The NFL Pro Bowl: Brilliant Marketing

Next year (2010), as a test, the NFL Pro Bowl will be played the weekend before the Super Bowl (during the off week after the conference championship games). What a brilliant idea! Besides adding some excitement to game (because the season is just hitting its climax), this is great marketing. I love this decision... let me count the ways:

1. Pro bowl players are going to get a lot more recognition than they do playing the week after the Super Bowl... good for the players, good for their teams and good for merchandise sales and sponsorships... cha ching
   
2. Host cities get two events, not one. That means they will bid more for the event... cha ching
3. More travelers and more early arrivals to the host city means more money for retail and hospitality... cha ching
4. The game will be watched by more viewers who are still excited about the season and looking forward to the upcoming Super Bowl... cha ching
5. Commentators will have more to talk about on TV and Radio and Newspapers which will sell more ads... cha ching
6. You might even sell more pro bowl and Super Bowl merchandise... cha ching

Some people have complained that the new timing of the game eliminates the super bowl players from the game... but who cares? They will still be honored with Pro Bowl status and who was watching before? Football was the only major sport to not have its all-star game during the season and it is no coincidence that it is probably the least anticipated and watched all-star game of the major sports. Yes, super bowl players will not participate, but that is OK, because THEY ARE PLAYING IN THE SUPER BOWL the following Sunday... which would you prefer to play in?

PS - While playing the week before the super bowl is probably the smart move, it could have been cool to make Super Sunday a double-header...