Don’t expect the NFL Draft to move back to April anytime soon.

NFL Draft (2)

The NFL owns August through early February by virtue of the season and playoffs. It owned March and April with free agency and the draft in previous years. This year the NFL used an excuse of the venue being scheduled requiring a move to May 8-10th. That did not happen. Why would any venue, even one as well known as Radio City Music Hall, schedule something to conflict with a hugely popular event like the NFL draft? They wouldn’t.

The show that was supposedly scheduled was canceled but the NFL had already set the date for May.

Here is the truth. The NFL wanted to take May back from Major League Baseball. The draft is the best way to do that. The anticipation prior to the draft will keep sports talk shows talking about the NFL. I am lucky because since NNR started on the air in January of 2011, after week 5 all the Browns fans want to talk about is the NFL Draft.

The NFL will also dominate talk for the rest of May due to discussions of what teams did and should have done. The league has stolen May from MLB and has no desire to ever give it back. So MLB has June and July with a little bit of October to call its own.

Roger Goodell said yesterday that the NFL is considering making the draft a 4 day event. Due to constraints set upon the league by negotiations with the Union, there will be no more than 7 rounds including compensatory picks awarded by the league for lost free agents. So you have to wonder if the teams will be allowed more time to make each pick. That would allow for more commercial breaks for the NFL network and ESPN between picks. At this point, nothing the league does to increase revenues would surprise me.

That is what I think. Tell us what you think.

NOTE: Check out the live News, Notes and Rumors show on Monday, Thursday and Friday at 6 PM Eastern on or https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/. On Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports, former NFL scout Kelron Sykes and I talk NFL draft with just a little Indians and Cavs thrown in. The archive is available on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/. Please join us.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/. Follow him on twitter @NNRonDSN to get the schedule of Special News, Notes and Rumors broadcasts. You can hear the previous shows on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/ and the live show Mondays at 6 PM Eastern time on .

He also edits .

To keep up with the News, Notes & Rumors podcasts, follow me on twitter @NNRonDSN.

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