exactly...I heard the same reason why ( among other reasons) Buffalo could never host a Superbowl...just not enough hotel rooms.

Edited May 2 by Rich Stadium Original

[Alphadawg7]

2 hours ago, QCity said:

 

What in the hell are you even talking about? They can't trust the weather in late April? Just stop with these clown takes. A roof has absolutely nothing to do with the draft. There will be one in Buffalo, it's a certainty (not that I care however).

 

No it wont - do you even watch the draft, its an OUTDOOR event.  They cant trust the weather in Buffalo in April, its absolutely never happening, which is why its never happened before or even been considered.  And without some sort of backup option with bad weather, there is no way its ever coming to Buffalo.  

 

Buffalo is one of the top 5 football towns in the country easy - how many drafts have we hosted?  Exactly.

[Buffalo03]

52 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

No it wont - do you even watch the draft, its an OUTDOOR event.  They cant trust the weather in Buffalo in April, its absolutely never happening, which is why its never happened before or even been considered.  And without some sort of backup option with bad weather, there is no way its ever coming to Buffalo.  

 

Buffalo is one of the top 5 football towns in the country easy - how many drafts have we hosted?  Exactly.

Is Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Chicago or Detroit really that different weather wise? They have all hosted drafts. This is late April. Not the middle of January 

[Nitro]

I have been to both Minnesota and Cincinnati stadiums.  Minnesota can easily handle the draft logistically.  Cincinnati is another story.  The stadium is squeezed into a small space (river, highways and businesses).  Not much room to handle an influx of 200,000 people.  And their chili is an abomination. 

1 hour ago, Rich Stadium Original said:

Exactly...I heard the same reason why ( among other reasons) Buffalo could never host a Superbowl...just not enough hotel rooms.

For the Super Bowl in Indy, they counted hotel rooms in Terre Haute, Muncie and other far-flung cities.  The stadium is isolated which is the main issue besides the weather.  Buffalo and Green Bay will never host a Super Bowl because of the weather.

[Never NEVER Give-up]

I haven't enjoyed the 'event' of the 1st night of the NFL Draft since it left Radio City in NYC.  Back then, dozens of projected 1st and 2nd rounders would attend in person.  Now this year, the #1 draft pick was not on site!  Move it back to NYC.  I really don't want it in Buffalo. Or Cincy, or anywhere else.  Thank God for the Sabres this year - I tuned in to the Draft after the hockey game and saw us trade out of the 1st round - glad I didn't waste my time on that fiasco it all night!

[That's No Moon]

18 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

Is Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Chicago or Detroit really that different weather wise? They have all hosted drafts. This is late April. Not the middle of January 

Buffalo in April is unpredictable and frankly pretty unpleasant a lot of the time. Especially downtown because of the lake.

 

I was just there two weeks ago, 62 at the airport, 50 downtown and foggy as hell with a cold rain. 

 

If the draft were in May it'd be an easier sell but it's not.  Could they possibly do it? Sure. Will they? Probably not and that's ok.

[Boatdrinks]

30 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

Is Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Chicago or Detroit really that different weather wise? They have all hosted drafts. This is late April. Not the middle of January 

Aprils around here lately are more akin  to late winter weather wise. It’s not a “ safe “ weather month by a long shot. 

[That's No Moon]

1 minute ago, Boatdrinks said:

Aprils around here lately are more akin  to late winter weather wise. It’s not a “ safe “ weather month by a long shot. 

If you were to ask me what the biggest difference between Buffalo and SEPA is it is spring. On March 1 winter is basically over, By April 1 most years there isn't even frost anymore. Yesterday was May 1 and we are nearly fully leafed out and a bunch of the spring flowers are already done.

 

The lake is a blessing in fall and a curse in spring. Spring doesn't exist in Buffalo the way it does in a lot of other places.

[Buffalo03]

3 minutes ago, Boatdrinks said:

Aprils around here lately are more akin  to late winter weather wise. It’s not a “ safe “ weather month by a long shot. 

We typically have 50 degree weather around late April. Are all those other places I mentioned really that much warmer?

[That's No Moon]

2 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

We typically have 50 degree weather around late April. Are all those other places I mentioned really that much warmer?

Next 4 days in suburban Philly. 57, 60, 81, 67. They day I flew up to Buffalo two weeks ago it was 87 in Philly

 

Cincinnati, 63, 70, 75, 63

Edited May 2 by That's No Moon

[That's No Moon]

5 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

We typically have 50 degree weather around late April. Are all those other places I mentioned really that much warmer?

Without the tedium of looking up everyone the short answer is yes. Even within WNY places away from the lake are frequently significantly warmer. Most of the places you listed are hundreds of miles south of Buffalo which makes a difference also in terms of sun angle and daily warming.

 

Chicago and Green Bay not so much, but Chicago is on the opposite side of its lake which matters as is Green Bay and the league wanted it in Green Bay because it's Green Bay so they will deal with it. Detroit isn't right on the lake either.

[Buffalo03]

38 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

Next 4 days in suburban Philly. 57, 60, 81, 67. They day I flew up to Buffalo two weeks ago it was 87 in Philly

 

Cincinnati, 63, 70, 75, 63

It was nearly 90 degrees in Philly two weeks ago? We had some 75 degree days a couple weeks ago. Still not bad. You all are acting like people are gonna be freezing in 20 degree weather

[Process]

Weather in April is a ***show. There's a chance you get 70s and sun. Could also be highs of 40 and freezing rain. Or dry with 50mph winds. Hell you could get all of the above within the 3 day span of the draft.

 

With that said it's not that much different then Cleveland. If we don't get the draft I don't think it's due to the weather. 

[billsfan89]

11 minutes ago, Process said:

Weather in April is a ***show. There's a chance you get 70s and sun. Could also be highs of 40 and freezing rain. Or dry with 50mph winds. Hell you could get all of the above within the 3 day span of the draft.

 

With that said it's not that much different then Cleveland. If we don't get the draft I don't think it's due to the weather. 

 

I know the NFL has the data about late April Early May weather in Buffalo but it's not like they are only hosting the draft in better weather cities either or only indoors. It rained a lot when they did it in Nashville for example. I also just don't see a lot of reasons why the draft shouldn't be in Buffalo at least one time. The Bills and Buffalo built the NFL its shiny new stadium they won't get the Super Bowl but dam can they get the draft as a nice consolation prize? 

[Buffalo03]

1 hour ago, That's No Moon said:

Without the tedium of looking up everyone the short answer is yes. Even within WNY places away from the lake are frequently significantly warmer. Most of the places you listed are hundreds of miles south of Buffalo which makes a difference also in terms of sun angle and daily warming.

 

Chicago and Green Bay not so much, but Chicago is on the opposite side of its lake which matters as is Green Bay and the league wanted it in Green Bay because it's Green Bay so they will deal with it. Detroit isn't right on the lake either.

It's currently 45 degrees in Pittsburgh right now. They just hosted the draft last week. Weather is a terrible argument 

[noacls]

No, infrastructure is not there. 

[Alphadawg7]

2 hours ago, Buffalo03 said:

Is Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Chicago or Detroit really that different weather wise? They have all hosted drafts. This is late April. Not the middle of January 

Isn’t Buffalos more severe?  Maybe I’m wrong about that then, don’t live there never have, just going on what friends have made it sound like who did live there.   I thought you still had wickedly wild weather this time of year.  If I’m wrong on that assumption then I can see it more of a possibility 

Edited May 2 by Alphadawg7