July 24 (Bloomberg) -- The National Football League draft will move to prime time in 2010 and be extended to a three-day event for the first time.

The first round at Radio City Music Hall in New York will begin at 7:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, April 22, the NFL said in a statement. Rounds two and three will be held Friday evening, and rounds four through seven on Saturday afternoon.

“Moving the first round to prime time on Thursday night will make the first round of the draft available to fans on what is typically the most-watched night of television,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in the statement.

The draft, a two-day event from 1995-2009, will again be televised by Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN and the NFL Network. Last year’s event drew a record 39 million viewers to ESPN, ESPN2 and the NFL Network, according to the league.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mason Levinson in New York at mlevinson@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 24, 2009 00:01 EDT