Eric Weinberger On the Growth of the NFL Combine
The NFL Combine has come a long way since it was first broadcast on NFL Network 20 years ago. Former NFL Network Executive Producer Eric Weinberger recently recalled the inception of the Combine as a TV event on The First Team podcast with NFL Draft Analyst Joe DeLeone.
Weinberger knew the NFL Combine had the potential to become an Olympic-style event that would become the official kickoff to draft season. However, he did not anticipate the impact the cameras would have on increasing the attendance of players at the Combine. He assembled a team of experts, such as Brian Baldinger, Mike Mayock, and Adam Schefter, to cover draft prospects from every angle.
“We had to position the 40, so it looked good on television. It ended up working out when you bring cameras in, and you bring directors in, it makes it a better experience in person for the coaches and, more importantly, for the bigger audience that’s watching on tv it makes it a better experience.”
via Eric Weinberger, The First Team
One of the biggest challenges for Weinberger and his team was making the event more appealing to the average fan.
"The number one thing is that every position is so specialized, so we needed to explain each drill, each sprint, each rep, why it mattered, and what the coaches were looking for. That was the first question: how do we explain this to everyone?"
via Eric Weinberger, The First Team
The NFL Network started with 10 hours of programming from the Combine and grew to 40 by the time Weinberger left the company in 2015.
"The expansion of the TV. production for the Combine allowed us to explore second and third feeds - pretty soon we were producing a complete show side by side for
NFL.com
- then we added smaller social activations - like NBC's Olympics it's probably one of the live events with the most alternate feeds avail for the fans."
via Eric Weinberger, The First Team
Check out The First Team for more behind-the-scenes stories on the NFL Combine.
James Brizuela has been a professional writer since 2019. After covering entertainment and the NFL for Sportskeeda, he now works as an Assignment Desk Editor for the LA Sports Report Network which has partnered with the Sports Illustrated FanNation Network, focusing on his expertise in LA sports at the college and professional level.