Tonight is the only night of the week that our household routinely records multiple TV programs.
Thursdays are a good night for television, and that's exactly what the NFL has in mind with its decision to change the format of the draft.
The 2010 draft will begin on Thursday, April 22, at 4:30 p.m. (PT) at
The event will continue to be televised by ESPN and the NFL Network. A record 39 million viewers watched coverage of the draft in 2009. And this year, the NFL expects even more to tune in.
"We continue to look for ways to make the draft more accessible to more fans," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Moving the first round to prime time on Thursday night will make the first round of the draft available to fans on what is typically the most-watched night of television."
Personally, I like it.
As a newspaper reporter, I did not like the set up for the draft in the past. When the first three rounds were held on Saturday, I would write most of my article about the team's first-round draft pick. The picks in the second and third rounds would get a mention and not much else for the Sunday paper.
Then, a lot of times the fourth-round pick - the top pick on Sunday - would get more media attention in the Monday paper than the second- and third-round picks from the previous day. That did not seem to make a whole lot of sense, but that's just the way it generally worked out.
From my reporter's perspective, I was happy that the 49ers traded away their second-round pick this year. That meant that I could focus my entire newspaper article on the story of the draft: the 49ers' selection of a genuine college superstar, Michael Crabtree, with the No. 10 overall pick.
Now, the happenings of the first round will have no competition for media attention on the first day of the draft. The second- and third-round picks will have a day for themselves, too.
I don't believe a three-day draft will have a big impact on how teams conduct their business. I doubt you will see a noticeable increase in trade activity, for example.
The best part of all this is now I'll have two fewer days to agonize over my annual mock draft, and "The Office" and "30 Rock" will probably be repeats, anyway.
* * *
Instaed of renting Radio City Music Hall two days the NFL needs to pay for three days instead. Team officials will have to stay another night in New York as well. So the NFL increases expenses. Everyone else in any business tries hard to cut expenses. The NFL has way too much money.
I don't like it one bit. I think it takes away from the fun of NFL Draft weekend. A lot of fans (myself included) use that weekend to get together friends and family. I fly from NJ to NC to spend a those few with my best friend and his family. We make a party out of the event every year. Now with this new format, we probably won't be able to do that! Instead of Thursday-Saturday, why not atleast have it Friday-Sunday? That makes more sense to me. At the same time, the old saying goes, if it's not broken, don't fix it. Was it really that bad?
I'm guessing the NFL will more than cover their expenses with Thursday Primetime TV ad revenues . . . otherwise they wouldn't be doing this.
Personally, I don't like it. Selfish reasons of course. It has been tradition that I fly out to my brother's house (a few states away) to catch the draft over the weekend and drink many cold ones. I could do this without having to take any time off of work (fly in Friday night, fly out Sunday night).
Now, for the same tradition, I'll have to take off two days. Not sure I can swing that.
I don't like it. The First day of the NFL draft is a special day for us die-hard fans. It a time of getting together, arguing, laughing, and speculation. I have been sharing it for years with my friends who truly follow football. In fact I didn't like this years change to a later hour.
I am not sure it will be a success. Seems like a gimmick to me. NFL Draft Day was a special day for those who really studied the charts and their teams. The NFL is trying squeeze out more profits.
...i don't like it either...the draft is not a TV show
You dont seat glued to the tv watching every second of it...
...that is why the weekend is much better, - no rush, no drama, just worry about your team and fav players...
....Why waste a weeknight on a draft you will see or read about 1 million times later....
lovely memories...
the classic "90-0", the play called when Garrison Hearst scored on a 96-yard run to beat the Jets in overtime of the 1998 opener
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkEJu1yQJlE
I don't like it at all. It stinks of commercialism, which is already running rampant in the NFL. I predict that the television ratings will actually go down for the draft. Draft weekend always had a special feel to it; now that is gone.
I HATE IT!
Just like the others who have posted it makes no sense for PT watchers. I didn't know "Prime Time" was 3:30 in the afternoon? And starting on Thursday is retarted, the least the NFL could have done is start the draft Friday night. This is just another typical "East Coast Bias" to make them happy & screw the rest of the country. This BLOWS!
Since when is 4:30pm on Thursday primetime?
So, instead of stretching over one of my work days, it now stretches over two of them. Boo.
The NFL has become the East Coast League under Goodell. He has no love for the West Coast and it's pretty obvious with some of his decisions lately, including this one where most over here are still working at 4:30pm... So much for my annual draft weekend party!
