Lore has it that former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle responded with one word when a fledgling sports network came to him with interest in televising the 1980 NFL Draft.

“Why?” Rozelle reportedly asked ESPN executives.

The NFL Draft had been little more than an annual closed-door meeting in a hotel conference room with representatives from each of the league’s teams picking college prospects for each of its first 45 years. Rozelle couldn’t fathom the idea that it held any broadcasting value, but he agreed to the proposal anyway.

That decision now stands as one significant reason why Rozelle is held up as the commissioner who elevated the NFL to its current place atop the national sports scene. Not only do millions now tune in to watch the NFL Draft each year, but hundreds of thousands show up to be on hand for what has turned into a three-day festival of football fandom.

“It’s one of the biggest events in the country every year, period,” says Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority.

Now, it’s Las Vegas’ turn to put its stamp on the NFL Draft, which runs April 28-April 30 at Caesars Forum with attractions stretching across three Linq parking lots and all the way to the Fountains of Bellagio.

For 50 years, the NFL held the draft at a site near its New York City headquarters—until 2015, when it became a traveling event. It hit its peak to date in 2019, when 600,000 total attendees showed up over three days in downtown Nashville, but Las Vegas is expected to break that record. No tickets are sold—the draft is free to attend—so it’s difficult to project exact numbers, but Hill estimates 300,000 visitors will come to town for the draft, not including locals.

If most of those fans show up for multiple days, Las Vegas should easily surpass Nashville’s numbers.

“It’s going to be an amazing spectacle for three days while we’re here, and we’re super excited to finally bring this to life,” says Eric Finkelstein, the NFL’s senior director of event operations. “We’ve already raised the bar [on the draft], but there’s no question Las Vegas is going to raise the bar that much further.”

Finkelstein, who has worked on the past 23 drafts, might never have shared Rozelle’s skepticism about potential interest in the event, but he does admit to some surprise in how big it has become. Expanding the scope of the draft wasn’t some NFL master plan, he says, but rather a reaction to increased fan excitement.

The league moved the draft from a ballroom inside New York’s Marriott Marquis to the 5,600-seat Theater at Madison Square Garden in 1995, after fans began showing up for the event en masse. Even after upgrading to the nearly 6,000-capacity Radio City Music Hall, the draft couldn’t meet fans’ demands, especially for the first day, when massive crowds started to assemble outside the building.

“We just outgrew them,” Finkelstein says of the traditional New York venues. “Interest just continued to grow, so that’s why we started taking it on the road, bringing it to more fans. Once we started doing that we were like, wow, we have to keep doing this and bringing it to all different parts of the country, so all our fans have a chance to be a part of it. It really all came down to the fact that more fans kept coming.”

Some might not understand the appeal of witnessing current commissioner Roger Goodell (and others) announcing 262 names over the course of seven rounds, but the event has expanded way beyond that ritual. These days, the league also sets up its NFL Draft Experience, best described as part-interactive theme park, part-museum dedicated to the sport and its history.

Fans can run their own 40-yard dashes, kick extra points and view an exhibit featuring every single Super Bowl ring. Finkelstein recognizes that the added attractions have helped draw additional fans, but he credits the main reason for the draft’s explosion in popularity to something more basic.

“The reason why is, it’s the one event where all 32 teams are represented, so you have all of them here,” Finkelstein explains. “The draft represents hope. For the teams that didn’t do as well last year, they get a chance to select first and bring in new talent, but even the teams that have been successful, they’ve been able to sustain it, because they’ve drafted smart.

“So, this is the one event where all our fans can celebrate together and really be a part of it.”

Finkelstein says there’s a focus on making each draft special to its respective location, though he and his staff get together at the conclusion of each edition to discuss what went well enough to carry over into future versions. If Las Vegas’ stint as NFL Draft host goes as planned, he might need to allot extra time for that meeting this year.

“Las Vegas sets the bar for every type of event, and the draft is no exception,” Hill says. “Vegas just brings aspects other places can’t. I’ve been to a number of drafts, and those cities have done a great job hosting, but we will raise the bar.”

Schedule of Events

Thursday, April 28

• Draft Experience, noon to 9 p.m.

• Draft, 5 p.m. through end of first round

• Concert with Weezer, begins post-draft at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Friday, April 29

• Draft Experience, noon to 9 p.m.

• Flag football game between Faze Clan (Brett Favre) and AMP (Michael Vick), 2:45 p.m.

• Draft, 4 p.m. through end of third round

• Concert with Ice Cube, begins post-draft at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 30

• Draft Experience, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Draft, 9 a.m. through end of seventh round

• Concert with Marshmello, begins post-draft at approximately 5 p.m.

Details

• Cost: Free

• Registration: Fans must register at NFL.com/OnePass and are encouraged to download the mobile app for easy entry

• Parking/transportation:The Draft will be spread across all Linq Hotel & Experience parking lots, but garages from other nearby Strip resorts remain open with event parking fees in effect. The LVCVA will offer free parking at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and is urging locals to ride the monorail ($2) to the Harrah’s-Linq or Bally’s-Paris stations. RTC will also offer $4 round trip bus service from several locations across the Valley (more information at rtcsnv.com). Rideshare and taxi drop-offs and pick-ups will be set up at Tuscany Suites and Casino.

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