Cleveland organizers have not had discussions about rescheduling the 2021 NFL Draft, but they admit everything is fluid. (clevelandbrowns.com)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Cleveland is still on the clock to host the 2021 NFL draft.
Despite Covid-19 concerns and now uncertainty about the college football season – postponed until spring or cancelled altogether -- organizers are still planning to host the 86th NFL Draft as scheduled on April 29, April 30 and May 1 in downtown Cleveland.
Neither the Browns nor the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission has been told to plan for a delay in the draft.
But both are aware everything is fluid and could change.
On Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported moving the 2021 draft to June could be a consideration if college football plays a spring season.
“If there’s one lesson we’ve all learned throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s how important it is to be fluid and agile for any circumstance that might arise,” said Peter John-Baptiste, Browns senior VP of communications. “We haven’t heard about any date changes and our focus continues to be on being prepared for the previously announced dates of April 29-May, 2021.”
The coronavirus pandemic turned the 2020 draft into a virtual TV show, eliminating the live events scheduled in Las Vegas, NV. Afterwards, the league announced its intention to return to a traditional, fan-friendly, celebration event in Cleveland.
But now the tumult in the college football season brings a new layer of uncertainty.
David Gilbert, president of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, said he has multiple discussions with the NFL every week, but so far nothing about a date change has been brought up.
“Discussions we’ve had is we’re going to keep moving as we have,” Gilbert said. “[But] things are so fluid in the world right now, our job is to be as flexible as possible to make sure whatever the NFL chooses to do, we’re able to pull it off and make it great for Cleveland.”
Since most of the free fan events are planned for outdoor venues around the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and FirstEnergy Stadium, moving the draft to June wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, Gilbert conceded.
“Should ultimately some decision be made in that area, a lot of work and diligence we would have to do. But, agreed, it wouldn’t necessarily be a negative thing for Cleveland,” Gilbert said.
“We’ve worked on hundreds of events with so many different event rights-holders. The NFL has been as good to work with as anybody we’ve ever worked with. They’ve been such a good partner in understanding that they have certain things they desires to get out of the draft and so does the host community. And I think they really respect that. That’s why I have a lot of confidence that no matter what happens it will be really great for Cleveland.”
Gilbert said that based on the 2019 NFL Draft held in Nashville, TN, the estimated economic impact in Cleveland would be over $100 million in new spending.
“It is huge,” he said.
During the onset of the pandemic, the NFL received some flak for not rescheduling the 2020 draft. Instead, it transformed the draft into a TV-only production with Commissioner Roger Goodell, team executives and coaches, and drafted players participating remotely from their rec rooms, living rooms and kitchens.
The intimacy inside their homes with family members making cameo appearances – and Bill Belichick’s dog – humanized the event. It drew the biggest TV ratings ever and also raised over $6 million for Covid-19 relief efforts.
League honchos conceded afterward that some aspects of the boffo production would be incorporated in future drafts, starting with Cleveland.
“From what we’ve been told, they learned a lot of really cool things about how they could enhance the draft based on going through that,” Gilbert said. “But we bid upon, which was a large, live, free celebration event, is what we’re still planning for.
“It’s pretty safe to say, come end of April, no matter what, there’s going to be some levels of distancing and protocols that wouldn’t have been contemplated in Nashville two years ago. But I don’t think the NFL having a virtual draft will hurt Cleveland in any way. We’re not expecting any major changes what we will host in Cleveland based on that.”