ESPN broadcast of the NFL draft has drawn the most viewers ever. With the first two rounds held in prime time for the first time, ESPN's three-day telecast had 3.7 million viewers, up 27 percent from 2009 and it also attracted 2.85 million households, second most in draft history and up 24 percent from last year, according to Nielsen Media Research. The most households to watch a draft on ESPN came in 2006, when 2,000 more homes than this year tuned in. Source: Associated Press
Most total viewers......and I am one who didn't like the three day format. I prefer the two-day Saturday and Sunday schedule they had for it seems like forever. These rating though ensure the new format is here to stay.
This format sucks. The Draft used to be a party day. At your house with friends or at your local NFL stadium together with fellow fans and people we sit with. The Red Carpet bullcrap I watched this year is all about $$$ and borders on the WWE and the freaking Oscars. "And the winner is..........The NFL". Screw off Roger! The Fans lose.
All the NFL sees is higher rating which means more money thanks to ad revenue. And to think the NFL is going to screw up this goose that lays golden eggs because of greed.
I don't see the major hate with it. My initial gripe is that I thought there was a day break (Thu, then SAT/SUN), but I was wrong and it's a 3-day consecutive format. I actually grew to like it over the weekend
I didn't mind it, but I preferred having the first three rounds on Saturday. Gather the buds around for an all day event. I mean really, the draft on a Thursday? That's kind of freaking dumb when you think about it.
i didnt watch ESPN's coverge but i heard on sports radio that it was bad as in production, camera angles, Steve young and Chucky fighting , Kiper pissed bc teams werent picking the way he predicted did anybody see this or were the radio dudes exaggerating
If you're on the West Coast the draft starts before you even get out of work and on Fri. it starts at 3pm out here, the sucks major ballies. We watched both ESPN and NFLNetwork, I didn't see any fighting with Young and Gruden, Kiper wasn't really pissed but his mock draft and Mayock's both didn't pan out, the picks were strange to say the least especially after the first 5 or 6.
I heard it was pretty bad from friends too, but they liked it, it was entertaining due to the realness of the f-ups. From everything I heard I don't think there is any exaggerating.
I didn't catch a lot of the ESPN problems until Day 2. I was at the gym during the first round, so I was watching it on a TV, but obviously couldn't hear. The main gripes I heard: - Berman seemed mentally out of it - Steve Young wouldn't shut the heck up - Mel Kiper was throwing tantrums (what's new) - Gruden was caught more than once by the mics when transitioning from commercial to on air. One instance you could hear him say "that was a dumbass move" Tom Jackson (when Young wasn't interrupting him) and Gruden DID pretty much hold the broadcast from what I gathered. Day 3 went by okay with who they had up there, usually not a Wingo fan, but he was okay during the coverage, Kiper, McShay, and Jaws, meh. I have a hard time listening to them anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if next year you see Tirico anchoring, Tom Jackson, John Gruden, and Mel Kiper. If there's a 5th person it's McShay.
