NFL: It’s Time To Change Super Bowl Weekend

Maybe it’s covid that has this year so lackluster, but does anyone else feel like it’s not Super Bowl weekend. 2021 has been an off-year for sports, to say the least, but this year isn’t the only year that seems like the NFL has been slacking with the celebration of Super Bowl weekend. From the Hall of Fame announcements to the big game, the emphasis on the excitement is gone. All is not lost with the big game, there are plenty of ways to fix it.

First and foremost, the coverage of the Hall of Fame. All year long we watch highlights of the big plays week in and week out. Why don’t we have a Hall of Fame special where the alumni are breaking down the current class hopeful’s careers and making their case for each player. If the NFL took a draft style approach to break down not just stats, but the special plays of these potential inductees they could introduce them to a younger generation. It would need to be more than a 1-hour quick shot special, but we’re okay with that.

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Then, of course, there is the Pro Bowl. Why is this a separate weekend from the Super Bowl? Better yet, why is this another game these players have to compete in. Being selected to the Pro Bowl should be an honor, not another week of work. The skills challenge is fun, but it’s something that needs to be expanded on. Give these players a reason to show up, more bonus incentives, ways to compete for charity, and put them against former winners of these competitions. Make it a long-running competition not another game for players to hurt themselves in. You could even put them up against the Hall of Fame hopefuls for that weekend. Put it on the Saturday of the Super Bowl and make the whole weekend a spectacle.

If the NFL wants to get the fans involved, they should take a page out of the comic book world. Comic Cons for years have been the perfect fan experience. It doesn’t have to be Super Bowl Sunday, but why is there not a Q&A with some of the star players of the big game? Get these comic con type panels to air on tv either Friday or Saturday. Sure there’s plenty of preparation for the big game, but 2020 is a reminder that the NFL needs to improve the fan experience. Get these guys on stage ask them their favorite plays from this year. Ask them their toughest opponents. Get them in front of the fans that supported them and make the whole weekend more fun.

There’s so much fun to be had in the NFL but the league seems to be doing less and less each year. Not everyone will be able to experience the Super Bowl in person and fans should be more included. The in-person excitement shouldn’t be for just the elite of NFL fans who can afford to make it to the Super Bowl.