NFL draft in Philly draws record fan interest
The NFL draft, in Philadelphia next month, has received its most fan interest since the event moved from New York after 2014.
The NFL draft, in Philadelphia next month, has received its most fan interest since the event moved from New York after 2014.
In the 16 days leading up to Wednesday, 156,000 fans registered for the NFL Draft Experience, said Kamran Mumtaz, the league's director of communications.
That is the most fans to have signed up in the first 16 days since the league moved to the fan festival format in Chicago two years ago.
During the same period last year in Chicago, 48,000 signed up, so it's a 225 percent increase this year in Philadelphia.
The draft is scheduled for April 27-29 at an outdoor theater that will be constructed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The NFL Draft Experience, which is the fan festival, will extend along the Parkway to the Franklin Institute. It will be the size of 25 football fields and free to the public before and during the draft.
LED screens on each side will televise the draft and events that include skills testing and a 100-yard zip line.
The league moved to this format in 2015. Before then, attendance was limited to theater seating.
Fans registered for tickets from all 50 states, with Pennsylvania and New Jersey the top two. New York, Maryland, and Delaware were the other states in the top five.
Registration was done over the NFL's Fan Mobile Pass app. Those who applied will be randomly selected to win tickets inside the theater, which will seat approximately 3,000.
Those who do not get tickets will still have a chance to win stand-by tickets as space becomes available. They will also be able to view the draft from the festival through an open-air section of the theater.
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