The NFL is following the lead of other leagues around the world in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The league announced on Monday that the 2020 NFL Draft will take place as scheduled on April 23-25, but the public events in Las Vegas have been canceled.
The NFL is “innovative options” for the draft process that weekend, but fans will not be able to attend. The selection process will be televised, however.
“This decision reflects our foremost priority — the health and safety of all fans and citizens,” Goodell said in a statement. “While this outcome is disappointing both to the NFL and to the Las Vegas community, we look forward to partnering with the Raiders, the City of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for a future NFL Draft as well as evaluating opportunities for other major NFL events in Las Vegas in the future, including the Super Bowl.”
The draft has become a spectacle and marquee event for the NFL, hosting hundreds of thousands of fans across the three days. But with how fast the virus is spreading, the NFL couldn’t afford to put more people at risk by holding it from April 23-25 as it was originally scheduled.