Study puts $12.1 million value on Pro Bowl

Poll: Should Hawai'i keep the Pro Bowl?

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

All events and practice times, subject to change. For complete up-to-the-minute information contact the Pro Bowl hotline at 233-4635. Admission free for all Aloha Stadium practices. Enter through Gate 4. Today 9 a.m. — NFC practice at Aloha Stadium. Tomorrow 10 a.m. — AFC practice at Aloha Stadium. Thursday 10 a.m. — AFC practice at Aloha Stadium. Friday 10 a.m. — NFC practice at Aloha Stadium. Noon to 6 p.m. — Pro Bowl Football Festival at Kapi'olani Park, presented by the Paradise Yellow Pages (admission free). Features local bands, free autographs from NFL players and Pro Bowl cheerleaders, NFL mascots, interactive football games and prize giveaways. 12:30 p.m. — Pro Bowl Charity Golf Tournament at Waialae Country Club. To register, contact Nick Nicolosi at (201) 489-0049 or n.nicolosi@verizon.net 3 to 5:30 p.m. — NFL Military Challenge at Kapi'olani Park (admission free). Features football skills competition of the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy. 7 p.m. to midnight — Pro Bowl Block Party at Aloha Tower Marketplace (admission free). Features live bands, free autographs from NFL players and Pro Bowl cheerleaders, NFL mascots and fireworks. Saturday 9 a.m. — NFC practice at Aloha Stadium. 10 a.m. — AFC practice at Aloha Stadium. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. — Pro Football Festival and Fan Appreciation Day at Kapi'olani Park, presented by the Paradise Yellow Pages (admission free). 6 p.m. — Sunset at the Beach at Queen's Beach, Waikiki. See football movie "Radio" on the beach. 8 p.m. — 25th Anniversary Pro Bowl concert and party at Waikiki Shell, featuring K.C. and the Sunshine Band and Papa Doo Run Run. Tickets available at the Blaisdell Arena box office and Ticketmaster.com (877) 750-4400. Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Official NFL Tailgate Party, "Surfin' NFL," at Richardson Field. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com, (877) 750-4400, and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers. Features free autographs from NFL players, Pro Bowl cheerleaders and mascots, and music and entertainment. 2:30 p.m. — 2004 NFL Pro Bowl Game. AFC All-Stars vs. NFC All-Stars at Aloha Stadium. Pro Bowl facts Where: Aloha Stadium When: 2:30 p.m. Sunday Tickets: $30 to $150 Ticket purchases: Aloha Stadium box office, or through Ticketmaster (877) 750-4400, or at ticketmaster.com Parking: $5. Television: ESPN, live. Radio: CBS radio, live.

A fixture in Honolulu for 25 years, the Pro Bowl will have one year left on its five-year contract with Hawai'i after Sunday's game at Aloha Stadium.

While the game has provided Hawai'i national exposure and attracted thousands of visitors, the price Hawai'i pays the NFL to host the game has increased to more than $5.3 million this year and $5.6 million for the final year in 2005.

"Hawai'i and the Pro Bowl have become synonymous; you can find it on TV," said Jim Steeg, the NFL senior vice president for special events, who is involved in negotiations. "When they say that guy is going to Hawai'i, he's going to the Pro Bowl. And when they say he's going to the Pro Bowl, they think Hawai'i."

The Pro Bowl is by far the most expensive sporting event the state pays to host, nearly doubling the $2.7 million paid for 16 other sporting events this fiscal year — including $2.1 million for six golf tournaments and its related marketing programs, according to Hawai'i Tourism Authority statistics.

In an effort to prove the Pro Bowl's value, the NFL recently commissioned a study that measured the 2003 all-star game's financial impact in Hawai'i.

The study — done by media exposure company TNSSPORT and obtained by The Advertiser — reported that Hawai'i would have to spend up to $12.1 million on advertising to get the same level of exposure it received from last year's Pro Bowl.

"We are trying to say what it would cost the state of Hawai'i to buy the advertising they got as a result of their association with the NFL Pro Bowl," said Cary Meyers, the NFL's director of consumer intelligence, who handles such reports.

"The advertising number comes from checking over what it would cost (Hawai'i) to reach that many people through print, (or) reach that many people through TV broadcasts. It's a very standard practice in the sponsorship world. We've done it for Gatorade."

