ESPN, NFL NETWORK Gearing Up For This Weekend's Draft

(From Sports Business Daily)

ESPN will "deploy a record 20 announcers, use 67 cameras and run a continuous draft news graphic during commercials" for its coverage of THE NFL DRAFT this weekend, "but it will have to alternate, with THE NFL NETWORK, the right to do the first interviews with draftees," according to MICHAEL HIESTAND of THE USA TODAY.

ESPN Senior Coordinating Producer JAY ROTHMAN said that ESPN "gets first dibs on the odd-numbered picks while the NFL Network gets even-numbered picks."

Rothman -- "We at least wanted rights to the No. 1 pick."
He added that the NFL will "sit on announcing picks if ESPN is showing ads."

Rothman -- "We are controlling the draft."

While NFL Network is showing the draft for the first time, Rothman noted ESPN is "in three times as many TV homes. Our on-air talent is unmatched. We've been the draft's voice of record for 26 years. And our coverage will be on in the
32 team draft rooms."

NFL Network Executive Producer ERIC WEINBERGER said that getting reports from NFL teams "shouldn't be a problem since 'teams are kind of like our affiliates -- we consider them our bureaus.'"

Weinberger added The NFL Network, which will have 12 draft announcers, will show "everything going on in the building as opposed to locking on to our analysts on sets -– you'll feel like you’re actually there."

The draft last year drew 34 million viewers over two days on ESPN and was the highest rated in history.

Also, there are "roughly three times as many publications and Web sites devoted to draft prognostication -- nearly 700, according to some estimates -- as there are players chosen each year."

CSTV's BRIAN CURTIS said, "Do I think it's overkill? Absolutely. But the NFL, unlike any other sports league, has made the game an every-day-of-the-year thing."