NFL Draft logistics on agenda for LVCVA, NFL meeting
Representatives of the National Football League will be in Las Vegas next week to meet with Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority organizers on safety, traffic and logistics of April’s 2020 NFL draft.
While next week’s agenda won’t specifically address the roles of hundreds of volunteers for the event, the LVCVA is continuing to seek help.
The LVCVA issued an appeal for draft volunteers early this month. So far, 5,100 people have registered to be volunteers through the LVCVA’s online portal. That includes people who have volunteered for past events and are registered to volunteer for all of Las Vegas’ special events, including the April 23-25 draft. It’s unclear how many names were added after the appeal.
The LVCVA also has created a website to provide updates on draft events. It includes a link to the portal through which volunteers can express interest in non-paid roles for the draft as well as other major special events on the city’s calendar.
The site is at visitlasvegas.com and the home page includes an “NFL draft” tab. Through that draft page, prospective volunteers can access the Rosterfy registration form at https://lvcva.rosterfy.com/register.
“With an ever-growing roster of championship sports and special events coming to Las Vegas, it’s prime time for local residents to get involved and be part of the action,” Lisa Motley, director of sports marketing and special events for the LVCVA, said earlier this month. “This is a great opportunity to showcase our tremendous community pride and for locals to be an integral part of a variety of extremely exciting contests and special events.”
LVCVA officials already have outlined some of the responsibilities for volunteers.
Maria Phelan, a spokeswoman for the LVCVA, said volunteers would be ambassadors for the NFL Draft Experience by representing the city and the NFL in all fan-facing activities in and around draft activation locations.
Phelan said the NFL Draft Experience activation areas will be divided into zones with up to eight zones planned. Volunteers will be assigned to work in a specific zone. There will be three shifts scheduled per volunteer. Shifts will run five to six hours each and each shift will have 300-350 volunteers scheduled.
Another 120 volunteers will be selected to be team captains. Team captains will also work three shifts running about 6½ hours each. Zone areas include: Volunteer Headquarters, Non-Combine Experiences, Combine Experiences, Play 60 + Play Football, Red Carpet, Fan Services and Green-Sustainability Zone.
Volunteers aren’t being paid or given lodging, but will receive a shirt designating their volunteer status and boxed lunches. They’ll also get transportation to whatever venue they’re assigned to work.
When the NFL meets with the LVCVA and its nine-member Las Vegas Local Organizing Committee next week, it may outline further details, such as potential training dates for volunteers.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.
