NFL Combine to Remain in Indianapolis Through 2020

The National Football League and the city of Indianapolis reportedly reached a five-year agreement this week to keep the annual NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium through 2020.

Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star passed along comments from Chris Gahl, the vice president of marketing and communications for Visit Indy, who celebrated the new deal.

"This is big news for the city of Indianapolis," Gahl said. "We're keeping the combine safe and sound in Indianapolis."  

The 2016 combine will mark the 30th straight year it's been held in Indianapolis. The event, which includes a multitude of different tests for incoming rookies ahead of the draft, has become a television hit in recent years due to the on-field drills.

Jeff Foster, the president of National Football Scouting, told the Indianapolis Star that the city is a perfect fit for all of the event's needs. No aspect is more important than Indiana University Health, which handles a high volume of medical testing.

"There are obvious reasons we've stayed here over 30 years," Foster said. "The relationship with IU Health is one of them. I joked that if we're considering a move to [Los Angeles], I hope IU Health is opening a facility there."

Sam Farmer and Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times previously reported the new stadium site in Inglewood, California, that will become home to the Los Angeles Rams and potentially a second team was viewed as a possible landing spot for the combine.

Those plans are now on hold for at least five more years. It's a major victory for the home of the Colts, which the Indianapolis Star notes gets about 2,000 visitors during the combine with an estimated economic impact of around $8 million.

Given the event's popularity growth over the past decade, however, Indianapolis figures to see another fight for it once the new contract nears its conclusion.