DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Attending 2018 NFL Draft

First of all, this is my first post. Long time lurker. Even longer time Browns fan. Grew up and lived in Cincinnati, but was raised right by my Browns loving father. Moved to Louisiana, and married a Saints fan. Current Saints season ticket holder, and probably the reason the Saints are cursed now . But I still wear a Browns shirt under the Saints jersey at the game, and normally make it to a Browns game every year or two (this year in Houston).

So, it has been a long time goal for me to go to an NFL draft live. I started thinking about it and with 6 picks in the first 3 rounds, I figured, what year would be better than this year! I was talking with my wife, and being that it is in Dallas this year, she gave me the thumbs up that we can go!

Doing research, it seems there are 3 ways to go.

1. Enter the draft lottery, where they select a certain number of people from each team to go. But of course it is a lottery, and by no means a sure thing.

2. Buy the "NFL Experience" from NFL on location. But reading deeper, this tends to run $3000-5000 per person. Not counting airfare and hotel.

3. Show up the day of, and wait in line from 9 am, and HOPEFULLY get a spot.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Being that it is in AT&T Stadium in Arlington Texas this year, I am wondering if there will be more seats available? Unfortunately, being that the season is still going on, there is little to no information that I can find about it.

So let me know if anyone has gone and has some tips. Also, if anyone is planning to or thinking about going.

Welcome. Sorry to your wife on yesterday's game, that had to be hard.

I don't have experience with this, just wanted to welcoem you. Though I look forward to replies to learn for myself.

Yeah... it is no joke. She was actually getting texts and messages offering sympathies and condolences like she had lost a loved one! And legitimately accepting them! That was a hard pill to swallow!

I am out on a rig working now, and we were in the galley watching it. The absolute highs and the absolute lows were just crazy!!

Thanks for the welcome!

I was in the airport in Minneapolis - as you can imagine, they had quite the opposite reaction.

Hey Louisiana!

We're practically brothers. (Both signed up to DawgTalkers the same week back in 2014)

Let's see... draft day advice.

I belong to a Browns Club out here in Connecticut and I used to attend the Club's Draft Day #1 party every year. (back when I think it was a Saturday)

Be sure to have plenty of "research materials" and pen and paper.

It's a lot of fun to follow the action and to prognosticate who's going to be selected next as it's unfolding.

We used to meet at a bar (go figure).

We'd be sitting there drinking and arguing who will be next. A lot of fun.

Especially if you're a college football fan.

Being there - at the draft - must be a whole different ballgame. I'd probably miss most of the draft going around meeting people.

If you're a "draftnik" TV is probably better.

If you're a party animal, good luck getting those tickets!

Which rig you working on? I'm in the Gulf Of Mexico also. But I'm on a Petroleum Tanker going between Texas City and Charleston. But I recognize the names of most of the Rigs

Rocky... yeah I joined, but just never really got into posting. I posted a lot on the old board, but always just lurked here.

I am the same way as you. I live for the draft! Analyzing, projecting, debating and picking. It is the best. But I have always wanted to be there at the draft. Just one time to say I did it. I know it will be a VERY different experience. But still want to do it.

Petey, I'm on a Seadrill rig called the "West Neptune". There are a bunch of these rigs that are nearly identical... West Vela, West Capricorn, West Auriga, and a few others. Big orange drill ships.

Hmm, I only know one Neptune. That's the one that shows up on AIS (and our GPS Chart Plotter System). There isn't much east of it. Wonder if that's you.

It's pretty big. Don't think it's as big as Blind Faith or BP Thunder Horse though

We are in Walker Ridge right now. We were in Viosca Knoll before that. But about to head somewhere else in a few days.

Ah, yes! Live is good end of April...

Gotcha, must be another Neptune. My routes are much further South than you

I do not, sorry. Mixed NFL marriages are rough, and that last game had hurt.

I never did this, but I am hoping tolerant the "how to" )or how "not to) in the thread here. Had no idea how expensive this must be!

Welcome aboard! Hope to see you in threads.

Yeah, but as a Browns fan, I feel that I am best equipped to help her deal with such a devastating loss. I feel Browns fans are true experts in the field.

No team has ever lost a postseason game on a walk off touchdown. I see you and raise you...

No team has ever lost on a walk off blocked field goal for a touchdown... before us....

No team has ever lost on a thrown helmet personal foul call leading to a made field goal with no time remaining before us....

No team has ever had a game called off short due to irate fans and bottles littering the field before us.

I won't go further. These are just the ones that come to mind since we came back. But needless to say... we are experts in dealing with tragic losses.

Well they were plastic bottles, so there's that.

So I just got an email on Monday morning that I won the NFL Draft lottery and have tickets for the 1st round of the NFL draft!

I had tried to buy tickets through "NFL On Location". I had been in contact with them, and they finally sent me an email saying the tickets were on sale, and I went to buy them, and day 1 were already sold out.

