Tyler Stearns |
The NFL Draft is one of the most successful non-sporting events in all of athletics. The league has done a tremendous job of curating a special evening for the players and fans. Of course, the NFL has an easier job making the draft such a spectacle because football is the most viewed sport in the country. Nonetheless, let's take a look at how the NFL made the draft so much bigger.
The first step is the players being drafted. Overall, the stars that come out of college are hyped up to levels they will likely never reach. We see players who haven't stepped foot on a professional field being compared to some of the greatest players of all time.
Secondly, the moving of cities as locations for the draft brings larger and more diverse audiences to the draft. The league moves to different cities for each year, inviting fans to come watch their favorite players and programs get drafted.
Third, the event itself is created like a movie premiere. The NFL makes a stage and allows large audiences to come watch the event in different regional zones specific to teams.
Fourth, competition for draft picks became so tense that draft-day trading was must-watch TV. Teams trading up to a top-ten draft pick was rare, but also extremely valuable in the context of the following season, so fans had to tune in.
Finally, working with the media to create TV-rights deals and increased coverage of the pre-draft process allows fans more access to their favorite teams' financial and personnel plans.
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