As it turns out, having over 90% of the country’s population on quarantine is very conducive towards producing record ratings for the NFL Draft.
Quite possibly the most telling bit of proof for that comes from the numbers released from the Draft’s third and least watched day.
According to numbers released by NFL.com, the third and final day of the draft registered a 32% increase. In fact, each day showed a massive increase in viewership resulting in the first and only virtual draft becoming the most watched draft event of all-time.
According to the NFL:
Broadcast on NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, ESPN Deportes and digital channels, the draft reached a total of more than 55 million viewers over the three-day event, according to a league press release, with the average audience for the weekend of over 8.4 million viewers growing 35 percent over the 2019 draft.
Each day of the 2020 NFL Draft established new highs as an average audience of over 15.6 million viewers watched Round 1 on Thursday (+37 percent vs. 2019), over 8.2 million viewers watched Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday (+40 percent vs. 2019), and over 4.2 million viewers watched Rounds 4-7 on Saturday (+32 percent vs. 2019).
“I couldn’t be more proud of the efforts and collaboration of our clubs, league personnel, and our partners to conduct an efficient Draft and share an unforgettable experience with millions of fans during these uncertain times,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “This Draft is the latest chapter in the NFL’s storied history of lifting the spirit of America and unifying people. In addition to celebrating the accomplishments of so many talented young men, we were pleased that this unique Draft helped shine a light on today’s true heroes — the healthcare workers, first responders, and countless others on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19. We are also grateful to all those who contributed to the NFL family’s fundraising efforts.”
With numbers like that, for a draft, one can only imagine the types of numbers the league will draw if they actually play football this year.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn
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