Kansas City is on the clock: Five things to know about 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station
All eyes are on the Phoenix area for Sunday’s Super Bowl LVII between the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
But as April approaches, attention of the pro football world will shift toward Kansas City, where the 2023 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place over three action-packed days.
Here are five things to know about the event in KC:
When, where
The NFL Draft is set for April 27-29 — per usual, a Thursday-Saturday format.
The business of introducing selections will take place on a stage built at the Union Station entrance.
The draft is seven rounds long, and the first round has opening night to itself. The second and third rounds will take place on April 28 and the final four rounds will follow April 29.
The event also includes a fan experience, featuring an interactive football theme park set on the Liberty Memorial mall, and concerts are planned (with performing artists to be named later).
How to attend
There is no admission charged for attending the draft and surrounding events. The roads around Union Station will be closed, and Union Station will be unavailable to the public in the days leading up to the event.
Draft information will be available on the NFL’s OnePass app as the event approaches.
The Chiefs?
Red and gold will be the prevailing colors on the NFL Draft broadcast, but this is an NFL event, not one staged by the Chiefs. They’ll be just as busy trying to improve the team as they would in any other draft year.
The Chiefs are currently slated to make 11 picks spread across seven rounds, although that could change at any time leading up to (and even during) the draft. They’re scheduled to select 31st or 32nd in the first round, depending on the outcome of Sunday’s Super Bowl.
Picking 32nd instead of 31st because your team won the Super Bowl wouldn’t be so bad, now, would it?
Economic impact
According to Kathy Nelson, president of the Kansas City Sports Commission, the economic impact of playing host to the NFL Draft will be “well over $100 million.”
This three-day celebration of football could attract up to 300,000 visitors.
“From everyone we’ve talked to and as much as we can tell through history, it will be the largest event the city has ever hosted,” Nelson said.
What’s next?
Kansas City’s sports calendar of major events is filling up. Before the NFL Draft, the city will be the site of the MIAA, NAIA, Big 12 men’s and women’s and NCAA Midwest Region basketball tournaments.
On the horizon are games in KC during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
But before any of this will take place — the NFL Draft included — Nelson and the city of Kansas City have been planning for another event: a Super Bowl parade that would happen Wednesday, if the Chiefs win Sunday.
This story was originally published February 11, 2023 at 7:00 AM.