New details have been released on events planned for Nashville’s hosting of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Nashville was announced as the host city for the 2019 NFL draft last May. The event is expected to draw more than 300,000 people to Music City over the Draft weekend, which area organizers are calling the largest festival footprint ever for an NFL Draft
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- The NFL draft red carpet will be held at Riverfront Park on Thursday, April 25.
- The draft picks main stage will be at First Avenue and Broadway from April 25 through April 27.
- A “high-level” of musical talent is being booked to perform on the main stage along with another stage across the Cumberland River.
- The Schermerhorn Symphony Center will host “Selection Square” where coaches will make their selections though that will be closed to the public.
- A free family-friendly NFL draft experience will be hosted at Nissan Stadium throughout the weekend.
- Admission is free. There will be limited seating areas (and some VIP areas), but the idea is most fans can stand and walk.
“I think every year we have raised the bar, and I am incredibly confident that in Nashville, we’ll raise it again,” said Matt Shapiro, Vice President, Event Strategy & Integration at the National Football League. “Just how special that downtown area is, and the energy that comes on every single day of the week, it is a really exciting prospect to think about bringing the energy and excitement of our draft to an area that on its own has that level of energy and excitement. I think it has that multiplier effect that puts the draft at a level we’ve never seen before.”
“I am extremely excited,” said President/CEO Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp Butch Spyridon. “It will be interactive, immersive, entertaining and free. With free being the buzzword. This is that icing on the cake that says: Nashville can do this as well as anybody. That is what motivates me as much as anything – that the city can shine at the highest level.
“The campus is going to be user friendly. There’s going to be world class entertainment, 1,000 media and three networks carrying this thing. It has everything we’ve all worked for to put Nashville on the biggest stage we can up to this point. Come to Nashville, and join in the party.”
Additional details about draft weekend from Titans Online:
The NFL Draft Experience will invite families and fans of all ages to enjoy a free admission, three-day football festival held surrounding Nissan Stadium. Fans can participate in interactive exhibits, immersive games, virtual reality experiences, free player autograph sessions and more.
The Draft Experience will include:
- Autograph Stage with current NFL players and NFL Legends.
- Interactive games, Play Football clinics, and PLAY 60 Zone for the smallest NFL fans.
- Photo with the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
- NFL Shop at Draft with exclusive NFL merchandise.
- Taste of Tailgate with Nashville restaurants and Bud Light Bars.
- NFL Draft Experience stage with TBD artists.
The hours of operation for the NFL Draft Experience are Thursday, April 25 from noon to 10 p.m., Friday, April 26 from noon to 10 p.m. and Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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