An All-Star game is one of the most enticing affairs in the Sporting world. No matter what sport, the All-Star weekend is always like a chest of treasures for sporting fans. Unfortunately for the NFL, this concept hasn’t really gotten them the returns they would have wanted. The Pro Bowl is the All-star adaptation for the NFL and the league has struggled with keeping their fans entertained through this vertical.
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The Pro Bowl for the NFL has traditionally been a less intense matchup. As this is an exhibition game, the NFL athletes always preserve their bodies but still bring out the flair. While this works for most sports, the intensity is what differentiates football. The hits, the tackles, and the show of extreme vigor going through the hits are arguably what draws the most attention to the National Football League.
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The Hawaii Show
In order to get more eyeballs for this showing of stars, the NFL strategically had its Pro Bowl planned in Hawaii for all its editions. Rain or shine, the Pro Bowl was always scheduled in Hawaii. This was a strategic decision as Hawaii offered a luxurious experience for fans. Beyond the rah-rah of the game, Hawaii was also a destination people would love to vacation in. This also made for a fun beginning to the off-season for the athletes as Hawaii is a synonym for relaxation.
This worked for the NFL as they were able to attract herds of people to the Pro Bowl. Though it didn’t do as great in general, the Pro Bowl put up decent numbers for viewership, more than most average sporting events. While the NFL kept bringing changes to their conduct of the Pro Bowl and tried mixing things up to make it more interesting, they kept it all in Hawaii until 2016.
The NFL Pro Bowl shifts coasts
In 2017, they moved the Pro Bowl to Orlando as part of another strategic decision. The NFL brought the Pro Bowl to Disney world with hopes to spice things up for them. By bringing both properties together, they were hoping to target a different set of audience. Hawaii could be a bit more expensive for travel, but Florida wouldn’t be that difficult for most Americans to make too. Along with this, the Disney experience offered some tourism as well. It also helped the NFL that Florida had a better deal to offer.
While the NFL keeps trying to adapt and offer better experiences, they have tried to change the rules of this year’s edition of the Pro Bowl. The event will occur in Las Vegas this year, another desirable location for fans.
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