The Pro Bowl: 10 Ways To Make the NFL's "All-Star" Game More Interesting
Ah, the Pro Bowl. The NFL's version of an All-Star game, where the best of the best from the NFC meet up with the best of the best from the AFC. Of course, unlike similar games of the NHL, MLB, and NBA, nobody watches this game that, with some modifications, could be the best of them all. What changes you say? Keep reading to find out.
10. Move The Game to The Middle Of The Year
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Everyone knows that the timing of the game as it is, is just dumb. Why have a game at the end of the year when nobody wants to play, and even worse when nobody in the Super Bowl can play. Aren't the players in the Super Bowl supposed to be the best? So how can you have a game with the best players without... well the best?
Solution: My idea works especially well with the new proposed 18-game schedule. I say, put the game in the middle of the season, like the MLB, and it can be the first of the two bye weeks for players. Of course, this would only give Pro Bowlers one bye, but if they can live with one bye now, they can suck it up and do it with an 18-game schedule.
9. Hawaii Is Nice, But Rotate The Game
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Ok, now I know that Hawaii is an incredible place, and where else would players want to go more to spend an all-star game. It's also nice to let the great people of Hawaii see real non-WAC football. But to draw more attention to the game it should be rotated. They should still play the game in Hawaii every now and then, but maybe every other year. By having the game at other venues, the NFL would sell more tickets, and there would also be more local interest.
Solution: Every other year have the game at Aloha Stadium, but the years in between, rotate the game around. One year an NFC stadium, the next Aloha, and then an AFC stadium. A cycle like that would make the game much more interesting. Or, move the Super Bowl to Hawaii, and rotate the Pro Bowl around evenly, that way you could have the game be totally neutral, and cities would no longer fight over the privilege of hosting.
8. Play For Something
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Now it's true that all of the Pro Bowlers should try hard, regardless of whether or not they are being rewarded. However, a little incentive never hurt anyone either, which is why adding a reward for the winners would be a great idea for the Pro Bowl. Not anything huge, just something to make the quality of the game better.
Solution: Well, they could play for home-field in the Super Bowl, but that takes years of planning in advance, and the MLB already did it. So how about play for charity? There is nothing a super-star loves more than a good image, and charity is one way to get just that. Give each member of the winning team $1,000 to donate to the charity of his choice. Whether it is for image, or a kind heart, a reward like this would make the players try harder, thus bringing a better game.
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7. Give Game Specific Awards
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What else makes people try harder? Awards. To make the game more interesting, the NFL should add awards for the Pro Bowl, and even possibly have sponsors for these awards to raise money. But these couldn't be just any awards. Obviously there is already Pro Bowl MVP, but the NFL should spice things up.
Solution: Add fun, original awards like best catch, hardest hit (though that may not fly with all the new rules), play of the game, or even goof of the game, for that one guy who will inevitably miss an easy tackle, or drop an easy pass that hits off his hands. Make it fun for the players and the fans. Voting could be conducted after the game (the fans would vote of course), and awards could be handed out the very next day, or even that night.
6. NCAA+NFL=Greatest Weekend Ever
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Ok, of all my ideas this may be the biggest stretch, however, it would be a great thing for football both college and pro. There is no problem for this one so let me get right to the solution.
Solution: Have the NFL and NCAA coordinate their respective all-star games on the same weekend (the NCAA could use the senior bowl, East-West Shrine Game, or just create an all-star game). If the NFL moved the game to the middle of the year, this idea would become even less realistic, but if not, could you imagine two all-star football games in the same weekend? In addition to national interest, the weekend would generate enormous amounts of revenue through T.V contracts, and sponsorships. To put the icing on the cake, pro scouts would have easier access to college's best games, giving teams a better chance of drafting a quality player come April. Overall, this idea is a win-win.
5. Ads, Ads, Ads
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What makes the Super Bowl, the world's most watched program, so much fun to watch? The ads that appear during the breaks. If the NFL was somehow able to attract major advertising companies, such as the always entertaining Budweiser, or Doritos to create commercials for the Pro Bowl, the NFL would have themselves a T.V ratings stud. The only difficulty would be getting these companies to sign on the first year, however, with any of my other suggestions this is a very possible thing.
4. Prioritize
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One of the main problems with the Pro Bowl is the fact that the NFL does not really care about it. Sure in the past few years they have tried making it into a bigger deal, but it still is not what it should be. Think of all other sports. When you think of their All-Star games you think of a big event, one of the major attractions of the season. However, in the NFL all the Pro Bowl is, is one last game before the end of the season that means nothing.
Solution: The NFL needs to make the Pro Bowl a bigger deal. Forget advertising for the draft combine which only some people can see, the NFL needs to put it's priorities in order. If the NFL can put the time in to market the Pro Bowl as the best game of the year, it will draw more attention than just some game with some good players who don't really want to be there.
3. Add a Halftime Show
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Alright, I admit that maybe with this idea I'm trying to make the Pro Bowl a little too much like the Super Bowl, but there is a reason that every year it is the most watched program on television. Also, who doesn't love seeing a (usually) incredible band entertain them during the only time during the entire night that football isn't being played?
Solution: In case you haven't figured out the theme of these, make this a big deal. People need to have high expectations of the night, otherwise what's the point of watching? By adding a halftime performer, if nothing else, fans will tune in for halftime and maybe forget to switch off the T.V afterward. This can only get the Pro Bowl more interest, more fans, and finally, more viewers.
2. Change The Way The Coaches Are Picked
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Currently, the Pro Bowl coaches are selected by record. The team with the best record that lost the divisional playoffs gets to have their coaching staff coach their respective conference. Does anyone else think having a coach that loses is an awful representation of the "All-Stars"?
Solution: It's a fact that the best coaches don't always win, so why should that measure success? Think of the NBA and the Heat. Coaching is definitely not the reason they're winning. So why not have the players, the ones who know who the good coaches are, vote on who coaches them. The other problem is that one staff shouldn't represent an entire conference. So, at least to me, it seems natural that each player vote for each coach by position, the only exception being no player can vote for their own coaches.
1. Make It a Week Long Event
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The MLB has the home run derby, the NBA has the dunk contest, and the NHL has the skills competition. What does the NFL have to attract fans during these "All-Star weekends"? Of course, they do have those weird skills challenges that ESPN 2 shows in the summers, but I'm not even sure that those take place at the Pro Bowl. Especially with the uber development of the NFL Network, showing anything from training camp to the draft combine, this is the perfect opportunity for the NFL.
Solution: Contests, lots and lots of contests. Things like passing distance, kicking accuracy, and even obstacle-course-type-things would intrigue fans everywhere, building attention and hype for the Pro Bowl. Of course the Pro Bowlers would be obvious choices for some of these, however they wouldn't be the only eligible contestants. If a non Pro Bowler happened to be really good at one of the skills, let them play, just like the dunk contest or home run derby. This idea, possibly the most realistic, has incredible potential and no downside.
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