NFL Draft to expand to 3 days in 2010
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:58 pm
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4351601
The audience for the NFL draft has been growing, and the league has responded by expanding the event from two to three days.
Commissioner Roger Goodell notified teams Thursday that the draft will be spread over three days in 2010, running Thursday, April 22, through Saturday, April 24.
In addition, the first round will start in prime time at 7:30 p.m. ET.
"We continue to look for ways to make the draft more accessible to more fans," 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."
ESPN and the NFL Network will televise the entire show.
The second and third rounds will start at 6:30 p.m. ET on April 23.
Rounds 4 through 7 will be on April 24, starting at 10 a.m. ET.