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FOOTBALL fans have found out how ESPN’s renowned NFL Draft chimes first began.
Fans will get to hear the chimes, which date back to almost 20 years, in the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday.
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The 2025 NFL Draft will take place on Thursday at the Green Bay Packers’ legendary Lambeau FieldCredit: Getty
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Fans will get to hear the iconic NFL Draft jingle, which has a stunning origin story
NFL fans have their eyes glued to the television to hear league commissioner Roger Goodell read out a new selection for a team.
ESPN has a distinctive audio chime that signals that the draft pick is in for a respective franchise.
But the sports jingle wasn’t created overnight – it took a year to be introduced to the world, and in the most unusual way possible.
In 2005, ESPN approached composer Bob Christianson to come up with a chime for the NFL Draft that was a cue that a selection was placed.
The task was to refocus the TV audience during what was then a 14-hour event spread over two days.
ESPN production intern at the time, Steve Ackels, first came up with the suggestion of the now-legendary sound.
“I always remember (the draft) being on, but it’s kind of background, you’re doing stuff around the house,” said Ackels, who’s now ESPN’s vice president of production and producer of “Monday Night Football, during the recent “ESPN’s 10 Chimes.”
“I just thought … is there some sort of alert or chime when the commissioner or whoever was going to come out and make the pick … that may help the viewer pay more attention?”
Christianson and ESPN’s creative music director, Kevin Wilson, was asked to create a jingle similar to that of the New York Stock Exchange, which signals the opening or closing of the day’s trading.
The network also wanted the chime to sound similar to musical elements in its other football programming, including Sunday Night Football, which was moved to NBC in 2006.
LA Rams announces major NFL Draft 2025 change – and will make picks from historic iconic location
Christianson came up with 15 to 20 variations for ESPN to choose from.
He believed that “rock shuffle” tunes are best for sports audiences and that football is “more in your face.”
“You sort of have to go where the sport is and what the energy is they’re putting out,” said Christianson, who has also written music for the Discovery Channel.
“The music should reflect what’s happening in the sport.”
NFL Draft – How to watch
The 2025 NFL Draft starts this Thursday, 24th April – and it’s sure to be an incredible spectacular.
*If you click a link in this boxout, we may earn affiliate revenue.
Will the Tennessee Titans pick up Cam Ward? Where will Travis Hunter end up? And what about Shedeur Sanders’ future?
You can watch all the action live on ESPN, ABC and the NFL Network from Green Bay at 8pm EST.
Fans can sign up and watch the huge NFL showpiece by following the links below.
The first variation of the chime debuted with the No. 2 overall pick in 2004.
In 2005, the second variation was tweaked to match the NYSE bell for the No. 1 overall pick that saw Alex Smith land with the San Francisco 49ers.
But neither stood out.
Finally, ESPN’s production team made a Draft chime that was meant to create a habit from the beginning.
The chime was set to debut in the 2006 NFL Draft, but wasn’t cued up until the No. 8 overall pick which was a selection by the Buffalo Bills of safety Donte Whitner.
4
The draft jingle was first used during the 2006 NFL DraftCredit: ESPN
It’s not known why there was a delay in introducing the jingle.
The new chime would be used at different points during the first rounds of the next two drafts until 2009, when it was first used for the Detroit Lions’ No. 1 pick in Matthew Stafford.
The NFL Draft jingle has since been a staple and is one of the most recognizable sounds in American sports.
NFL fans shared their amazement over the origin of the Draft sound.
4
The draft jingle was introduced for the Buffalo Bills’ No. 8 pick which was safety Donte Whitner, who would go on to earn three Pro Bowl nods in his careerCredit: ESPN
“Never knew that lil piece of trivia,” one wrote.
“That is so interesting,” another commented.
“Never knew this, so random,” a third added.
ESPN has also used the audio for the NBA (beginning in 2015) and the WNBA (2021) drafts.
NFL fans can tune in to hear the chime for the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday at 8:00 pm ET on ESPN.
