The NFL reportedly is opening the doors to the NFL combine to fans to get a look behind the curtain at how the biggest pre-draft event works.

But the question we have: Once they see it, will they ever want to again?

The league is allowing 6,000 fans to witness events such as the 40-yard dash and the bench press, along with prospect interviews, for the combine, which runs March 2-5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Prospects meet with the media prior to their workouts and are grouped by position, and they spend a few days in Indy talking with teams in 15-minute interview segments. But the latter is the good stuff you won’t see — and neither will the media.

This whole thing feels like a self-promotional tool for the NFL to us (although admission is free), much like the league did when it opened the doors to the Media Day (now Media Night) event at the Super Bowl, or when it created “Draft Town.” What fans get out of those things, sitting an eighth of a mile (give or take) from the players, we’ll never know.

“We wanted to continue to allow for fans to get closer to the game when there’s so much hope during the offseason,” NFL senior vice president of events Peter O’Reilly said, via ESPN.com.

Usually that hope can be contained by watching the combine on TV. That’s the best way to consume it, we feel. And the way that 99 percent of the media do as well. The league only opened the curtain for us a few years back to the live events, which has typically been restricted to the on-field workouts. Pool reporters are selected to witness the throwing sessions and position work, and it’s generally pretty dry stuff.

This is just our take on the matter, nothing more. It’s really boring. We promise this is not coming from a jaded-media member standpoint; it’s just the unfortunate truth. The results of these tests matter, sure, in the same way that the bloodwork your doctor ordered matters. But are you going to watch the phlebotomist and pathologists do their work? No.

OK, maybe the NFL combine is slightly more exciting. Like the first time or two. With the TV broadcast, you can see almost instantly how fast a guy runs. Will they be putting that up on the scoreboard at Lucas Oil? Maybe? Will there be concessions? OK, yes, we know there will be overpriced and under-tasty food to sell at NFL events — stupid question. (Hilarious irony: They barely sell food to the media at the combine, and it’s like flavored popcorn and overcooked pasta, for those who care.)

Here’s the true acid test: Watch the faces of the coaches at these events. Granted, they’ve been to dozens of them and they all look and sound and feel the same. They’ll get the results in an Excel file, and that’s what really matters. Fans, fair warning: THIS COULD BE YOU!

View photos Bill Belichick once dreamed of landing a combine superstar. (NFL Network screengrab) More

View photos Former Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin woke up for the next event. (NFL Network screengrab) More

We say, go if you’d like. Hey, maybe it’s more fun that we realize. Maybe you really geek out on this stuff. We just wanted to give you fair warning that you should be highly caffeinated when you go and maybe bring your iPad Microsoft Surface, which is the preferred tablet of the NFL.

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