NASHVILLE – GRAMMY-winner Tim McGraw will headline a free outdoor concert on Friday, April 26 as part of the 2019 NFL Draft celebration at the Draft Main Stage in downtown Nashville, the NFL and Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced today. GRAMMY-winning gospel music great CeCe Winans will sing the National Anthem to help open NFL Draft activities on Thursday, April 25.
More than 20 Nashville-based acts representing diverse genres of music will perform during the three days of activities on the Draft Main Stage and at the NFL Draft Experience presented by Oikos® Triple Zero, a free admission football festival held outside Nissan Stadium. Additional performances will be announced in the coming weeks. No other NFL Draft has integrated free live music to the degree that will be included in the Nashville Draft. McGraw serves on the Nashville Local Organizing Committee for the Nashville Draft.
“Each year, the NFL strives to make the Draft weekend a memorable experience for our fans,” said NFL Executive Vice President, Events & Club Business Development, Peter O’Reilly. “The passionate fan base and iconic location will ensure a unique experience that is unlike anything fans have ever seen. We want to thank the Tennessee Titans and the city of Nashville for being a gracious host for the 2019 NFL Draft. We would also like to thank Tim and CeCe for generously giving their time to our fans to make their experience even more memorable.”
“Tim is a world-class musician who will no doubt elevate the fan experience that the NFL and the city are bringing to downtown for the Draft,” said Nashville Mayor David Briley. “Tim’s performance will be a showcase of the talent and charisma we have in our city. Come April, the country will once again see why Nashville has become the international destination it is today.”
The 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville is expected to be the largest event in Nashville and the State of Tennessee given the anticipated attendance over three days, national networks and media coverage.
Downtown Nashville’s Lower Broadway and the area outside Nissan Stadium will host free, public activities for the 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville April 25-27. The 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville will continue the NFL’s centennial season celebration that kicked off at Super Bowl LIII in February. The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, in partnership with the Tennessee Titans, led the bid process for the NFL Draft on behalf of the city.
McGraw will perform a free outdoor concert on Lower Broadway on Friday, April 26 at the Draft Main Stage, which is where the player selections will take place. His performance will begin at conclusion of selection activities on Friday.
McGraw has had 43 number one radio singles, 16 number one albums and countless industry awards and accolades. McGraw recently performed for the NFL’s official Tailgate party at Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta.
The concerts are among the many ways local fans can participate in the Draft celebration.
2019 NFL DRAFT EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY OIKOS® TRIPLE ZERO
Sponsored by Bridgestone, Bud Light, Dannon, FedEx, Ford, Lowe’s, Mars, Nationwide, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Sleep Number, Verizon and Visa
The NFL Draft Experience presented by Oikos® Triple Zero is a free admission, three-day football festival held outside Nissan Stadium. Representing the largest festival footprint ever created by the NFL, fans can participate in interactive exhibits, immersive games, virtual reality experiences, free player autograph sessions and more.
NFL Draft Experience hours of operation:
• April 25 (Thursday): 12PM to 10PM
• April 26 (Friday): 12PM to 10PM
• April 27 (Saturday): 9AM to 6PM
Activations at the NFL Draft Experience:
• Autograph Stage with current NFL players and NFL Legends
• Interactive games, Play Football clinics, and PLAY 60 Zone presented by Danimals®
for the smallest NFL fans • Photo with the Vince Lombardi Trophy
• NFL Shop presented by Visa at Draft with exclusive NFL merchandise
• Taste of Tailgate with Nashville restaurants and Bud Light Bars
• NFL Draft Experience Draft X stage with 1 Nashville-based artists of all genres
• Look Like a Pro: Step inside a replica NFL Draft Main Stage bearing a draft day jersey of your favorite NFL team and have your photo taken. Share your photos through your favorite social channel and Fan Mobile Pass.
• PEPSI NFL Helmet Photo Opportunity: Find your favorite NFL team oversized helmet and have your photo taken. Share your photos through your favorite social channel and Fan Mobile Pass.
