‘Good Morning America’ Host Robin Roberts Will Anchor ABC NFL Draft Coverage
Ironically, a woman named after a baseball player will host ABC’s opening night presentation for the 2019 National Football League draft, marking its first coverage of the annual player dispersal.
Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts will be live from Nashville on Thursday, April 25 starting at 8 PM ET on ABC and via streaming. Roberts will host the prime-time broadcast of Round 1, joined on a separate set by co-host Rece Davis and the crew from College GameDay Built by The Home Depot.
Related stories
ESPN+ And UFC Extend Deal, Add Pay-Per-View Rights Through 2025
'Heart Of Life': Jessica Stroup Cast In ABC Drama Pilot Inspired By John Mayer Song
As part of her host role, Roberts will conduct interviews from an ABC set located on Broadway in Nashville. Additionally, she will highlight the prospects selected by NFL teams during the draft.
“As a former college athlete and devoted football fan, I am thrilled to host such an exciting event that honors the hard work and talent of student athletes,” said Roberts. “I’m looking forward to working with my ESPN colleagues again and watching dreams come true!”
ABC will broadcast all three days of the NFL Draft, including back-to-back nights live in prime time, adding to the continued coverage on ESPN and NFL Network. ABC will provide differentiated coverage that focuses on the journey of the NFL Draft prospects, focusing on the part their families play in their success and the hard work to become an NFL Draft selection.
“The only thing better than broadcasting the NFL Draft on ABC is having Robin Roberts co-host the first of three live installments of this pinnacle event for the upcoming football season,” said Rob Mills, senior vice president, Alternative Series, Specials and Late Night, ABC Entertainment. “She is a master at her craft and will be a resonating voice that brings life to the stories of this year’s crop of talented athletes and the families that support them.”
Added Stephanie Druley, executive vice president, Event and Studio Production, ESPN, “Robin is a natural storyteller who always elevates coverage of big events, which makes her ideally suited to host ABC’s opening night of the NFL Draft with our ‘College GameDay’ team. Robin excels at connecting the audience with her interview subjects, and our presentation will give fans a closer look at the experiences of the athletes and their families as they accomplish the dream of making it to the National Football League.”
Roberts started her national broadcasting career as a SportsCenter anchor. At ESPN, she covered the NFL Draft and was a regular contributor to NFL PrimeTime. Roberts has continued to work with ESPN through the years at The ESPYS Awards, the Special Olympics World Games and more.
This is the 40th consecutive year ESPN will televise the NFL Draft and the first year ABC will serve as the event’s exclusive broadcast home.
Schedule:
Thursday, April 25 (8:00-11:30 p.m. EDT): NFL Draft, Round 1 – ABC, ESPN/ESPN2, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio
Friday, April 26 (7:00-11:30 p.m. EDT): NFL Draft, Rounds 2 and 3 – ABC, ESPN/ESPN2, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio
Saturday, April 27 (12:00-7:00 p.m. EDT): NFL Draft, Rounds 4–7 – ABC (simulcast of ESPN telecast), ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