I had applied for the lottery right when it was announced back in February. I kept checking to see when the winners would be announced, and all the reports were that it would be the end of March, so when March came and went I assumed I was not going despite my best efforts.

I am so excited. My wife and I already booked the flights and hotels. We only have tickets for day 1, but we are staying through Saturday. I figure we can try to get standby tickets for day 2, and if not, I hear the party outside of the stadium is expected to be fun with a lot of activities.

Not sure if anyone else is going on this forum, but I will be there representing for the Browns!!! Beyond excited!

That's so awesome. I live in the DFW area but will be in Mexico. So wish to be there.

Lots to do. I'd bet the Brownsbackers locally will do something near the draft if you look them up.

Draft will give fans of each team their own section

Posted by Mike Florio on April 9, 2018, 6:28 AM EDT

In 17 days, the draft does Dallas — and Dallas will do the draft like no other city ever has.

“This is going to be the most talked-about draft in history,” NFL draft historian and custodian Gil Brandt tells Peter King of SI.com. “And not just because quarterbacks could go one through four, or four of the top five picks. But this will be an incredible extravaganza. For years to come, people will compare every draft to Dallas. The saying, Everything’s bigger in Texas, will definitely apply.”

Here’s a new twist that has never been done before, in part because the draft has never been held in a football stadium. “We’ll have sections all over the stadium for all 32 teams, and it’ll be like a competition between all the teams and their fans,” Brandt said.

The competition will be rigged, because it will essentially be a home game for Cowboys fans. But the fans of the 32 teams surely will have one thing on which that can all agree: Every time the Commissioner walks to the podium, they’ll be speaking with one, unified voice.

Is the Browns section in the parking lot? I don't feel the love when the talking heads jaw with each other and ignore our pick or it is made during commercials. I want to see first rounds, but the cover gets worse and the discussions dumber later on. Somebody believes that more people chatting is where it is at. Picks and footage. Less you, more football.

I saw the article about fans being in designated sections. I am very curious to see how it works because I am going with my Saints fan wife.

I know, when I registered to win the tickets in the lottery, it asked what team you rooted for. I registered myself as a Browns fan, and my wife registered as a Saints fan... and it was her email that won. So I wonder if that means that I will be in the "Saints Fans" section.

If you end up sitting in the Saints section let us know if you can so we can see what you look like. That we can put a face to your posts on here.

Anybody have plans for tonight?

Let's face it, it might be the most exciting Browns moment we have all year.

I'm meeting up with my friend and we are going to a draft party.

She and I used to watch Browns games together, for like 10 years.

So we're going to this Browns Backers bar, and there will be Browns trivia before hand.

It's supposed to be packed.

So this will be pretty cool. Watching the draft surrounded by Browns fans!!!

Quietly spent at home so I can laugh, cry, celebrate stupidly, scream, cuss or destroy my TV if I wish!

I suppose there's a chance I do all the above! It IS the Cleveland Browns...

I have been trying really hard to clean up my language. I want my language to reflect my faith ....and I have been, largely, successful.

I have a bad feeling that tonight is going to test my resolve, though.

Nothing special here. Going watch it in the comfort of my own home, where Yuengling is not far away to refill haha.

Have fun everyone.

That's cool but your heart is where it's at. We'll always struggle with the other stuff. Stay strong! Go Browns!

I’m just staying home with my wife and pups.

did anyone attend?

Attended a draft day party in Boardman @ Suzies Dogs

They brought in John Greco (local Boardman guy) and Joe Thomas. Was really cool-my son really loved it

oh sweet! sounds fun

The same Joe Thomas punk that was too good to attend his draft day???

I had to experience it at a Backer bar last night. Thought I needed to see a huge crowd reaction to the picks in person at least once.

Not too much happiness . . .

I was there for the first round. I got to the NFL Draft experience right when it opened! I got to watch Jay Glazer interview Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen. Nick Chubb was there, and now that we drafted him, I wish I could have caught him.

The ticket process was pretty random. We walked up to claim our ticket. They scanned our QR code, and handed us the ticket that was on top of the pile, which luckily was section 205. I talked to another Browns fan, and the same happened to him, and was given section 605. So i guess that was just the luck of the draw.

Down on the field they had a select group of fans from each team grouped according to the team. That was pretty cool.

On each seat there was a goody bag full of snacks, coupons and other trinkets. Also included was a little one ear radio, that allowed you to listen live to the ESPN or NFL.com. That was pretty awesome.

Michael Irvin and whoever the girl were that would come out and talk between all the picks were pretty worthless. It was cool that they interacted with the fans near the stage, but as far as content it would have been just as good if they weren't there.

The turnout for Browns fans was EXCELLENT. After Dallas fans, we were definitely the 2nd or 3rd most fans present.

Really had an amazing time!

Well, he runs a 4.52, so......