NFL Announces 2010 Draft begins Thursday, April 22nd at 7pm for new 3 day draft

[DaBruinz]

Ka-ching$$, lots of ka-ching$$.

I don't see it happening. In fact, I see the 2010 draft getting the worst ratings that its gotten because of this new format. I don't believe that Goodell and his marketing research people understand how big Draft Weekend was for fans. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the beer companies let Goodell know how he's screwed them.

The Beer companies loved getting that nice boost on an April weekend when there was no holiday. Now, beer sales will be down because people won't be drinking all day Thursday or Friday. And, since Saturday is just the last 4 rounds, its unlikely that anyone but hard-core fans are going to do BBQs that weekend.

This is a very bad move by the NFL and I am surprised that the owners are going with it..

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I don't see it happening. In fact, I see the 2010 draft getting the worst ratings that its gotten because of this new format. I don't believe that Goodell and his marketing research people understand how big Draft Weekend was for fans. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the beer companies let Goodell know how he's screwed them.

The Beer companies loved getting that nice boost on an April weekend when there was no holiday. Now, beer sales will be down because people won't be drinking all day Thursday or Friday. And, since Saturday is just the last 4 rounds, its unlikely that anyone but hard-core fans are going to do BBQs that weekend.

This is a very bad move by the NFL and I am surprised that the owners are going with it..

I agree. On first blush, the move to prime time looks good, but sustaining the excitement over days isn't the same as the rush of draft weekend. April TV still features prime time TV series moving towards season ending climax. Not the zero competition wasteland of saturday TV. Draft parties get tougher to organize. How many want to spend 3 hours Thurs only to have BB trade down?

Another downside for the Pats is that with time to think about it, the ill-prepared teams are now less likely to make panicy moves devoid of proper consideration in 2nd and later round trades with the Pats.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

This is a very bad move by the NFL and I am surprised that the owners are going with it..

This is almost as bad a move as having the probowl before the superbowl

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

I guess I am the only one who likes the idea but then again I usually miss the draft during the day while others may have time to watch it.

I like it too. It increases "watchability".

It will be similar to the NBA draft, which is a treat to watch if you think the NBA is Fantastic. The NFL 1st round will be even better since there is more importance and fanfare surrounding it than any other sport. I can't stand Goodell, but I have to give the devil his due on this decision.

 

[jmt57]

My guess is that while other shows (CSI, etc.) going head-to-head with the draft may get higher ratings, the NFL Network (and therefore the NFL) will make more money because advertisers pay more for commercials in primetime than they do for ads shown on a weekend afternoon. It's simply a business decision based on an attempt to increase revenue. Like it or not it's about money and not how this fits in to our personal schedule. Take a look at how many people tuned in to watch a show announcing the 2009 schedule - again, during primetime - even though everybody already knew each team's opponents and the only new information was the order those games would be played and which ones would be played at night. The NFL surely noticed that and felt this was an opportunity and risk worth taking.

I still think it is a smart business decision by the NFL because it gets them on the television during primetime, and could produce an additional revenue stream for them. Even the worst case scenario of horrible ratings is still worth the risk because if this concept bombs they can easily go back to the old format one year down the road.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I don't see it happening.
-----
This is a very bad move by the NFL and I am surprised that the owners are going with it..

You're preaching to the Choir Db, of course I grieve for a nation that would be watching WWE and Survivor too. Somebody thinks they can market nattering noggins to that crowd and draw advertising revenue, perhaps they have demographics showing those first three rounds are the most watched by college fans looking for their favorites, or perhaps this is being pushed by the NFL as a means of managing individual team's drafts (we already expect BB to take full advantage of the additional time), who knows? :confused2: As I said before, "meh."

 

[PatsChamp88]

Unless they are planning on showing the draft on a regular station such as CBS, ABC, NBC, or FOX the ratings are going to be worse than on Saturday because their are shows people actually watch on Thursday and Friday night.

I really don't like the move in fact I think it stinks but I think this gives teams an edge who trade their picks down, teams who don't have a first round pick and teams that have a early selection in the second round when a potential first round pick falls down into the second.

Like some others have said Friday through Sunday would have been a more realistic approach since most people attend draft parties. Now that the first round takes place on Thursday and most people work more people won't be as likely to attend these parties. However even if they do most likely it will be for one day Thursday for a limited time instead of all day (Saturday) so places will make less money. I really hope this plan flops I'm totally against it, the only people I see liking it are people that work weekends

 

[Spiral]

I love the idea of having the draft on primetime. Because it's boxed in to a three-hour time slot, there can only be 5-6 minutes in between picks.

My problem with it for next year is that we lose three first-day draft picks. ;-}

 

[DaBruinz]

I like it too. It increases "watchability".

It will be similar to the NBA draft, which is a treat to watch if you think the NBA is Fantastic. The NFL 1st round will be even better since there is more importance and fanfare surrounding it than any other sport. I can't stand Goodell, but I have to give the devil his due on this decision.

How does it increase "watchability?" Comparing it to the NBA draft is like comparing it to apples and oranges, honestly.

How will their be "more importance" and fan fare if all but the die hard fans aren't able to go see it?

Seriously, there were hundreds of thousands of draft parties across the country on Saturdays and Sundays... That is a LOT of money to their sponsors in Beer, Chips, etc. That just went POOF because only about 1% will actually have any sort of part because they have to work on Friday.

You really need to explain because nothing you've said makes sense.

