Scroll down for an update on plans for a resumption of live action sports. After weeks of hype, continuous commentary about Tua Tagovailoa's medical history and whether his stock would fall or rise, the NFL's virtual draft is a reality with 255 college players selected and a host of ratings records in the books. Over the course of some 15 hours on April 23-25, coverage by ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes and digital channels reached a draft-record 55 million viewers, according to Nielsen data, up 16% from 2019. The average audience of 8.4 million smashed last year's previous high of 6.2 million by 35%. Moreover, each round set new standards: an average audience of 15.6 million for Round 1 on April 23; 8.2 million for Rounds 2 and 3 the following day; and 4.2 million for Rounds 4 through 7 on April 25.
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