Throughout the fall, many people flock to their televisions and screens to watch a sport loved from the woods of Maine to the deserts of California, American football. As the season starts in September, the masses watch as franchise players and rising stars grab headlines and gain attention. Many children and adults alike idolize these athletes, who take their beloved organizations to the playoffs. Like other professional sports leagues, the NFL rewards these stars by giving them a week in celebration with other chosen standouts. The NFL’s Pro Bowl has been a staple within the postseason for decades but recently has taken a major drop in ratings among the usual audience. 

     The Pro Bowl’s history reaches back to the 1930s, when the “NFL All-Star Game”, put the league’s championship team against a squad of notable players from the rest of the league, per ESPN. This went on until 1951 when the league pinned the Eastern and Western Conference all-stars against each other, the format that stuck for decades, per ESPN. This game bounced around from Los Angeles to Hawaii and would be laid to rest in Orlando, Florida with the disbandment of tackle football in the 2023 games. The change in style has helped the decline of these as the importance of the games is drowned out by the following week’s Super Bowl, but what caused this slash in ratings?

     One difference from other leagues is the Pro Bowl is at the end of the season, rather than an “All-Star Break” mid-season, which the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball all utilize. This push to the final two weeks of the season takes emphasis off of the games. This playoff break is a struggle for fans and coaches alike, as many Super Bowl players sit out the games, even when they are the sport’s best. These players sitting out leads to worse players filling spots, and viewer engagement drops with it. This problem can be seen in college football, with many players sitting out to avoid injury prior to the NFL Draft.

      While injuries are not a main concern among Pro Bowl players, they tend to play at lighter speeds and limit their true potential. With the rise of concussion awareness and prevention, the NFL decided to limit injuries with the change from tackle football to flag football. This action was the final dagger to the Pro Bowl, as their main event had been scrapped. NFL Executives thought that the change would bring light to “The Pro Bowl Games”, which were minigames the players would play during the week. These included challenges like dodgeball and relay races and were aired on ESPN. The games were a viable option but only appeal to a young audience rather than their normal market. Being left in the dust, normal sports fans tuned into other channels to get their fix during these nights. 

     Lastly, the location of these games has led to lowering ticket sales each and every year. Through the twentieth century, the Pro Bowl was held at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, which brought sunny skies and demand for fans together for a fun day in the sun. As the popularity dwindled, the game was moved to Honolulu, Hawaii to boost player attendance and well-being, while relying on a small fanbase to show out. Aloha Stadium could not hold up forever, however, and its needed renovation would force the league to move into Camping World Stadium to host the festivities. The rotting stadium hosts many small college bowl games and does not compare to typical home facilities for these NFL players.  

     Is there a solution to these games? Many ideas have swirled around, but none have been taken seriously by league executives. The most prominent idea was proposed by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, per CBS Sports. This idea would follow the other professional leagues by adding a two-week break within the middle of the season, and creating their own “All-Star Break”. This plan would push the NFL season back and allow for longer revenue streams and services. Along with this, the games would travel from city to city, with selections from all over the league. No matter what solution they find, they need to find one fast, as annual viewership has dropped over a million views since 2022. From the players to fans, the games are becoming a bore, and their column within the NFL Postseason is crumbling. The new flag football format might be safer for the players, but the fading interest around the Pro Bowl is becoming dangerous for the organization as a whole.