What Time is the Pro Bowl On? Why Does it Matter?

The most meaningless of all the All Star games (and that is saying a lot), will kick off tonight at 7:20 in the Super Bowl host city of Miami, Florida.

It continues to defy all logic and common sense that the Pro Bowl game continues to be played each year. Well, actually, it defies some logic and common sense. There is a reason why the NFL continues to stage this embarrassing exhibition: television ratings. More people will watch the Pro Bowl than would watch a Game 7 of an NHL Stanley Cup game. More people will watch the Pro Bowl than would watch a regular season game between the Yankees and Red Sox.

While tonight's game will not, in terms of ratings, compete with the Grammy Awards, (both are on largely at the same time), it will provide solid programming for ESPN.

Even so, holding the Pro Bowl makes no sense. The one thing that the NFL doesn't lack for is ratings. It defies all of the trends in television and produces ratings that are simply on another plane; not only from any other sport, but from any other television property.

The NFL is the king of all entertainment vehicles in the United States for three basic reasons. One, the game is perfect for television; unlike baseball, it is as if the game itself is designed for people watching at home. A game with short bursts of furious action between pauses is exactly what keeps people tuned to their sets.

Secondly, the NFL is expertly marketed. All of the rules, both on and off the field, are designed to keep teams close to one another in the game and in the standings. The number of meaningless NFL games are exceedingly rare in comparison to the other sports. The perception (or even illusion) that most all teams are in it right until the very end helps drive ratings through the roof.

The last (and least favorite discussion topic for the league) is the gambling and fantasy football aspect to the game. While it is impossible to measure, common sense says that if gambling, Super Bowl boxes and fantasy games were eliminated tomorrow, the ratings for the NFL would take a tremendous hit.

Tonight, as millions tune in to watch the Pro Bowl, the NFL takes a hit. A very small and perhaps insignificant hit in the overall scheme of things, but a hit nonetheless. While to a casual observer, the game still looks great on television, the Pro Bowl does not help the NFL's image in the least. Indeed, it cheapens it. I've written before on how useless this game is and why the NFL should eliminate it.

I cannot imagine a reason why a true football fan, one who really loves the game, would be interested in watching a pale imitation of it. The NFL is basically marketing to a non-informed fan who doesn't understand the concept of watered down schemes, no touching the Quarterback rules and the fact this contest is 'gutted' of all things that make the NFL great.

Finally, there will be the gamblers tuning in. While gambling in general helps drive NFL ratings, I would be scared to have a beer with anybody betting money on a Pro Bowl game. The game is absolutely meaningless and anybody wagering on it has some serious needs that go beyond healthy fun on a game.

So tune in tonight to watch the Pro Bowl if you must. But understand it's the sporting equivalent of a broken down athlete selling his name to a sports bar...this game has nothing to do with what makes the NFL great.
Source: Digital Sports Daily, "Pro Bowl Kicks Off at 7:20", digitalsportsdaily.com