The 2020 virtual NFL draft won’t stop commissioner Roger Goodell from getting booed
Every year during the NFL draft, commissioner Roger Goodell seems to be fueled by the thousands of boos from the audience whenever he steps on the stage.
He welcomes it.
He feeds off it.
And even though the draft is going virtual amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he can still experience your lovable hate.
Think it’s just a tad bit cruel? Well, it was Roger Goodell himself who said that the boos have always happened to be a pivotal part of the drafting experience. The 61-year-old commissioner told NBC Sports’ Peter King that you’re going to have to tune in to see if the hate follows him virtually.
“I guess you’re going to have to show up and watch,” Goodell said. “But I will say this: It’s a big part of the draft. I personally love the engagement with our fans. That [booing] is included. For us, we had to think through, ‘How are we going to bring fans into the event? How are we going to allow the boo to be part of the event in the past?’”
It was King who reported that “there will be a screen of fans from each team behind Goodell when he announces the pick. Could they boo? Stay tuned,” according to his weekly mock draft column.
But that’s not all.
Bud Light is officially getting in on the Goodell heckles.
Film your boos, and the NFL sponsor will donate $1 (up to $500,000) to the league’s Draft-A-Thon, a charity that will raise money for six organizations that are helping people who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, MassLive reported.
“The Draft-A-Thon will deliver much-needed funding to many who are suffering as well as those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Goodell said in a statement, according to MassLive. “Conducting this event virtually, and taking all necessary precautions while doing so, underscores the importance of staying home and staying strong during this unprecedented moment in our history.”
The prospect of virtual boos means Goodell could hear you voice your displeasure more clearly than ever, as noted by NFL.com’s Nick Shook.
“Instead of fighting through a few semi-awkward seconds of general disdain, the commissioner will be able to witness every individual boo endlessly. He could even loop them if he so desired,” Shook wrote. “Whether he’d choose to subject himself to such displeasure is another topic, but he might need the crisp, refreshing taste of a Bud Light Seltzer to make it through it.”
This story was originally published April 20, 2020 at 1:29 PM with the headline "The 2020 virtual NFL draft won’t stop commissioner Roger Goodell from getting booed."