TNSSPORT calls itself the largest media exposure company in the world with clients such as Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, ESPN and Nike.

For its analysis, TNSSPORT monitored live-game NFL footage, television news broadcasts, print, radio and added an estimated value for on-site and online promotional activity.

Some of the highlights:

The study monitored seven live NFL games last season (Pro Bowl, Super Bowl, AFC and NFC championships, two wild-card games and one regular-season game) for references to Hawai'i and the 2003 Pro Bowl. The company then projected those results over 44 games. The projected advertising exposure was worth $4,719,167 for the live TV games, the report said.

The study counted 855 articles in various publications that featured the 2003 Pro Bowl. Those articles — taken during a period from December 2002 to February 2003 — generated 1,108 text mentions of Hawai'i, which was worth $3,690,856 in print advertising, the study said.

The study counted advertisements in all 32 NFL stadiums last season for references to Hawai'i and the Pro Bowl, including public address announcements and Jumbotron announcements. For the on-line category, the study monitored Internet hits. The total on-site and online advertising value was $2,244,718, the study said.

Steeg said the NFL commissioned the study partly out of curiosity and to answer questions about the Pro Bowl's value to Hawai'i. Steeg said the study cost the NFL "less than five figures" but did not give an exact amount.

The Hawai'i Tourism Authority has since adopted the study and used the findings in its latest Pro Bowl news release this month.

"It's one form of a study done by the NFL, and it has some good points," said Rex Johnson, executive director of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, who would not elaborate on the study because of ongoing negotiations.

Johnson said the state and the NFL have a couple of contract meetings scheduled this week.

Both Steeg and Johnson would not release any potential contract figures or contract lengths.

According to HTA statistics, the 2003 Pro Bowl brought in 18,000 visitors to Hawai'i, which accounted for $28.07 million in visitor spending and $2.72 million in state taxes.

The event also brings in significant media exposure to the state. In 2003, the game was viewed by 6.3 million households, the HTA said.

By comparison, Punahou School freshman Michelle Wie's pursuit of the cut in the Sony Open in Hawaii last month was watched by about 1 million television households, according to ESPN.

Mark Rolfing, a former tourism board member who is assisting the authority in negotiating the NFL contract, wanted the same analysis performed on the six Hawai'i golf tournaments to compare their advertising value against the Pro Bowl's.

"An analysis is only as good if there's something you can compare it to," he said. "Having said that, the Pro Bowl is very important to us. I think what we need to do is figure out a way to make this work here.

"What doesn't work right now is the amount of money that the state is paying to have it. I think the players love it here. I think for the NFL, it's the best possible site for the Pro Bowl. ... (But) we've gotten to the point where it just doesn't work anymore."

Steeg said the NFL has been approached by at least one city expressing interest in hosting the Pro Bowl. However, contractual rules prevent the NFL from talking with a suitor until next fall, Steeg said.

In past negotiations, a group from Orlando, Fla., attempted to lure away the Pro Bowl. At both 1992 and 1997 negotiations, Florida Citrus Sports of Orlando, a nonprofit sports organization, made a bid offering such incentives as discounted hotel rooms and a 70,000-seat stadium. But Florida Citrus had no taxpayer cash, and was edged by $1 million, said Chuck Rohe, the group's executive director.

Johnson yesterday said he didn't know of any other city bidding for the Pro Bowl other than Orlando.

"I'm sure they are, but I don't have any details on that," he said.

Hawai'i showed its commitment to the Pro Bowl last year by installing new turf at Aloha Stadium. The project cost $1.3 million, of which the NFL offered to pay $560,000. The rest was the state's responsibility.

Johnson said many organizations and businesses have big stakes in the Pro Bowl. Some such as Roberts Hawai'i provide ground transportation for the Pro Bowl, while others such as Aloha Tower Marketplace will host a block party.

"I think everybody in the state participates," Johnson said. "It's not only the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, it's all the local businesses and the NFL. All together it makes up Pro Bowl Week, which is a huge event for the state of Hawai'i, from both an economic and tourism standpoint."

Coaches, players and fans said they hope the annual all-star game can continue here.

New York Jets center Kevin Mawae, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, said coming to Hawai'i is a great reward for players.

"For me, it never gets old," Mawae said. "If God can make someplace this beautiful, imagine what heaven is going to be like. That's the way we feel about Hawai'i."

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.