2010 NFL Draft ....NIGHT??

[Remote Controller]

• -- First Round of NFL Draft Moving to Primetime? --
  Tue Apr 28, 2009 --from FFMastermind.com​
• Dallas Morning News's Rick Gosselin the NFL is considering moving the first round of the draft to primetime in 2010. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday the league was discussing the possibility of staging the first round of the 2010 draft on a Thursday evening, the second and third rounds Friday evening and the final four rounds Saturday. The event would remain the cable television domain of ESPN and the NFL Network. "We're more confident now, with the timing of the first round, that it can fit a 3½-hour window," Goodell said. "We think it can be very appealing from a fan's standpoint and an audience standpoint. We'll talk to our teams about it. We have to see what impact this would have on them. But I think it has potential." The NFL has been pondering such a move for a few years, but there was one major obstacle – those cumbersome six-hour first rounds. Goodell and the league had to figure out a way to shrink the opening round to fit into an abbreviated prime-time window. In 2007, teams were given 15 minutes apiece to make their first-round selections. The round lasted six hours and eight minutes. Too long. Last year, the NFL reduced the time in the first round to 10 minutes per pick, shaving almost 2½ hours off the round. This year, the first round lasted three hours, 23 minutes, fitting the targeted 3:30 time frame.

 

[Runnik's Hambones]

I heard about this on the radio yesterday. Thursday evening first round, Friday evening second and third, and four-seven on Saturday. I would love to see this. For one thing it stretches the draft out, which would be awesome. Second, more people would watch it. Not an issue, IMO.

 

[storminn0rm]

The only thing I would worry about is the commercials and lack of coverage. During the opening round the coverage was great this year, then it started to slip. They were taking way too many commercial breaks and weren't even showing the selection. They would be talking about a certain team's first/ second round pic and totally ignore the draft going on in the background. I'm hoping for better coverage next year.

 

[Remote Controller]

For one thing it stretches the draft out, which would be awesome.

This might really spur trade moves, which I would be for.

 

[derringer007]

This idea sounds kind of lame, :headscratch: its the NFL draft not the SB etc.... As much as i like to watch it , dont think it would get any more attention. Its really not that exciting.
Keep it on Sat. & Sun. Dont make a 3-Ring circus out of it.

 

[Remote Controller]

This idea sounds kind of lame, :headscratch: its the NFL draft not the SB etc.... As much as i like to watch it , dont think it would get any more attention. Its really not that exciting.
Keep it on Sat. & Sun. Dont make a 3-Ring circus out of it.

Those that watch it are a rabid bunch, and i feel they will watch it whenever they air it. I bet the ratings are higher than you think.

 

[Da Bomb]

i personally love making a weekend out of it. i dont want it dragged out further, and i already dislike that round 3 is moved off of the first exciting day.

 

[derringer007]

Those that watch it are a rabid bunch, and i feel they will watch it whenever they air it. I bet the ratings are higher than you think.

From Sports Media Watch.com
"ESPN drew a 3.4 U.S. rating (4.0 cable) and 5.06 million viewers for the 1st round" "The two NFL drafts since moving the start time to 12:00pm ET is the two lowest rated in 5yrs"

 

[Birdman]

I would be upset if this happened. It's already bad enough that the first day no longer contains round 3. It would also be impossible for most men to convince their wives or girlfriends why they need to watch a football draft on three separate days. It's already hard enough as it is.

I like having the draft on the whole weekend and just treating it like a holiday. It's fine the way it is, in my opinion.

 

[Cooley Cadets]

I would be upset if this happened. It's already bad enough that the first day no longer contains round 3. It would also be impossible for most men to convince their wives or girlfriends why they need to watch a football draft on three separate days. It's already hard enough as it is.

I like having the draft on the whole weekend and just treating it like a holiday. It's fine the way it is, in my opinion.

This year worked out well for me as the weather outside was not conducive to some of the typical weekend/family activities. Our house tends to stick close to home during the week if me or the Mrs are not at some meeting... so a Thursday prime time opening round sounds like it would work in my favor for viewing.

The talent level/who drops will carry over to day 2 and it will be the avid fan that follows up with the later rounds. 3 day spread gives those people a better opportunity to do something else in addition to getting their football fix (which should help convince the significant other).

 

[Miller]

Not sure i like this too much. I don't like the idea of a Thursday evening start and Friday evening to boot may be a bit much. I think I'd be OK with a Friday nt first round, if they ran through the rest on Saturday. But I don't want to see a 3rd day added.

 

[WesDawg]

Can we PLEASE stop fiddling around with what was already a good thing?

Just go back to a noon or 1pm EST start on Saturday with the first 3 rounds, then finish it up on Sunday. Why is this a difficult concept? It worked perfectly for years. The coverage (at least ESPN's) last weekend was the worst in recent memory as it is. I believe only about 50% of the all-important 3rd round picks were even shown live.

 

[Miller]

Can we PLEASE stop fiddling around with what was already a good thing?

Just go back to a noon or 1pm EST start on Saturday with the first 3 rounds, then finish it up on Sunday. Why is this a difficult concept? It worked perfectly for years. The coverage (at least ESPN's) last weekend was the worst in recent memory as it is. I believe only about 50% of the all-important 3rd round picks were even shown live.

I will agree with all of this EXCEPT for the 15 min time limit in the first......just too damn long! Make it the same time limit and doe the 3 round Sat and the rest on Sun.

 

[Birdman]

I will agree with all of this EXCEPT for the 15 min time limit in the first......just too damn long!

Yeah, 10 minutes instead of 15 was an improvement. I've heard some people saying it should be reduced even further but I think that would be excessive. It's fine with the times the way they are. I want the coverage to include analysis of the player my team has drafted - not just a laundry list of names coming off the board.