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The "fully virtual" 2020 NFL draft was a massive commercial success for the league.
The league announced 55 million viewers tuned into the event over three days, setting a new record. The 8.4 million average viewers was a 35 percent increase from 2019 as well.
Running concurrently with the draft, the NFL held a three-day fundraiser, with the proceeds going toward six charities offering aid tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. The "Draft-a-Thon" raised more than $6.6 million.
While there were obvious concerns tied to the unique format, the whole thing went smoothly, so much so that it underscored some of the more unnecessary aspects of the draft spectacle.