The NFL wanted the 3,000-seat theater erected at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for this week's Draft to be "more accessible to fans, so they stuck to the plan of keeping the theater open-ended to allow fans gathered along the Parkway to crowd near the theater to watch," according to Zach Berman of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. The theater, built by Pennsylvania-based Mountain Productions, will have "three levels -- a floor, mezzanine, and loge." NFL Dir of Event Operations Eric Finkelstein said, "Our goal all along was what can we do to max out our space. ... It's something we've never been able to do before." He added, "If we do this right, it will look absolutely amazing and will be something to not only make the NFL proud to be associated with it but also showcase and highlight the city." Berman noted the plan for building the theater "focused on the Rocky steps" at the museum. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will announce picks "standing at a lectern along Rocky's path overlooking the city," while prospects will "walk down the steps to shake Goodell's hand when their names are called." NFL Senior VP/Events Peter O'Reilly said, "The steps are the hero here. That was critical." Berman noted Selection Square in Chicago helped spawn the idea of using the Franklin Institute for the Fan Fest. Each team will have a rep "set up under Benjamin Franklin's statue." They will "bring their card to a front desk for verification, and it will then be phoned into Goodell at the Art Museum." Most fans who attend the Draft "won't step foot in the theater, but they'll have 25 football fields of space for the NFL Draft Experience." There will also be a "zip line that will stretch 250 to 300 feet" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/23).
CROWD CONTROL: In Philadelphia, Suzetta Parmley noted two years ago, about half of the 200,000 people who went to the NFL Draft in Chicago "came from out of town." PHL Sports Exec Dir Larry Needle, whose group is part of the city's Convention & Visitors Bureau, said, "We are fully expecting tremendous crowds, and frankly I will be disappointed if we don't surpass the Chicago numbers" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/22).
DREAM COME TRUE: In Baltimore, Jonas Shaffer notes 14-year-old Obioha Onwuanibe, who was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer in '15, will announce the Ravens' top pick on Friday, realizing a dream with the "help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation." Onwuanibe got the news during a school assembly, where a "prerecorded video message from coach John Harbaugh played as Onwuanibe stood and watched" (Baltimore SUN, 4/24).
