Off-season Dates

[JWarren14]

Mark your calendars ladies and gentlemen, the off-season has begun...

Jan. 31: AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, South Florida (ESPN).

Feb. 7: Super Bowl XLIV, South Florida (CBS).

Feb. 24-March 2: NFL Scouting Combine, Indianapolis, Ind.

March 5: Free agency begins.

March 21-24: NFL Annual Meeting, Orlando, Fla.

April 22-24: NFL Draft
Rd. 1: Thurs., April 22, 6:30 p.m.
Rds. 2-3: Fri., April 23, 5:30 p.m.
Rds. 4-7: Sat., April 24, 9 a.m.
Radio City Music Hall

May 24-26: NFL Spring meeting, Dallas, Tex.

[HOU-TEX]

Dadgum! I hate seeing the off-season schedule this soon.

BTW, spreading the draft over 3 days is quite ghey.

[mariowillshine15]

I hate the new draft schedule.

They should of kept it like it was.

1-3 rds on saturday. 4-7 rds on sunday

[HOU-TEX]

Originally Posted by mariowillshine15

I hate the new draft schedule.

They should of kept it like it was.

1-3 rds on saturday. 4-7 rds on sunday

Agreed! I reckon it has to do with mo money, as usual.

[Thorn]

Originally Posted by mariowillshine15

I hate the new draft schedule.

They should of kept it like it was.

1-3 rds on saturday. 4-7 rds on sunday

Ratings and money, my friend. That's why they did it. A prime time viewing audience will be in lots of cash for the NFL by selling those commercials. The 1st round of the NFL draft will be a highly watched event.

[TheCD]

Originally Posted by JWarren14

April 22-24: NFL Draft
Rd. 1: Thurs., April 22, 6:30 p.m.

6:30 ET?

Geez, if that's the case the NFL is out of their minds. If I remember correctly, part of the reason for moving the date/time was so that the west coast wouldn't have to get up so early to watch it. But if that's the case, it will be on at 3:30 PT.

You think those people are going to take a personal day or leave early to watch the draft?

Pretty stupid, if you ask me.

[Ryan]

If they're going to do this 3 day crap, at least make it friday, saturday, and sunday. The ratings could very well tank this way.


It seems like the wait is gonna be shorter this year, maybe since the season pushed on later as far as time goes, plus we weren't too worried about draft position, but playoffs.

[Fred]

Goodell made some comment about Thursday night being the most watched TV night. But every pathetic NFL junkie (like me) who might watch the draft WAS ALREADY watching the draft. Only now I won't, just read it in the paper the next day.

I guess the real plan is to destroy the concept of the draft watching party. Taking the munchkin to Reliant on Saturday was cool; even if they still have a draft party even I'm not a big enough loser to drag over there on a Thursday night.

After the parties die off in a few years, probably less interest in the draft in the future and thus less interest in the NFL during the off-season. Good job Roger!

[treduke]

i totally forgot about the draft starting on thursday this year!
the pro bowl the week before the super bowl
what are they going to do next show the combine in 3D?
play a preseason game on the moon?

[JWarren14]

We have had a group that has started a draft tradition of getting together and getting sloppy throughout the day and trying to re piece everything that happened the day before while watching the later rounds.

No doubt this is a move for bigger sponsors, higher priced commercials, more viewers. It may have good ratings on Thursday with only the 1st round, but the rest of the rounds nobody will watch.

It will be good for the casual fan and the NFL's pockets, but not for the hardcore NFL fan.

Kinda pisses me off.