Getty Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis.
As the country tries to get the coronavirus outbreak under control, many have looked to the sports world for updates. We’ve already seen the NBA season suspended, the XFL season canceled and much more. While the NFL is far removed from games being played, the NFL Draft in Las Vegas in April was supposed to be a massive event. However, the league has decided to make some serious changes to the structure of the event. The selection process will still be televised, but there will no longer be an event in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Raiders were heavily involved with the event and had some amazing plans. Owner Mark Davis issued a statement about the change and believes the NFL is making the right call:
After careful consideration, the Las Vegas Raiders, the NFL, the NFLPA and the LVCVA have decided to cancel the 2020 Las Vegas NFL Draft celebration. Health and safety has always been our top priority, so despite it being a major disappointment, this was the right decision. I would like to thank Governor Sisolak and the LVCVA for all of the passion they put into creating an event that would have been second to none. Although Las Vegas lost this chance to shine, there will be many more opportunities to show the world just what Las Vegas is made of. Whether it be the Draft, the Pro Bowl or the Super Bowl, the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World is ready!
The CDC recommended that gatherings of 50 or more people be avoided for the next eight weeks. The draft is happening in about six weeks. In this case, it’s much more important for the NFL to be overly cautious as the world is still trying to figure out how to combat the pandemic.
Based on Davis’ statement, it doesn’t appear like there are concrete plans to give Las Vegas the draft in the future. Regardless, the NFL will figure out a way to make it up to the city as they’ve already invested a lot in the event. There will be plenty of opportunities for the NFL to showcase Las Vegas.
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Las Vegas Had Big Plans for the Draft
The draft in Las Vegas certainly would’ve been a unique experience. There were plans to use the fountain at the Bellagio to transport draftees to and from a stage. Las Vegas is a city that is was more than equipped to handle such a big event, but it looks like they’ll have to move on.
Your first look at the 2020 #NFLDraft 👀
It seems very possible the NFL will give the city a draft in the future, but probably won’t happen in 2021. This might be a good thing as the Raiders have yet to even play a game in Las Vegas yet. It might be better to get an idea of how the market reacts to football before they host such a large scale event.
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Raiders’ Mark Davis Issues Strong Statement About Draft Cancellation