Prime Time?

Today we found out that the NFL is changing the schedule of the NFL draft. For years the first three rounds of the draft have been held on a Saturday in April while the remaining rounds are finished up on Sunday.

It made sense. Any of the crazy fans who actually wanted to make the trip to New York just to hear a man read off player names (okay it's me), they could arrange a trip to the Big Apple in order to party with....themselves.

In all honesty, there is very little as fun and crazy as the NFL Draft. Fans of every team are lined up, all discussing the draft and how it would be JUST PEACHY if this player fell in the draft to their team. Groups of similar jersey's gather and discuss the needs of the team while booing anyone who walks by in an opposing jersey. It really is wonderful.

This is why I'm a bit skeptical of the NFL's decision to now hold the first round of the NFL draft on a Thursday night. Usually I'm very supportive of the NFL's protean manner when it comes to televising the sport. Monday night, Thursday night, Saturday night, hell, give it to me every day of the week. Yet, I worry about this decision. Sure, it's prime time, but will the prime television slot make up for the lost fans who won't be able to swing going to New York on a school night?

And is the NFL draft ready for a prime time slot? Saturdays don't tend to have a lot of competition for the NFL. You basically choose between the draft or a rerun of What's Happening. Thursday night has Grey's Anatomy, Survivor, The Office, and the Juggernaut of CSI.

NFL fans may not care about these other choices, but I can't imagine married households coming to an agreement to watch the NFL Draft over some of these other prime-time shows.

My guess is that the NFL Draft will become a stop down for most people. They'll watch another show and then during the commercials, they'll switch over to see which criminal player the Bengals just took.

It's probably the most logical way to watch the draft, but for NFL fans, this no way to go about it. The Saturday of the NFL Draft is like NFL Christmas. Fans from all over gather around the T.V. with a drink or twelve and ohhh and ahhhhh over each team's pick. Well, except for the Raiders pick which is usually greeted by a "BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAAH!!!! Idiots!"

I'm not one to argue with the well-oiled machine that is the NFL. For all I know, this time move will open up the draft a whole legion of new fans that were out being busy bodies on Saturday. I just worry that the hardcore NFLer that makes up the backbone of the league will be denied their weekend in the sun.