A record 55 million viewers watch athletes in their homes
Streaming from the home shatters records with 36% increase in viewers
The 2020 NFL Draft went ahead in a fully virtual format. The viewing figures were up by an average of 36% year on year and reached a record 55 million viewers over three days.
Each year American footballers are picked live on TV. The footballers are present during the show and the reactions of the chosen ones are a key feature of the show. This year, the audience got to see this from the homes of the footballers, using mobile phones to capture their reactions.
Many people were skeptical about whether this should go ahead this year while so many were in the midst of massive suffering and loss. But it soon became clear that this virtual event gave hope and was just what US sports fans needed.
Fans gained unprecedented access to footballers homes and families with some emotional moment from many people in all parts of the American football business.