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FOOTBALL fans have found out how ESPN’s renowned NFL Draft chimes first began.
Fans will get to hear the chimes, which date back to almost 20 years, in the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday.
4
The 2025 NFL Draft will take place on Thursday at the Green Bay Packers’ legendary Lambeau FieldCredit: Getty
4
Fans will get to hear the iconic NFL Draft jingle, which has a stunning origin story
NFL fans have their eyes glued to the television to hear league commissioner Roger Goodell read out a new selection for a team.
ESPN has a distinctive audio chime that signals that the draft pick is in for a respective franchise.
But the sports jingle wasn’t created overnight – it took a year to be introduced to the world, and in the most unusual way possible.
In 2005, ESPN approached composer Bob Christianson to come up with a chime for the NFL Draft that was a cue that a selection was placed.
The task was to refocus the TV audience during what was then a 14-hour event spread over two days.
ESPN production intern at the time, Steve Ackels, first came up with the suggestion of the now-legendary sound.
“I always remember (the draft) being on, but it’s kind of background, you’re doing stuff around the house,” said Ackels, who’s now ESPN’s vice president of production and producer of “Monday Night Football, during the recent “ESPN’s 10 Chimes.”
“I just thought … is there some sort of alert or chime when the commissioner or whoever was going to come out and make the pick … that may help the viewer pay more attention?”
Christianson and ESPN’s creative music director, Kevin Wilson, was asked to create a jingle similar to that of the New York Stock Exchange, which signals the opening or closing of the day’s trading.
The network also wanted the chime to sound similar to musical elements in its other football programming, including Sunday Night Football, which was moved to NBC in 2006.
LA Rams announces major NFL Draft 2025 change – and will make picks from historic iconic location
Christianson came up with 15 to 20 variations for ESPN to choose from.
He believed that “rock shuffle” tunes are best for sports audiences and that football is “more in your face.”
“You sort of have to go where the sport is and what the energy is they’re putting out,” said Christianson, who has also written music for the Discovery Channel.
“The music should reflect what’s happening in the sport.”
NFL Draft – How to watch
The 2025 NFL Draft starts this Thursday, 24th April – and it’s sure to be an incredible spectacular.
*If you click a link in this boxout, we may earn affiliate revenue.
Will the Tennessee Titans pick up Cam Ward? Where will Travis Hunter end up? And what about Shedeur Sanders’ future?
You can watch all the action live on ESPN, ABC and the NFL Network from Green Bay at 8pm EST.
Fans can sign up and watch the huge NFL showpiece by following the links below.
The first variation of the chime debuted with the No. 2 overall pick in 2004.
In 2005, the second variation was tweaked to match the NYSE bell for the No. 1 overall pick that saw Alex Smith land with the San Francisco 49ers.
But neither stood out.
Finally, ESPN’s production team made a Draft chime that was meant to create a habit from the beginning.
The chime was set to debut in the 2006 NFL Draft, but wasn’t cued up until the No. 8 overall pick which was a selection by the Buffalo Bills of safety Donte Whitner.
4
The draft jingle was first used during the 2006 NFL DraftCredit: ESPN
It’s not known why there was a delay in introducing the jingle.
The new chime would be used at different points during the first rounds of the next two drafts until 2009, when it was first used for the Detroit Lions’ No. 1 pick in Matthew Stafford.
The NFL Draft jingle has since been a staple and is one of the most recognizable sounds in American sports.
NFL fans shared their amazement over the origin of the Draft sound.
4
The draft jingle was introduced for the Buffalo Bills’ No. 8 pick which was safety Donte Whitner, who would go on to earn three Pro Bowl nods in his careerCredit: ESPN
“Never knew that lil piece of trivia,” one wrote.
“That is so interesting,” another commented.
“Never knew this, so random,” a third added.
ESPN has also used the audio for the NBA (beginning in 2015) and the WNBA (2021) drafts.
NFL fans can tune in to hear the chime for the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday at 8:00 pm ET on ESPN.
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