Clubhouse's first sports deal lets you tune into NFL Draft Week

Clubhouse could soon be useful for much more than celebrity hangouts and tech industry conversations. SocialMediaToday reports that Clubhouse has struck its first major sports league deal, giving users access to NFL Draft Week. Starting today (April 26th), you can join a collection of official audio chat rooms to follow the live draft picks and listen to discussions with athletes, coaches and network luminaries.

It's not a strictly one-way affair. You'll sometimes be invited to the "stage" to ask questions or share your responses to the draft.

The NFL is clearly conducting an experiment given the limited audience. Clubhouse remains invitation- and iPhone-only, with the Android app still weeks away. It wouldn't be surprising to see the NFL expand its deal if this proves successful, though, as it could help the league reach out to fans beyond the usual social network connections.

For Clubhouse, meanwhile, the NFL could play an important role as it gradually enters the mainstream. Pacts like this could give it high-profile exclusives that draw people to the service and give you a reason to choose Clubhouse over rival offerings from the likes of Facebook and Twitter. There's no guarantee it will succeed, though — those competitors often have existing sports relationships, not to mention deeper pockets.