ESPN may have the rights to broadcast the NFL Draft, but CBS and Fox Sports have found new ways to engage their viewers and bring the draft closer to home.
CBS Sports will stream in-depth video analysis of the 2015 draft on their website and application throughout all three days of the draft. Former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn, CBS NFL Insider Jason La Canfora, columnist Pete Prisco, Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com and host Jamie Erdahl will grade and provide commentary for all 32 first-round picks as they happen.
CBS NFL writer John Breech will provide updates from the draft, and a new set of hosts will be featured on Draft Grades Live for rounds 2 to 7.
CBS will also allow fans to interact with the draft by predicting upcoming picks on CBSSports.com’s live Draft tracker, search for prospects by school, position and player rating, and see real-time grades, analysis and tweets from experts. Fans can follow along with their favorite team’s picks, see mock drafts, and stay on top of every trade. Mobile app users on iPhone, Apple Watch and Android will additionally get real-time alerts about every pick and trade.
Fox Sports, on the other hand, will be using Periscope, the new live streaming app that hit 1 million sign-ins over its first 10 days. Fox Sports will stream all of its live coverage through Periscope on their Fox Sports Live account.
Fox will also live stream the draft from their Fox Sports Go app and provide analysis of every draft pick. Fox NFL Insider Jay Glazer, reporter Pete Schrager, analyst Joel Klatt, Fox Sports 1 insider Mike Garofalo and host Don Bell will pick apart the draft in real time in Chicago, where the draft is being held.
New technologies are providing diverse ways to cover sporting events and give fans new avenues to follow their favorite teams. They put less reliance on living room viewing and allow for real-time updates across a number of devices. Live streaming apps like Periscope and Meerkat also take away some power from those who own the rights to broadcast an event on television.
The success of networks like CBS and Fox, who are broadening their virtual footprint, will dictate whether television will have mobile rivals to compete with going forward.
You can tune in to the first round of the draft which starts at 8 p.m. ET on April 30.
