Roger Goodell on Virtual 2020 NFL Draft: 'We Need More Experiences Together'

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said "we need more experiences together" ahead of the first round of the 2020 NFL draft Thursday night. 

Goodell explained during an appearance on ABC's Good Morning America he hopes the draft can provide a short-term "distraction or diversion" during the coronavirus pandemic:

The 2020 draft, which was originally scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, will instead happen in a virtual format over the next three days.

Goodell provided a look at his basement from which he'll host the event:

The challenge facing major sports leagues around the United States is figuring out how to play games when there's no end in sight for the social distancing guidelines put in place because of COVID-19.

"Because people are stuck at home, and I think they need a diversion," NBA commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN's Rachel Nichols in March. "They need to be entertained."

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said last week he didn't expect any large gatherings in his city, which is home to 10 pro teams across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLB and MLS until at least 2021.

"It's difficult to imagine us getting together in the thousands anytime soon, so I think we should be prepared for that this year," he told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "... But until there's either a vaccine, some sort of pharmaceutical intervention, or herd immunity, the science is the science. And public health officials have made very clear we have miles and miles to walk before we can be back in those environments."

So the "experiences" Goodell desires will likely look far more like this year's virtual NFL draft than the typical in-stadium environment fans have become accustomed to over the decades.