NFL Draft goes primetime in 2010 with Round One broadcast in Primetime

Big news regarding the 2010 NFL Draft:

Commissioner Roger Goodell notified teams Thursday that the draft will be spread over three days in 2010, running Thursday, April 22, through Saturday, April 24.

In addition, the first round will start in prime time at 7:30 p.m. ET.

"We continue to look for ways to make the draft more accessible to more fans," Goodell said in a statement. "Moving the first round to prime time on Thursday night will make the first round of the draft available to fans on what is typically the most-watched night of television."

ESPN and the NFL Network will televise the entire show.

The second and third rounds will start at 6:30 p.m. ET on April 23.

Rounds 4 through 7 will be on April 24, starting at 10 a.m. ET.

More than 39 million watched the draft during the 2009 two-day broadcast.

Wow! Looks like the league wants to cash in a bit on some serious primetime ad revenue. And why not? Millions of fans watch the draft. The first round is nearly akin to the first half of the Super Bowl.

Also, moving the draft from Saturday to Thursday in April will have the event compete seriously with many primetime TV shows. 2010 should be an interesting draft, to say the least.