It was a memorable 2019 NFL Draft as the annual three-day event was hosted for the initial time by Nashville, Tenn.
Nashville delivered the most-watched and highest-rated draft in history, supplanting record-breaking numbers from just a year prior in Dallas, while also shattering attendance figures with greater than 600,000 fans clamoring to watch it live.
"The 2019 NFL Draft was a tremendous continuation of the celebration of the NFL's 100th season and an opportunity to welcome the next generation of stars," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "Dramatic and emotional storylines played out in cities across the country with the energetic host city of Nashville serving as a breathtaking backdrop to hundreds of thousands of passionate fans who lined the streets and enjoyed a unique NFL Draft experience."
Across the NFL Network, ESPN, ABC and digital channels, the 2019 NFL Draft combined for a 3.9 HH TV rating and an average of 6.1 million viewers. Across all Nielsen-measured channels, the draft telecasts combined to reach for more than 47.5 million viewers over the three days, which was up five percent from 2018.
2019's version of the draft also featured the broadest distribution of NFL Draft video as the NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, along with NFL and ESPN digital properties, showcasing it. Thanks to the collaborative distribution approach of the NFL Media and The Walt Disney Company, the combined rating and viewership grew 11 and five percent, respectively.
Viewership metrics reflect Nielsen Fast Nationals, Nielsen Fast Total Audience Estimates and ESPN/NFL digital measurement.
