2010 NFL Draft moves to primetime.

[Sarge]

I've never liked the guy. He's unfair, biased, inconsistent and greedy. I have no time for that.

 

[dadymat]

All it has to do is get better ratings then what ESPN is putting there at the moment and they will be happy. And it almost certainly will= probably several times the audience that ESPN would get on a thursday night, or a friday night in April. So those of you thinking this will tank in ratings have another thing coming.

if you think the casual fan or women will turn from CSI, Greys Anatomy, Survivor , the office and 30 rock to watch the draft it is you who may have another thing coming......its obvious we ( the hardcore fans ) will watch it anytime they show it but to try and bring in new viewers this way = FAIL

 

[burmafrd]

You missed the point. ESPN will be happy because it will get a lot more viewers then they normally do. NFL will be happy because it is primetime and they will get more money from ESPN. Its just talk about bringing in new viewers because it is the hard core fans that watch the draft. THis will get the curious and they just may get some more fans that way- but in the end in case you did not notice its all about MONEY and the NFL and ESPN will make more this way.

 

[TheCount]

Of course I have Tivo..but do you really think I'll be able to sit here at work, stay off this message board, and ignore the draft until I get home and watch it? Come on now.

I was joking!

 

[Hostile]

I added this to the site Calendar.

I am one of the few who likes this. Make the Draft even bigger.

 

[bayeslife]

:laugh2:

Haha, this is so rediculous.

But whatever, let's give it a shot!

 

[odog422]

You missed the point. ESPN will be happy because it will get a lot more viewers then they normally do. NFL will be happy because it is primetime and they will get more money from ESPN. Its just talk about bringing in new viewers because it is the hard core fans that watch the draft. THis will get the curious and they just may get some more fans that way- but in the end in case you did not notice its all about MONEY and the NFL and ESPN will make more this way.

But his point, and mine and DE's is that they won't get any more viewers. Not substantially enough to make a difference.

Of course, we are all speculating, and I absolutely agree it's about money. But I just can't see people switching from their long-standing shows, which are typically in 30 minutes episodes to try to jump over to ESPN and maybe catch a pick or three. Watching the draft is about endurance and buildup - all the talk between picks about potential picks, team needs, etc.

I just don't believe it'll mesh. And any gains will be neglible. Especially when you balance all the promos (expense) they'll be running to try to attract viewers. It'll be the hardcore fans sitting alone in the basement with the second TV as usual. And as someone else pointed out, they may lose some of those hardcore fans from the west coast simply because of the timing.

 

[burmafrd]

39 million people watched the draft on TV this year. even if ESPN gets only HALF that many that thursday night it will be twice what they get NOW on a thursday night late in April.

 

[burmafrd]

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/07/1...ight-for-espn-third-best-rating-of-2009/22867

That is only 8 million people. That was the third best total they had all year on any subject that night. And the two ahead of it were only slightly better. So all the Draft has to do to more then DOUBLE that total is get HALF of what it did this year on Saturday. Pretty safe bet I would say.

 

[Dodger]

I just don't get it. To me, the draft is something that football fans will find no matter the time, date or place. But it's not an "event" for non football fans the way the Super Bowl is, so I don't see more people suddenly tuning in just because of the placement on TV. My wife, for instance, likes football. She doesn't miss a game. But she can't last 15 minutes on draft day. I don't see a 7:30 p.m. slotting changing that.

This is my take as well. I talk draft constantly before, during, and after draft weekend everywhere I go, at work, at a friend's home, wherever, and what I've always found is there are very few people who are lukewarm about the draft. Either they love it or don't care one iota about it. Experiences will vary, I'm sure, but that's just what I've seen, and I don't see how making this a primetime event will increase the viewership. Those who don't care and never cared about the draft, and there are legions of people who don't, still won't care and still won't watch. However, the people who do watch, or a significant portion of them, will now have some difficulty watching, so I'm not sure how this can be seen as improvement.

 

[bbgun]

Can't the NFL ever just leave things alone? Was there anybody clamoring for a primetime draft? Sometimes I wonder if the NFL is intentionally trying to piss its fans off, just to see how much they can get away with.

 

[dogunwo]

This will be interesting; NO mention where it will be held though. Thought they also would move it out of NYC??? The FANs made the draft into an unofficial "national holiday"; we'll see soon enough if the NFL just killed the golden-egg laying goose...

I definitely think it is a good idea to move it out of NYC and around the country some. It is not the birthright of Jets and Giants fans to be the most represented at the draft. There are some passionately as hell fans around the nation. Hold it in LA, so we can see all the Raiders fans or even DC.

 

[casmith07]

I added this to the site Calendar.

I am one of the few who likes this. Make the Draft even bigger.

Despite everyone's bellyaching, they'll all watch

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

They should have rounds 2-7 on a Friday and then round 1 the next day.....

 

[Hostile]

They should have rounds 2-7 on a Friday and then round 1 the next day.....

Uh, what?

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

I definitely think it is a good idea to move it out of NYC and around the country some. It is not the birthright of Jets and Giants fans to be the most represented at the draft. There are some passionately as hell fans around the nation. Hold it in LA, so we can see all the Raiders fans or even DC.

Do you feel the same about the Cowboys on Thanksgiving?

Hostile: "Uh, What?"

I was hoping nobody I liked fell for that



If your a fan youll find a way to watch, and in 2 years everyone will forget about it.

It cant be fun being a mid-round prospect now. Even if theyre projected to go round 2, they still have to watch round 1. And they might get passed over on day 2 as well

 

[TwoSteppinJJ]

I really don't plan on following the draft week anymore. I'll watch the first round. Than have espn alerts text me with each Cowboys pick, or maybe I'll listen to the ticket. Definitely not a weekend to look forward to watching anymore. Goddell and the NFL are way to greedy for my liking.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Older guys always make me laugh. You're going to watch it if they put it on at 2AM on monday morning. But you guys are like, 'OH MY GOD SOMETHING IS CHANGING AND MY XENOPHOBIA IS KICKING IN. OMG NEXT THING YOU KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE PLAYERS TWITTER AND TEXT ON THE SHOW.'

I have never really watched the draft because I go out on the weekends and like to sleep in. 6AM on a tuesday might be great for you and make you feel great but for most people its just not doable. They are going to make it easier for casual people to watch and have been making it so for the last two decades.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I really don't plan on following the draft week anymore. I'll watch the first round. Than have espn alerts text me with each Cowboys pick, or maybe I'll listen to the ticket. Definitely not a weekend to look forward to watching anymore. Goddell and the NFL are way to greedy for my liking.

So oyu like the draft but now won't watch it because it might interfere with CSI? Or is it just because they changed it.

 

[playmakers]

I really don't like the move to Thursday. I really cant see a poistive from this. If you wanted to go prime time, why not go on Saturday night? There are many less shows to compete with then.

My only other compliant is at least go 2 rounds on Thursday. The 2nd round is just as important as the first in my opinion. It might lose some luster moving to Friday. People hate change and I dislike this move as well. But, who knows, this might be better. You dont know until you try it.