THIS SUCKS!!! The April & May is a sort of football wasteland and the draft is really all we have beside the combine. For the past 6 years all of my friends and I have gotten together on Draft Saturday to BBQ, drink & watch the event. Its a great excuse to get together and hang out. Now the 1st through 3rd round of the draft is on a weekday while we are all still going to be at work. There is no way I'm going to be able to watch it now. Sure I could record it and watch it when I get home, but someone I work with is inevitable going to tell me what happened and then its just going to be ruined.
This is NFL greed at its best - pure and simple. Having it on during prime time is not going to get anyone to watch the draft that wouldn't watch it on Saturday. All it is is an excuse so they can charge more money to advertisers and rake in more cash. I so hope that they loose viewership, money, their lawsuits against Comcast & loose their monopoly to air Sunday Ticket on just DirectTV. I love football but can't stand Goodell and the NFL.
4:30 PM is primetime when the East Coast is three hours ahead.
you all may not like it, but it's clearly not meant as a move to appease the type of fan who posts on their favorite team's blog. we (the hardcore fan) will tune into it no matter what. this is a move aimed at gaining even more exposure and turning the casual fan into someone who will be willing to spend more money on the league. very smart move by the nfl
Uh, 39 million people tuned in. It's a TV show. Also, only the first round is televised on Thursday night which is, in fact, the round I keep my tail glued to the chair. I agree the timing is bad for the west coasters, but I'll be finding some way to duck out of work early and you guys probably will too. Especially since we have two 1st rounders next year. Go Niners!
I'm with the majority on this one, I like the old way better. The new way takes the air out of the Saturday all-day BBQ with the betting & boo-ing & boasting & beer.
Yeah sure, we'll watch anyway if we can, but I get home 6:30-7:00 so I'm going to miss those high priced ads at the top of the round. Most ad space buyers can figure that out.
NFL gain a larger audience? I doubt it. Who but us wonks will sit through all that? My wife never misses a regular season game, but couldn't be paid to watch the draft.
The new way might save me money though, 'cuz the wife's usually out shopping all weekend while we're laying around the couches.
Duh.....it is a TV event - not a show..
- in my opinion a TV show is pre-produced, its something you watch at a specific time and its over.
A TV event is a coverage of sometimes a live event which in this case people at home turn into a festive event....
Who wants to seat glued to their tv's on thursday nite.....when you know whatever you are watching will be talked about all summer before season opener..
The only reason we traditionally watch the draft is cuz of the suspense.......
and suspense without friends, beer and food is boring...
you can miss the draft and hear about it for months
let me rephrase
The only reason we traditionally watch the draft is cuz of the suspense and free time to do it.......
Hi Matt, We're all big NFL fans but the NFL, more than the other pro sports, look at the all mighty dollar first. I live in India most of the year and receive NBA play by play free on NBA.com. I used to listen to 9er games on KNBR until the NFL pulled the plug and made you pay about 8 bucks per game. They still have Game Center on NFL.com but I'm sure they'll charge for that in the future. Bottom line you don't lose your fan base in one big move, it's bit by bit. Don't be surprised if you have to pay for every game in the not too distant future.
Matt says... "Personally, I like it."
DW says... "it must be nice not having a real job. Who's gonna be home at 4:30 to watch a draft? The earliest I get home is 5:30 or even 6. Personally, I think it blows."
Kyle,
I gaurantee you that the NFL will lose viewership in next year's draft & it will be significant. I can't speak for the rest of you but for a person like myself who is married there's no way in hell my wife is going to put up with me watching the draft on a weeknight for endless hours, no way in hell! If I have any chance to watch the 1st night I'm going to have to go out to a sports bar & spend $4 for every beer I drink. As some others have posted the pure beauty of the draft on Saturdays was no work first of all, secondy the wife get's out of the house & goes shopping while you & your boys can watch the draft in the comforts of your own home while drinking your own beer thank you & having barbaques. The NFL is going to realize after the 2010 Draft that they should have left well enough alone & really screwed up a really good thing. As somebody else said "Don't try fix something that's not broken!"
I get all the comments about being on the West Coast. And, it is all about the East, all the time. But, here's another slant on it...what about the guys waiting to get drafted! Two days is long enough to wait...now they're stretching it to three. Come on, NFL, get a grip. The players are the real show here...why make them suffer through yet another day. Poor move, in my estimation.
Comment: (I)t must be nice not having a real job. Who's gonna be home at 4:30 to watch a draft?
My response: My job -- real or imagined -- is to keep folks informed. Perhaps I can be especially helpful for those unable to watch it on live TV. --Matt M.
