NEW YORK -- The NFL is making its already popular draft even more television-friendly, moving the first round to Thursday night.
Next year's draft will switch from a two-day, weekend format to a three-day event with the opening round in prime time for the first time.
The NFL said Thursday that the first round will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on April 22. The second and third rounds will start at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, with the last four rounds beginning Saturday morning.
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"Moving the first round to prime time on Thursday night will make the first round of the draft available to fans on what is typically the most-watched night of television," commissioner Roger Goodell said in a release.
The draft will continue to be televised by ESPN and NFL Network and held at Radio City Music Hall.
Over the years, it has evolved from a mostly unnoticed affair to a major TV event. The draft took place on Saturday-Sunday from 1995-2009 and Sunday-Monday from 1988-94. Before that, it was held on one or two weekdays.
A total of 39 million viewers watched the draft this year.
The NFL said the first round lasted just under 3½ hours in 2009, which would fit neatly into a prime-time slot.
