The NFL Draft will not be held in New York City this year for the first time in 50 years. The league announced last summer that the draft would be moved to Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. More changes to the draft, to make it more fan-friendly, were revealed Thursday.
The 2015 draft, which will begin on April 30, will be an indoor/outdoor event with teams making their selections in tents along Michigan Avenue in what is being called "Selection Square." Each of the 32 teams will have an assigned spot that "celebrates the culture of their franchise."
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Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's senior vice president of events, said the venue change gave the league "a chance to re-imagine what the draft could be."
"Every year we can't really satisfy the demand for fans that want to be inside the theater, so now we're creating this Draft Town in Grant Park, just across from the Auditorium Theatre, in order to allow more fans to experience the excitement of the draft," O'Reilly told NFL.com.
While events inside Auditorium Theatre will be similar to what has been done in years past at Radio City Music Hall and the previous New York venues, the outdoor "Draft Town" will be a fan fest of sorts at Grant Park and Congress Plaza. NFL fans will have a chance to run a 40-yard dash, kick a field goal or pose with the Lombardi Trophy, at no charge.
Top prospects invited to the draft will also participate in fan events and the league will continue using team legends at the draft in various activities.