When comparing the NFL Pro Bowl with the All-Star games of the other major sports, it ranks near the bottom when generating fan interest.
Since the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell don’t have the option to eliminate the game, they need to find a way to make the Pro Bowl more interesting for the fans and the players.
Reschedule the game during the season
This year the NFL rescheduled the game and moved it during the down week before the Super Bowl, but fan interest still appears to be lacking.
Why not follow the model of the other major sports by scheduling the Pro Bowl during the season? The NFL has been thinking about eliminating two preseason games and adding two regular season games. The league could add a bye week in the middle of an 18-game schedule to have their All-Star game.
The game could be played on a rotating basis to ensure fans around the league get an opportunity to see the best players. It would also serve as a financial boost to local economies.
The skills competition
The other major sports entertain their fans by having select All-Star’s show off their abilities in a skills competition.
The NFL should strongly consider adding a skills competition as part of the Pro Bowl festivities. Not only would it increase fan interest, the extra revenue generated from the added competition could be used as an emergency fund to help victims of natural disasters around the globe.
Combine the Senior Bowl & Pro Bowl
After the college bowl season, the top senior players showcase their skills in the Senior Bowl. Why not have them take the field with the NFL Pro Bowl players?
Not only will this bring college and NFL fans to the game, it would give the college players a chance to get a taste of what it’s like to play in the NFL. It would also give scouts from each team an opportunity to see how these college seniors stack up against the best NFL players.
Do away with AFC versus NFC
Have you ever imagined Peyton Manning throwing a pass to Larry Fitzgerald? How would a college quarterback fare against an all-star laden NFL defense?
The NFL could do away with the AFC versus NFC format and instead implement a draft style selection process where each team is evenly matched.
Move the Pro Bowl out of the country
The NFL has been giving serious thought to expanding the game beyond our borders. Instead of playing a regular season game in London or Mexico, why not take the Pro Bowl on the road?
The downside, of course, is it would do little to increase the already low fan interest in the Pro Bowl.
Regardless of the possible revisions made to the Pro Bowl, the NFL has to find a way to make the game more relevant to the fans that support the sport.