• Combine Corner
o 40-Yard Dash: Race down the field against your opponents and digital NFL players on a giant 40-yard long LED wall.
o Vertical Jump: Jump as high as you can and hit the corresponding flag to discover your vertical reach just like at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The Draft Main Stage location will be at First and Broadway. It is free and open to the public to view Draft selections and the McGraw show. Draft picks on Main Stage will take place evenings of April 25 (Thursday) and April 26 (Friday) and during the afternoon of April 27 (Saturday).
Schermerhorn Symphony Center will be host to Selection Square, which features the team tables where representatives from each club will make their Draft selections. The NFL Draft Red Carpet will take place on April 25 (Thursday) at The Green at Riverfront Park.
Admission to the 2019 NFL Draft is free and open to the public. Fans can follow the action at NFL Draft 2019 with the Fan Mobile Pass app. The app will serve as the central hub for information and updates on the Draft Experience concert series and a chance to gain access to exclusive viewing areas at the NFL Draft Main Stage to watch in person as the picks unfold and Draft boards come to life. The Fan Mobile Pass app will be available in early/mid-April, and all fans who pre-register will be notified when the app is available. Register today at NFL.com/FanMobilePass.
On Location Experiences – the Official Hospitality Partner of the NFL – will offer exclusive access to the 2019 NFL Draft. Ticket packages include a dedicated viewing area for Thursday’s Red Carpet, elevated and covered seating with fantastic sightlines, all-inclusive food and beverage, meet & greets with NFL Legends and much more. Ticket packages for Thursday, Friday and Saturday go on sale March 20th. Fans should visit nflonlocation.com/nfldraft for more information.
The 40-member 2019 NFL Draft Local Organizing Committee includes honorary co-chairs Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee; Mark Ezell, Commissioner at Tennessee Department of Tourist Development; Bill Haslam, former Governor, State of Tennessee; David Briley, Mayor, Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County; and Amy Adams Strunk, Owner, Tennessee Titans. Co-chairs are Steve Underwood, CEO and President, Tennessee Titans, and Dan Mohnke, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing and Operations, Nissan Division U.S.
Suggested Hashtag: #NFLDraft Suggested Tweet: ANNOUNCED: @TheTimMcGraw and @CeCeWinans will perform at the 2019 @NFL Draft in Nashville! Go to https://visitmusiccity.com/nfldraft for #NFLDraft details, and follow @visitmusiccity for updates.
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Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw’s unparalleled career includes 43 number one radio singles, 16 number one albums and countless industry awards and accolades. His unique chart achievements include having three singles in the Top 20 of the radio charts on multiple occasions, as well as having two singles spend over 10 weeks at number one. His last solo project spawned one of the biggest hit singles of all-time, “Humble and Kind,” whose message continues to impact fans around the world including a Spanish version sung by McGraw. He has routinely been cited as one of the biggest touring artists in the history of country music. McGraw recently performed for the Super Bowl Pregame Show’s Tailgate Party in Atlanta. timmcgraw.com
CeCe Winans
The best-selling and most-awarded female gospel artist of all time, CeCe Winans has long since cemented her status as one of the most accomplished and celebrated women in modern music history. Recording and performing as both a solo artist and as a duo with her brother BeBe, CeCe has influenced a generation of gospel and secular vocalists over the course of her astonishing career. She’s been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the Music City Walk of Fame, in addition to being named a Trailblazer of Soul by BMI and garnering multiple NAACP Image Awards, Soul Train Awards, Essence Awards, and more. She’s sold in excess of 5 million albums in the United States, topping the Gospel charts repeatedly while crossing over with smashes like “Count On Me,” her stunning duet with Whitney Houston from the multi-platinum Waiting To Exhale soundtrack, which sold 2 million copies and cracked the Top 10 on the Pop, R&B, and Adult Contemporary charts. cecewinans.com
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website and follow us on social media:
http://twitter.com/visitmusiccity
http://facebook.com/nashvillemusiccity
http://instagram.com/visitmusiccity
http://pinterest.com/visitnashville