Prospects, fans allowed to attend 2021 NFL Draft in downtown Cleveland

March 22 (UPI) -- Select college prospects and a limited number of fans will be allowed to attend the 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland, the league announced Monday.

The 2021 NFL Draft runs April 29 to May 1 at FirstEnergy Stadium, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center. All three days of the event will be broadcast on NFL Network, ESPN and ABC.

The live draft follows the unprecedented 2020 NFL Draft, which was planned to be in Las Vegas, but took place in a virtual fashion as a safety precaution for the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2020 NFL Draft featured prospects and fans watching from off-site locations while NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced draft selections from the basement of his Bronxville, N.Y., home.

Some prospects who don't attend the 2021 event will participate remotely from their homes around the United States. NFL team personnel will be allowed to gather in respective draft rooms at locations "of their choosing," the league said in a news release.

"We are thrilled to be heading to Cleveland for the NFL Draft, which has become one of the most highly-anticipated events in sports" said Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's executive vice president of club business and league events.

"Just months after executing a safe and successful Super Bowl LV, we look forward to bringing the excitement of our draft traditions to fans in collaboration with the Browns, Destination Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, the city of Cleveland, and all of our local Cleveland partners."

The 2021 NFL Draft also will feature fans designated by each of the 32 teams as "draft ambassadors." Those fans will sit in an "inner circle" section and must be fully vaccinated and wear masks.

The NFL Draft Experience -- the league's interactive football theme park -- also will be free and open to the public around FirstEnergy Stadium, but will have a limited capacity.

"We greatly appreciate the continued collaboration by the NFL, local and state government officials and medical experts who are all focused on creating a memorable and safe experience, Dee and Jimmy Haslam, who own the Cleveland Browns, said in a statement.

"We are also extremely encouraged by the state of Ohio's vaccination rates and advancements that are allowing us to make the progress needed to return to a safe and more normal environment.