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I think it is safe to say that the majority of football fans have no interest whatsoever in the NFL Pro Bowl. In recent years, the league has taken steps to try to make the game more relevant, things such as having the Pro Bowl at the same site as the Super Bowl a year ago, as well as moving the Pro Bowl week to the Super Bowl bye week.
I really think it is time for the NFL to take it several steps further and make the Pro Bowl a full weekend event at the Super Bowl site with several other sub-events that culminate with the Pro Bowl game itself the Sunday prior to the Super Bowl.
- Skills competitions on Friday night/Saturday Morning: QB Challenge, 40-yard dash races (Lineman vs Lineman, Skill guys vs skill guys) throwing contests for non-QBs, Kicking contests for non-kickers, etc.
- A Legends of the Game vs Current Players flag football game Saturday morning. Who wouldn't want to watch Deion try to cover Randy Moss or watch Darrelle Revis covering Jerry Rice in a friendly game of flag football? Maybe also even have a few random celebs be in the game along with a fan contest winner.
- A Rookie versus Sophomore Game on Saturday Night
- Have the two Pro Bowl teams open up the playbook more. More gadget plays and unothordox trick plays that we don't ever get to see on a normal Sunday. I.E. Laterals from one sideline to another a la the Music City miracle, Center sneaks, end arounds with an offensive tackle, reverse flea flickers, defensive lineman at RB at the goal line, etc. Leave the viewer wondering "I wonder what they're doing next?" instead of just watching a vanilla version of what we see on normal Sundays. We should see at least one trick play per series.
- Lastly, raise the stakes for the Pro Bowl game itself. Make the winning team gets $100k each while the losers get $20k each. Also make an MVP bonus of another $250k.
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I really think if the league wants to make the Pro Bowl a bigger event, they need to move ahead and take the event to another level. Making it an entire weekend may add interest while also virtually assuring that every team is represented in some capacity. By this time of the year, every NFL fan who's team is not in the playoffs is starving for some football and the NFL needs to figure out how to better quench that hunger.
Doing events like this would also require more participants, meaning a lot of the "Pro Bowl snubs" will still get to participate in the festivities.
I think the NFL would be able to dominate TV ratings that entire weekend.
I really think it is time for the NFL to take it several steps further and make the Pro Bowl a full weekend event at the Super Bowl site with several other sub-events that culminate with the Pro Bowl game itself the Sunday prior to the Super Bowl.
- Skills competitions on Friday night/Saturday Morning: QB Challenge, 40-yard dash races (Lineman vs Lineman, Skill guys vs skill guys) throwing contests for non-QBs, Kicking contests for non-kickers, etc.
- A Legends of the Game vs Current Players flag football game Saturday morning. Who wouldn't want to watch Deion try to cover Randy Moss or watch Darrelle Revis covering Jerry Rice in a friendly game of flag football? Maybe also even have a few random celebs be in the game along with a fan contest winner.
- A Rookie versus Sophomore Game on Saturday Night
- Have the two Pro Bowl teams open up the playbook more. More gadget plays and unothordox trick plays that we don't ever get to see on a normal Sunday. I.E. Laterals from one sideline to another a la the Music City miracle, Center sneaks, end arounds with an offensive tackle, reverse flea flickers, defensive lineman at RB at the goal line, etc. Leave the viewer wondering "I wonder what they're doing next?" instead of just watching a vanilla version of what we see on normal Sundays. We should see at least one trick play per series.
- Lastly, raise the stakes for the Pro Bowl game itself. Make the winning team gets $100k each while the losers get $20k each. Also make an MVP bonus of another $250k.
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I really think if the league wants to make the Pro Bowl a bigger event, they need to move ahead and take the event to another level. Making it an entire weekend may add interest while also virtually assuring that every team is represented in some capacity. By this time of the year, every NFL fan who's team is not in the playoffs is starving for some football and the NFL needs to figure out how to better quench that hunger.
Doing events like this would also require more participants, meaning a lot of the "Pro Bowl snubs" will still get to participate in the festivities.
I think the NFL would be able to dominate TV ratings that entire weekend.