All-Star Games: Boring!

There seems to be a consistent trend in professional all-star games these days: lots of scoring and little defense. But why? Do players think that high-scoring offense is what most excites the fans? Or could it be that defense takes effort, and the all-star players of the modern era treat the games more as spectacles than competition? Regardless of the reasons for their decline, professional all-star games have become a mockery of their respective sports.

In the NHL, all-star games have traditionally been high scoring. However, recent years have been even more offensively-oriented. You would have to go back to 1996 to find the last all-star game that did not feature at least 10 goals scored, and even then the teams still scored nine times. Even more astonishing is that in the past four NHL all-star games (2007-2011, 2010 was not played due to Olympics), an average of 20 goals per contest were scored. 20 goals? Think about that for a second.

Unfortunately, the NHL is not the only culprit in excessively high-scoring all-star affairs. In fact, the NBA may be its worst offender. During the regular season, a team that eclipses 100 points usually wins the game. However, you would have to go back to 1966 to find the last time the loser of the NBA all-star game scored under 100 points. More disturbing is that the adoption of the olé defense has led to annual point totals of 130-150 points by both teams.

The NFL Pro-Bowl had actually been one of the most contested all-star games until this past decade. In 2000, the NFC put 51 points on the board against the AFC. Since then, the Pro-Bowl has deteriorated into an offense-only display of touchdowns, with only half-hearted attempts at tackling. In part, this is due to rule restrictions imposed by the NFL, to reduce the chance of injury and protect its millionaire athletes. Unfortunately, these same rules have also stolen the entertainment away from the game.

In 2002, Commissioner Bud Selig committed perhaps the biggest all-star game blunder in recent memory when he called the game a tie after 11 innings. Historians of the game will remind you that it wasn't the first time the all-star game ended in a tie, as the midsummer classic ended in a 1-1 tie back in 1961 at Fenway Park. However, in an age where the instant gratification has removed ties from college football and hockey, the 2002 all-star game tie outraged fans. Yet, the backlash that ensued may have prompted the first positive change in all-star game festivities in years when Selig announced that home field advantage in the World Series would be at stake when the two leagues meet each July.

With the first seven all-star games going to the American League, some baseball fans questioned the fairness of home field riding on an exhibition game. Whether fair or not, the majority of fans and players bought into the change, and the game has reaped the rewards. While the deep-rooted hatred of yesteryear may have disappeared, the players realize that winning the all-star game may pay huge dividends for their clubs come October.

Awarding home field advantage in the NFL simply wouldn't work, because the Super Bowl is played on a neutral field. However, even with the NBA and NHL, there is more interleague competition between conferences, making it more appropriate for the team with the best overall record to have home court or home ice advantage. Even if Major League Baseball continues the all-star game incentive, it seems unlikely that other sports will follow suit.

What it comes down to is that all-star weekends are about having a good time, for both the players and the fans (especially young ones). The actual competition comes secondary. Yet, what can be done? Perhaps the leagues should end the all-star games altogether, and replace them with weekends of contests, skill competitions and fan appreciation activities. Then again, judging by recent performances, maybe they already have.

References:
MLB All-Star History, Game Results, MLB.com
NHL All-Star Game History, Historical Summary, NHL.com
NBA All-Star Game History, Recaps, NBA.com
NFL Pro Bowl History, Pro Bowls, NFL.com

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