CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The 2021 NFL Draft is coming to town, and fans are invited.
In what is a hopeful sign that the end to the COVID-19 pandemic is near, and along with it a return to normalcy, the NFL announced details for Cleveland to host the draft next month Monday morning.
The home of the Browns along with Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will all be incorporated in the set up on the shores of Lake Erie.
NFL Network, ESPN and ABC will televise the three-day event to run from April 29-May 1.
An artist's rendering of the main stage for the 2021 NFL Draft to be held in Cleveland, OhioNFL/Cleveland Browns
Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about the big event:
Where's the stage going to be?
The massive main stage and related staging areas are being built just north of FirstEnergy Stadium right next to the William G. Mather. The old warehouses that used to be located there have already been demolished. The entire event area will be located at north coast harbor and stretch from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame past the Great Lakes Science Center to First Energy Stadium and the lot to the north on the shores of Lake Erie.
Will Commissioner Roger Goodell attend?
Yes. Commissioner Goodell will leave his man cave and be in attendance all three days, and he is expected to continue the tradition of introducing the selections during Round 1 Thursday night, but from “a short distance.”
How many prospects will attend?
The league is sending out invitations as we type this, but the expectation is to have a similar number of prospects on hand as for every other normal draft. Those that don’t attend will participate virtually, similar to what we saw last year.
How will the picks be announced this year?
Commissioner Goodell will announce the first round Thursday night. Legends, current players or representative for each team that makes a selection will announce them Friday night and on Saturday – a first – selections will be made from the war rooms of each respective team.
How many fans will be allowed to attend?
While the league did not set a specific attendance figure Monday, “tens of thousands of fans” are expected to be permitted to attend the event.
How can fans attend?
The league is releasing an app called OnePass on March 29 which will handle ticketing. For more information, visit NFL.com/draft.
What are the safety protocols that will be in place?
First, only vaccinated fans will be permitted in the theatre area of the draft. The league, which plans to use many of the protocols in place for Super Bowl LV in Tampa, is finalizing specific protocols for the three-day event. Face coverings will be required for all attendees, social distancing enforced, and hand sanitizer will be readily available and located throughout the event area.
An artist's rendering of the 2021 NFL Draft staging to be located on the shores of Lake ErieNFL/Cleveland Browns
What else will there be to do downtown outside of the NFL Draft set up?
The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Destination Cleveland are currently engaging with downtown restaurants and businesses to provide outdoor eating and event areas throughout downtown to compliment the NFL Draft event set up.
