WXYZ — WINDSOR, Ontario Windsor, Canada, is prepared for the start of the major event, even if Detroit is the center of attention for the NFL Draft.
While there are still rooms available in Windsor, Ontario, four hotels have already been reserved by fans who want to attend the celebrations that are only a short drive away.
Canadian fans are prepared, as evidenced by the NFL Draft signs currently up in Downtown Windsor.
“Oh my goodness, are we ever,” Windsor resident Jennifer Watson said. “This is huge!”
Unbelievably, there are more NFL fans in Canada than anywhere else. Isaiah Jones, for example, was raised as a Los Angeles Chargers fan because LaDainian Tomlinson was his idol.
“I grew up just watching my dad and brother play ball, watching the NFL and the CFL,” Jones remarked.
Jones played defensive back while growing up in Ontario and today still coaches the sport at the University of Windsor. Throughout the city, he’s seen the game grow.
“You see a lot of people wearing their Lions gear loud and proud,” Jones said. “You see football being a common sport a lot of guys are getting into.”
“This is Lions country here,” Windsor City Councilman Ronaldo Agostino said. “We always like to say this is Canada’s NFL city.”
Agostino is just one public official promoting the city’s draft events. The Transit Windsor tunnel bus is enhancing service during the draft to shuttle football fans back and forth across the border, and at least four hotels including Caesars Windsor already sold out for the first night of the NFL Draft.
With assistance from NFL Canada, Downtown Windsor is also organizing activities for the draft, such as screen viewings and a free skills camp for children.
The NFL Draft Block Party will take place on Ouellette Avenue between University Avenue and Park Street on Saturday, April 27 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The Jody Raffoul band, Huttch, Royce da 5’9, Nasaan, and Daniel Hex are among the featured performers.
“We want to be part of the experience,” said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex. “We’re not trying to compete. We’re trying to complement with what our good friends in Detroit are doing.”
Orr says during the bid process, they advocated to the NFL for Detroit to land the draft. During a uniform reveal event on Thursday, Detroit Lions Team President Rod Wood acknowledged that proximity to Canada was a selling point.
“It was part of our pitch that we were so close to another country,” Wood said. “Obviously, international expansion is important to the league and we’ve got a lot of Canadian fans.”
Despite not having an NFL team, Canada is still filled with NFL fans. With the draft being only a short drive away, many are booking their trip to Windsor as the Canadian city and the NFL hope to cash in.
Jones stated, “I think it’s going to continue to grow as this game grows. You’re seeing more Canadians in the NFL.”
Visit the eventbrite link to sign up for the free NFL Draft Block Party in Windsor. Visit downtown Windsor’s website to find out more about every event scheduled for the NFL Draft Block Party in Windsor.
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