 

[DaBruinz]

My guess is that while other shows (CSI, etc.) going head-to-head with the draft may get higher ratings, the NFL Network (and therefore the NFL) will make more money because advertisers pay more for commercials in primetime than they do for ads shown on a weekend afternoon. It's simply a business decision based on an attempt to increase revenue. Like it or not it's about money and not how this fits in to our personal schedule. Take a look at how many people tuned in to watch a show announcing the 2009 schedule - again, during primetime - even though everybody already knew each team's opponents and the only new information was the order those games would be played and which ones would be played at night. The NFL surely noticed that and felt this was an opportunity and risk worth taking.

Just because its a prime time slot, doesn't necessarily mean that companies are going to pay the NFL more money. Fact is that, when it comes to the prime time, its all about the ratings. And its the ratings that drive how much the advertising will be.

As for the NFL Schedule show, what did it get for a Nielsen rating? A 1? A 2? If you think vendors are going to pay prime time money for that, you are sadly mistaken.

I still think it is a smart business decision by the NFL because it gets them on the television during primetime, and could produce an additional revenue stream for them. Even the worst case scenario of horrible ratings is still worth the risk because if this concept bombs they can easily go back to the old format one year down the road.

You can think its a smart business move all you want. That doesn't make it fact. And you have nothing to support that there will be additional revenue garnered from this.

In fact, I submit that NYC will lose money because of this change as not as many people will go to a 3 day event as go to the 2 day event. Especially since it would require people to take 2 days off from work. I submit that the viewership will be down because, not only will a third of your viewership still be at work during the start of the 1st round and then the start of the 2nd round, that many people won't bother to tune in other than to get a recap. And they can do that much quicker from their cell phones than tuning in to NFL Network or ESPN. And, I submit, some of the primary sponsors of the NFL will be hurt by this move because their products won't have the normal surge they do on that weekend because of the BBQs and Parties people do.

 

[miDeuce]

Just because its a prime time slot, doesn't necessarily mean that companies are going to pay the NFL more money.

This is very true, not to mention that the NFL Draft has ZERO tape delay value for the west coast. What will advertisers pay for the 4:30pm Thursday time slot? Uh, zip.

So you're losing a significant portion of the country because most of them will still be at work, you'll no longer have the same fan contingent in New York City. Sure, you'll still have some diehards there, but the numbers will fall dramatically. And finally there will no longer be any draft parties so less consumption there as well.

Maybe the NFL will make money solely from the east coast prime time advertising revenue which should get a strong viewership, despite having to compete with the major networks.

If it had to change it should've been Round 1 at 8pm EST on Friday night, then Rounds 2-4 Saturday, 5-7 Sunday. Friday night network TV is far less competitive that Thursday (which is probably the MOST competitive night) and even West Coast fans could probably be able to get out of work by 5pm to watch.

The response to this change has been overwhelming negative everywhere I've seen. I hope we see an empty Radio City Music Hall, and poor viewership. Seems like that's what has to happen to get it changed back to something more fan-friendly.

 

[jmt57]

You can think its a smart business move all you want. That doesn't make it fact. And you have nothing to support that there will be additional revenue garnered from this.

That is true, I cannot assume this is will turn out in fact to be a good business decision since my magic 8-ball says "cloudy, try again". And while this decision by the NFL for some reason seems to have hit an emotional chord with you, you too do not yet know for a fact if it will turn out to be a good or bad choice.

I don't care for it as a fan, and if the choice were up to me from a business perspective personally I would have opted for Friday night, late Saturday afternoon & night, and Sunday afternoon. I'm not crazy about Thursday night as a fan or as a business person but to me the risk/reward is probably worth it from their point of view. If it succeeds then it is a huge bonanza in terms of incremental revenue. If it fails, it may not be that much less money than they were making with the current format - and they can always return to Saturday-Sunday or maybe Fri-Sat-Sun; in other words, the possible upside is worth the risk to them.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Re: NFL Announces 2010 Draft begins Thursday,April 22nd at 7pm for new 3 day draft

Every pick of the first round should take one day.

We'll call it NFL Draft Month.

and they can take away the pats pick and call it a leap year.

 

[patfanken]

I posted this earlier on the Draft forum

If you want to relieve some of your anger, or pleasure, here is who you can vent to at the NFL offices.

280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
212/450-2000
FAX: 212/681-7572 and 212/681-7573
NFL staff members can be reached via-email by [email protected].
Example: [email protected]

JOE BROWNE, Executive Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs


Direct: 212/450-2031
FAX: 212/681-7574

GREG AIELLO, Senior Vice President of Public Relations


Direct: 212/450-2067

BRIAN McCARTHY, Vice President of Corporate Communications


Direct: 212/450-2069

 

[Pats726]

Well it will be great for Hotels around NYC,Imagine the fans who go to the draft every year from out of town now have to pay for a 3 night stay if they want to see the whole draft live and plan on staying over.

Holiday Inn is going to make out great with this idea

Maybe...but with the economy teh way it is...they may find less fans willing to stay for 3 days....no weekend DRAFT?? it may be supposed higher ratings but lose in other ways...

 

[Nunchucks]

NFL Draft weekends was one of those dates that I would get together with my friends and we would have a niec BBQ, drink some beer and watch the draft. The NFL just destroyed one of the few times a year that I participate in such activities.

So, screw you NFL

BOYCOTT THE 2010 NFL DRAFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!