Realty TV, just like American Idol
OK, let's give this some thought. I am also a big fan of the NHL SJ Sharks. Their last game of the regular season is April 10. That gives them just 14 days to get bounced out of the play-offs so that I don't have a conflict. Yep, never-mind, no conflict here.
For once on this blog I think 99% of us are in agreement. HATED IT! It is a weekend event at my house. Now I feel like I'm getting screwed out of one of my favorites weekends. I work the swing shift so I will have to TVO it. This is not good at all.
PS. I am one of the few "Losers" that sit in front of the boob tube both days not missing a single pick and taking notes while researching the 49er picks.
It'll be interesting to see how the 9ers deal with this, they've put on a 'draft party' that has become very popular. I went to the first one in 2006, had a great time. I went to this past one, stayed about 15 minutes because it was so crowded, I think 9er management was surprised by such a strong turn-out.
The NFL must have just changed its acronym to NBC, because once again, Thursday nights are "Must See TV." I work on 52nd and 6th in Manhattan, so I can walk two blocks and be there for this thing live at 7:30...but I won't. I'm going to drive home to New Jersey and watch it on TV because I want the added benefit of Matt's simultaneous posts while DW is still finishing up his "real job" as the CEO of Oralce. (DW -- could you have been any more disrespectful of a guy who works his tail for all of us? Come on man, be better than that. Life is too short to be an a$shole.)
Nicely put NJM.
What a tool DW!
..well i guess the best part of the draft coverage really is after the 2nd round....cuz of the trades and "steals" in the draft....
..anyone that follows football religiously knows before the draft who is getting picked in the first 2 rounds....
.
Agreed that Matt isn't the problem. Matt did his usual good job of explaining his point of view, and after all, he's only looking forward to doing his job better, to all of our benefit. That being said, the general dissatisfaction is justified; but what's new? The High Flyers are out of touch with their customers:
> Congress is out of touch
> Sacramento? Please!
>NFL HQ out of touch with the fans, as usual
>Wall Street? Detroit? Madison Avenue? Hollywood?
>check-check-check-check
Isn't there a proportional relationship between salary size and cluelessness?
As long as the Raiders are still allowed to draft (under Count Al), your statement is incorrect.
If the draft was on at 4:30am and in China I would still watch. I enjoy the draft and the suspense it holds. Making it three days just means there is one more day of football related talk happening when there would otherwise not be. Luckily, I am in outside sales and my manager can not see what I am doing becuase he is many states away.
This also seems to add more stragety (for lack of a better word) to the draft. It allows people to think over there next picks, which should result in better decisions- as long as there is good management. There is no more rushing to make a pick becuase time is running out, scouts can give their opinions based on who was taken the previous day and make changes accordingly.
For those who can not make the 4:30 starting time you can rely on our good friend Matt and his many ways of communicating. Otherwise get a sling box and a Blackberry and your good!
LOL. I was thinking the same thing. I'm going to be looking forward to the Draft regardless of what day or time it is. But next year's draft should be special because we'll have 2 picks on Thursday night (Day 1 of the Draft). I guess I'll just have to ask for the Day off from work :(
Matt, The San Diego Chargers just release ILB Matt Wilhelm (a decent player IMO). Being that he played for Manusky a few years ago, do you think the Niners will show interest in him or are we pretty set at the position at this point?
Three and a half hours to get through one round?
That means two hundred and ten minutes of nonsensical blathering from the likes of Mel Kuiper and Chris Berman; ludicrous instant analysis and fake grading ("Gonna have to give them a D+ for that pick, their season is over"); blatantly obvious and painful favoritism of the big market East Coast teams ("The 49ers have drafted a quarterbarck, how does this effect the Jets? Let's ask Matt Millen."); and of course these pathetic neverending "storylines", these life and death discussions about Brett Favre:
"Is his arm OK? Will he retire? Play for the Cowboys? Let's check in with our round the clock surveillance team camped outside his farm."
It sounds like utter hell and torture and pain. I hate ESPN and wish to seem them drowned, en masse.
Two words: NFL Network.
Oh man, imagine a Leeland McElroy sitting alone the green room & slipping out of the top round. The new format will only prolong the agony & chagrin.
Matt,
I didn't mean to imply that your job is 'imagined'. I just would like to see the draft like everyone else and not have to read about it. When the Raiders selected DHB last draft and we started to feel we can land Crabtree, that was an exciting few moments. I don't know if that will translate through a blog.