BEREA, Ohio (AP) - Cleveland's recent success in hosting major events has the Browns hopeful they will be awarded an NFL draft.
In partnership with the city's sports commission and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, the team submitted a joint bid to host either the 2019 or 2020 draft. The league is expected to announce its choice next month during its spring meetings in Atlanta.
The main selling point for the Cleveland/Canton group is the area's rich football history. The NFL was founded in Canton in 1920, and the group's theme in enticing the league is "Bring It Home."
In addition to Cleveland and Canton, the other four finalists for the draft are Las Vegas; Nashville, Tennessee; Kansas City, Missouri; and Denver.
David Gilbert, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, says the city's hosting of the 2016 Republican National Convention impressed the NFL, which has been rotating draft sites.
This year's draft is in Arlington, Texas.
