The 2020 NFL Draft will still be held in Las Vegas as previously scheduled. However, there are alterations being made to the plans by both the NFL and the city due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down just about every public event for at the least the next month or two, many speculations quickly arose about the 2020 NFL Draft and the league’s plans for the event scheduled for April 23-25 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rumors began to swirl late last week regarding the draft being postponed or moved entirely from Las Vegas.
However, on Monday, league sources confirmed that the 2020 NFL Draft would still move forward in Las Vegas as planned, just with some alterations to the event and schedule to help keep everyone safe.
It’s unknown at this time exactly what ways the NFL will find to fill the void of the public being at the draft. The league has done a great job at promoting the draft events since they moved the event from Radio City Music Hall in 2015, with each year becoming more and more successful. The 2019 draft saw over 600,000 people in attendance over the three day event in Nashville, Tennessee.
The NFL will proceed with its Draft on Apr 23-25 but will canceled public events in Las Vegas. The league is exploring innovative ways for how the process will be conducted.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 16, 2020
The event was expected to be even larger in Las Vegas this year, however, and shatter the record attendance that has been set each year. Now, however, casinos and scheduled attendees are left scrambling to rework their schedules due to the CDC’s request for any event over 50 people to be cancelled or postponed.
NFL teams are also left in a bind, as many are doing their diligence to limit access to their facilities and practice social distancing. However, with the draft and free agency still on track to start on schedule, teams will have to continue to work on scouting and meeting with potential draft picks.
For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.