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Pro Bowl stumbles to lowest ratings in a decade

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  • ASSOCIATED PRESS

    AFC return specialist Tyreek Hill, left, of the Kansas City Chiefs, attempted to get away from the tackle by NFC linebacker Bobby Wagner, of the Seattle Seahawks, during the first half of the NFL Pro Bowl football game Sunday, in Orlando, Fla.

  • ASSOCIATED PRESS

    AFC Lorenzo Alexander, left, of the Buffalo Bills, intercepted a pass intended for NFC tight end Jimmy Graham, of the Seattle Seahawks, during the second half of the NFL Pro Bowl football game, Sunday, in Orlando, Fla. The AFC defeated the NFC 20-13.

The cross-country move to Orlando, Fla. and other changes apparently didn’t do anything to perk up the Pro Bowl’s sliding TV ratings.

Overnight ratings for the NFL’s annual all-star game Sunday dropped 8 percent from 2016 when the game was played at Aloha Stadium, Sports Business Daily said.

Sports Media Watch said the 4.6 rating was the lowest overnight rating for the game since at least 2006.

The game was in the first year of a three-year deal to play in Orlando’s Camping World Stadium after appearing in Honolulu all but two years since 1980.

This year the game also reverted to the traditional AFC vs. NFC format.

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  • the game is not worth issuing tax credits or burdening hawaii taxpayers with upgrade demands from the nfl.

    if the nfl wants the pro bowl game to return here, let them pay for any needed upgrades and include a preseason game to be played here as well.

  • A very boring exhibition game with nothing at stake except not seeing any player hurt. Please ban this game and just name all-stars every year. Silly game leading up to the SB.

  • The game format and timing is no good. Let the NFL do whatever they want with this game. Set the target on a college all star game where those players will be trying to impress scouts.

  • The Pro Bowl is a dead duck and everyone should be able to see this. Its day is past. If the NFL really wanted to recognize those selected as All Pro’s, they should
    give each selected player a big bonus and an expense free vacation to a destination of their choice, instead of using them to play yet another game to fatten the NFL coffers
    and risk the health of these players.

  • Players say if they got a “regular” game salary then it would be something and they would play harder. Something would be on the line…like money. The game is boring already and they want to profit from it if they have to play. This game is going the way of the dinosaur….let it die already. Have a skills challenge but bag the game.

  • A) It needs to be back in Hawaii … the players choice

    B) Make it 2 weeks after the Super Bowl so the players
    who are in the Super Bowl can make it … it will also
    give the players on the winning team time to celebrate
    w/ their city, team, and fans … and give other players
    who are “banged up” some extra time to heal …

    LIVE ALOHA / PLAY WARRIOR / DEFEND THE ROCK … GO ‘BOWS !!!!!

  • Ironically, this has been one of their better games. Both sides appeared to be trying to win the game. Frankly, they should evolve and change the Pro Bowl entirely. It should pit the two runner ups of the conference championship and the winner gets the bragging right to being the third place finisher of the season. It would have been interesting to watch the Packers led by Aaron Rodgers against the Steelers. The typical Pro Bowl matchup often have players that do not play together and so there is no chemistry. Thus the oftentimes disjointed play calling and boring no-blitzing and no-pass rushing defenses. No matter how you play it it ends up being a half-baked game with all kinds of restrictions. A third place game would mean a lot more than a game just being played haphazardly. The fact that the Cowboys held back their players to avoid possible injury gives you an idea of how much this game means to the coach and players. Yes, they tried to win but there was no passion that is shown in a regular championship matchup.

  • If the NFL is able to have regular season games in the UK and Mexico, why couldn’t they have a couple of season games in Hawaii with teams that have Hawaii players. These games will surely be hard fought, not like the touch football Pro Bowl. Since Hawaii is separated from the CONUS, I’m sure it would generate a huge local crowd and fans from both teams that would enjoy a vacation and a football game. This will certainly generate more revenue for the NFL and state.

    • They would also be performing before the majority of the American population and Hawaii needs some professional sporting event that other states enjoy.

  • Roger “Hoodell” is done. A complete shamble of a man and this Sunday TOM BRADY will hammer in the last nail to his pathetic legacy with his FIFTH ring! Deflated footballs my A$$!

  • Regardless of where its’ played it will not return back to the way it was years ago. The Pro Bowl is a far cry from what it was in the past. Locally, I attended the first few games back and even then the fans reacted to the obvious toned down level of play. I stopped going after second Pro Bowl. It seemed to have morphed into a format of; front end festive celebrity event with a scrimmage thrown in on the backend. This could still keep then numbers stable. However, in my opinion, aside from the aforementioned many fans have become tired with the behavior that the NFL condones by a growing number of player elites…hence the drop in participation regardless of location played. Just saying.

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