What can the NHL take away from the 2020 NFL draft?

The 2020 NFL Draft was done virtually and was a complete success. If the NHL follows suit, what can the NHL improve on from the NFL’s example?

It might not have been the NHL, or even live sports, but at least it was something. Last week, when the NFL held its annual draft, it was the first event of the nation’s four major professional sports leagues since the sports shutdown in mid-March. It might not have been business as usual, with a virtual draft done more or less done over a glorified FaceTime session, but the show must go on.

Fans tuned in with record numbers. The NFL, by all accounts, succeeded with their virtual draft experiment. Technical glitches were non-existent. Even though the NHL has “postponed” their regularly scheduled draft, all eyes were probably on the NFL and how hockey could adapt to the NFL’s model. Even if it was a success there are a few things the NHL can learn from the NFL here.

Integrate Your Broadcasts and Locations

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The NFL draft was broadcast both on ESPN and ABC, who fall under the same ownership group. NFL general managers, coaches, executives all drafted from their homes with exciting draftees getting the news from their own homes. Commissioner Roger Goodell announced each pick from the comfort of his own basement.

Compare that to the NHL where their draft is usually a mix between their American broadcasting partners and Canadian broadcasting partners. A live traditional draft from Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada seems unlikely now, but where exactly would this virtual draft be held?

It’s easy to imagine the NHL follow the NFL model of keeping team personnel and potential draftees at home. Perhaps in lieu of his house NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman could call the draft from the NHL headquarters, which might be a smoother process for all parties involved.

Next, the NHL would have to standardize their broadcast. The different television stations that cover the draft could continue to have their own commentators and analysis, but would have to share a feed of Gary Bettman and draftee reactions.

Once officially drafted, the players can hold separate interviews with different news outlets virtually, but there will most likely only be one feed of camera of Gary Bettman.

Can We Make Gary Bettman Look Good?

The biggest winner of the NFL draft by far seems to be Commissioner Roger Goodell. Instead of hearing fan boos from his ivory tower, the commissioner took a casual and relaxed approach towards the draft. The draft humanized him in the eyes of fans. Usually he’s a man in a suit football fans love to hate. For three days of this year’s draft he was a man talking about football in his man cave.

Can Gary Bettman have the same public relations extreme makeover Goodell did? Hockey fans have had a lot harder of a time than football fans, considering the multiple lockouts. Add that to the fact that Bettman has become the face of the over commercialization of the game, and it’s an uphill battle for the most powerful man in hockey.

Another thing Goodell did was embrace the boos. There was even a #BooTheCommish hashtag, which the league used to raise money. Maybe the NHL should follow suit. After all, if there’s one thing Bettman’s good at doing, it’s getting booed.

Be Wary Of On Screen Graphics

Broadcasts of the 2020 NFL draft were mostly a success, keyword mostly. One universally hated aspect was the constant attention given to tragedy in the players lives. Before you saw highlights from their college career ESPN seemed to have a graphic ready highlighting a sad part of their lives, such as the death of a family member.

Part of this was understandable in the fact that everyone loves rooting for an underdog, and someone who overcomes personal setbacks. When draft pick after draft pick seemed to have their personal struggles highlighted it became redundant at best, depressing at worse. Let’s hope the NHL uses that time in their broadcast to show off some statistics or literally anything else.

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There’s still a lot to figure out before a draft can be held. The biggest question is not only when will a draft be held, but if it will be held before or after a resumed season. Can draft seeding be determined while the league is still somewhat at play and before the Stanley Cup has been awarded? That remains to be seen.

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