NFL considers Hall of Fame Game during regular season, per Peter King

The NFL could add a regular season Hall of Fame game to help raise year-round interest in the attraction, according to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King.

by Louis Bien

Jul 22, 2013, 3:04 PM UTC

Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

The NFL is considering having a second Hall of Fame game during the regular season, according to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King. It’s part of an effort to up the interest in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame game in its current form traditionally marks the first preseason game of the year and coincides with the weekend of Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

King reports that “Hall fathers” are looking for ways to increase attendance year round. Currently, the Hall of Fame does excellent business during the week of the current Hall of Fame game, but sees fewer patrons the rest of the year. Another game at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, or at least an extra week of media promotion, could help sustain interest in the attraction.

Of course, an extra game in Canton would create some issues, namely the loss of a home game for one team. Hosting a game at a neutral site is much more palatable during the preseason when games don't matter, but doing so during the regular season can cause backlash. See: Jacksonville Jaguars fans and their reaction when it was suggested that the Jags could play two games in London.

To avoid controversy, a regular season Hall of Fame game could take place at a regular NFL home stadium, and the Hall could send an exhibit of busts and memorabilia to game sites and local museums to commemorate the occasion. King suggests that the game could be a Thursday, Sunday or Monday primetime game, with additional pomp and circumstance to help make game stand out.

Recent years have been rough for sports shrines. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that recent attendance at the Pro Football Hall of Fame has dipped below the long-time average of 200,000 visitors annually. The National Baseball Hall of Fame, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame have also experienced lean years.