The Flawed Systems that are the All-Star Games

Now that the NHL All-Star game has passed and the NBA All-Star and NFL Pro Bowl games are soon to arrive, all-star games and all their critics have once again arrived. There are positives to all-star games including putting the best and most skilled players on the same field. All-star games are unique in that the best passers, shooters, dribblers, and hitters can all compete in a single competition. Unfortunately, this uniqueness is not translating into entertaining games and, instead, we have games that are boring, intensity-free, have little defense, and lack the other intangibles of regular season and playoff games. Besides baseball, none of these all-star games even count for anything, causing many players to make excuses just to avoid playing. Few players want to play an extra game in what are already long and grueling seasons. The new polices leagues are imposing do nothing to help either. For example, Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, has forced players who skip the all-star game to be suspended either the game before or the game after the all-star game. This rule has already taken form in reigning Norris Trophy Winner Nik Lidstrom and reigning Selke Winner Pavel Datsyuk. Both were suspended for the January 27 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, a real game with real implications. When the all-star game begins to affect real games and playoff implications, changes need to be made. There are two possible options; either make the game more intense by making it mean something or get rid of it altogether and simply keep the more exciting and more popular skills competitions.

In 2003, the MLB made a controversial move when it decided to make the All-Star game decide home field advantage in the World Series. It is time for the NFL, NBA, and NHL to apply a similar type of measure. While home field advantage in the playoffs may not be the best option, other options do exist. Increasing the pay for athletes who compete is one form of action that could change the intensity level. Another option is to stop all-star fan voting. In too many occurrences, undeserving and worse players have made it into the game because of ignorant or biased fan voting. While this may not change the intensity of the game, it will prevent lower quality players from making the game. Along this line is relinquishing the rule that every team must have a representative. On smaller rosters like in the NHL, the top talent is not widespread across the league. If a team has no all-star quality players on its team, it should not be awarded a representative in the all-star game. A third option is to involve charities or philanthropy in some way. For example, in the NFL, the AFC could decide to play for one charity while the NFC plays for another. Then, the winning side’s charity would receive a larger donation. This could increase both athlete intensity and fan enthusiasm because it would be a way athletes could give back to the community on the national stage.

While these options could be beneficial, the all-star games will probably never be what they once were. In the past, when there was far less national coverage, fans could only see the best players in the other league in the all-star game. In addition, all-star games used to be highly anticipated not only by the fans but also by the athletes because of the intense rivalries between different leagues (especially between the American League and National League in baseball). In today’s day and age, however, there is so much national exposure, players changing teams, and teams competing against teams from both leagues, that the rivalries and anticipation for seeing the best players have simply ended.

As we approach the Pro Bowl and NBA All-Star Game, I know that I will probably not even watch because the games have become just as much of a waste of time for me as they have for the players.

-A.S.