The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Haslams proud Cleveland hosting draft
The actual draft will take place on a stage well protected from the elements inside a massive theater 225 feet deep, 200 feet wide and 90 feet high.
Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam smiled and sounded like proud firsttime parents during an April 27 Zoom call while talking Cleveland hosting the NFL draft just a long Nick Chubb run from FirstEnergy Stadium.
Rain or shine — and it looks like rain for the first day at least — the draft runs from April 29-May 1.
The actual draft will take place on a stage well protected from the elements inside a massive theater 225 feet deep, 200 feet wide and 90 feet high. Fans visiting the NFL Draft Experience inside and around the stadium will have to dodge raindrops and fend for themselves.
“Obviously, just a great week,” Dee Haslam said. “We could not be more fired up about the draft here at the Browns but also just hosting the draft here in Cleveland.
“Just a great community, the national exposure has just been tremendous. It’s so much fun to wake up and watch ‘Good Morning Football’ and hear them nonstop talking about Cleveland. That’s just the best thing and to see the beautiful views.”
The timing works out well for the Browns to feel pride in their success on the field. Had this happened in 2017 or 2018, when the Browns had the first pick both years (Myles Garrett and Baker Mayfield) after finishing 1-15 and 0-16, the ESPN and NFL Network announcers would have filled airtime talking about how pathetic the Browns are. Instead, the Browns will be picking 26th after finishing 11-5 — their best record in 26 years — so Mel Kiper and the boys should gush over them.
The Haslams believe EVP of Football Operations Andrew Berry and Coach Kevin Stefanski will have continued success because the two Ivy League grads are in sync.
“That’s something we obviously struggled with early on,” Jimmy Haslam said. “The ‘alignment’ has been obviously really positive going into last season, working through COVID and obviously this offseason. Dee and I were elated at how well we played late in the year, making the playoffs and winning a playoff game but way, way more stoked and happy for everybody who works in the organization because they do the real work, the hard work, whether that be coaches, players, scouts or business side. You could see how happy everybody was, even in a COVID-like environment, which was tremendously gratifying.”
Jimmy Haslam used the Zoom call to encourage fans to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The NFL and the city of Cleveland will be watched closely to see how they balance large crowds — 50,000 fans a day are expected — with staying safe from the pandemic. League officials are confident they have the situation under control.
“All the safety protocols are in place,” Dee Haslam said. “We have a vaccinated area. We feel very confident that we can pull off the event safely. I do think it’s going to give people some excitement to get out.
“There are a lot of people I know who are planning on tailgating, coming downtown and experiencing the draft like they would normally experience a game, even though they’re not going to be up close to the stage but just want to experience it. We encourage people to do that — social distance, of course — but I think it is going to be a tremendous time in Cleveland and lots of fun.”
Following are the times each of the nine sessions for the NFL Draft Experience: Anyone attending must have a ticket (they are free) obtained at NFL.com through the OnePass app.
• April 29 — Session 1: noon to 4 p.m; Session 2: 4 to 7 p.m; Session 3: 7 to 10 p.m., or the send of the first round.
The times for April 30 are the same as April 29 and also designated Sessions 1, 2 and 3 — not four, five and six. The last session ends at 10 p.m. or the end of the third round.
• May 1 — Session 1: 9 a.m. to noon; Session 2: noon to 3 p.m; Session 3: 3 to 6 p.m. or until the final pick in the seventh round.