Interest in the NFL’s All-Star festivities at the Pro Bowl continues to wane. This year’s Pro Bowl (or Pro Bowl Games, as they are now officially called) averaged just 4.7 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, and Disney XD—marking the lowest audience ever for the game (excluding the COVID year) according to Front Office Sports. This reflects an 18% decline from last year’s 5.75 million viewers and nearly a 30% drop from two years ago, which saw 6.7 million viewers during the inaugural year of the new format.
Beginning in 2023, the NFL shifted the format of its Pro Bowl from a traditional tackle football game to a flag football game complemented by skills competitions like tug-of-war and kicking contests. However, this change has yet to resonate with viewers. Notably, this year’s Pro Bowl lagged behind recent versions of both the NBA All-Star Game (5.4 million viewers) and the MLB All-Star Game (7.4 million viewers).
Aside from baseball, many leagues have struggled to maintain interest in their respective All-Star games. The NFL’s Pro Bowl has now experienced seven consecutive years of declining audiences when excluding the COVID year, while the NBA hasn’t surpassed the 7-million viewer mark since 2020. The NHL also opted not to hold an All-Star game this year, instead canceling it in favor of a “Four Nations Face Off” tournament, which aims to preview NHL players’ return to the Olympics in 2026. Players have smartly begun to prioritize their health over participating in a seemingly pointless exhibition, with many top players choosing to opt-out entirely.
Fortunately for the NFL, Pro Bowl viewership isn’t critical to its overall success. In contrast, the NBA faces a more serious concern since All-Star viewership typically ranks among the most-watched events of the regular season. As such, it remains to be seen whether the NFL will seek to re-imagine the Pro Bowl again or simply accept that it no longer commands the television audience it once did.
