The NFL draft is annually one of the most ambitious productions that ESPN does, but next week’s coverage might go down as the most ambitious in the network’s 40-year history.
With the NFL closing team complexes and canceling plans to hold the draft in Las Vegas, this year’s event is shaping up as a logistical challenge.
ESPN vice president of production Seth Markham said that there are usually 10 remote locations during the first round.
Photo: EPA-EFE
On Thursday, there might be as many as 180.
“Safe to say, we have never had a year like this. It’s a great opportunity to bring fans hope and joy and an escape from what we are experiencing,” Markham said. “We do enjoy challenges. We will make it happen, but it is damn complicated.”
ESPN and the NFL Network are to air a combined broadcast all three days. It is to originate from ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, but most of the reporters and analysts will be at their homes.
Mark Quenzel, NFL Network’s senior vice president of programming and production, said that the two networks had been in discussions about a joint production once it appeared that the draft would not take place in Las Vegas.
With everyone spread out, the biggest challenge will be making sure there are no technical difficulties. Reporters have been able to get on air from home for nearly a month while draft prospects, coaches and general managers received kits from the league.
Quenzel said the league has set up three call centers to handle the feeds — one for the prospects, one for coaches and team executives and another for fans.
The league has also reached out to wireless providers to make sure there is extra bandwith over the three days so that the grid is not overloaded.
Because fans are a unique part of the draft experience, ESPN has reached out via social media to get fan videos previewing the draft.
There is no word yet whether fans booing commissioner Roger Goodell before each pick will be piped in to make it feel like an authentic draft.
Goodell is to introduce first-round picks from his home in Bronxville, New York.
“We’re trying to streamline the feeds along with having as many backups as we can,” Quenzel said. “The execution of the draft, as far as what we can show with the teams, will be the same. Everyone has the same technology and availability.”
Markham said there are normally 15 in the control room at one time during the draft, but it will be limited to seven. They will also use two control rooms so that everyone has their own area and adheres to social distancing guidelines.
Those in the control room will also wear masks, which could be an extra challenge for producers and directors trying to communicate.
Trey Wingo and Suzy Kolber will be the only ones in the studio for the ESPN-NFL Network telecast.
Mel Kiper Jr — who will be with ESPN for his 37th draft — Louis Riddick and Booger McFarland are to provide analysis from their homes.
ABC is to air a separate draft broadcast on Thursday and Friday for the second straight year before simulcasting the ESPN/NFL Network feed on Saturday.
“We were set up for a big ratings year because of the quality of this year’s class, but now we are waiting and seeing,” Markham said. “We don’t have the competition that we normally have [with the NBA and NHL playoffs]. Whether that means more eyeballs and anticipation, I don’t know.”
While ESPN and NFL Network had to make adjustments, SiriusXM satellite radio’s coverage remains largely the same. The NFL Radio channel is to have live coverage all three days.
All hosts are to broadcast from their home studios instead of being next to each other, like previous years.
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