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Gathering Place
 Gerald Shintaku |
Pro Bowl game brings
the NFL to the islands
and Hawaii to the worldFootball "rookie" Siutini Misaalefua took to the field at the 2004 Pro Bowl for just one play, but it created a memory that the 9-year-old girl will cherish for years to come. As the winner of the 2004 Pro Bowl Tee-Kidsweepstakes, "Tini," as her friends and family call her, sprinted onto the Aloha Stadium field at the 35-yard marker right after the kick-off with the single-minded purpose of scooping up the kicking tee and hustling it off the turf.
Kraft Foods Hawaii and our partners were honored to be a part of giving this once-in-a-lifetime experience to a local child. Tini was a bit out of breath at the end of her run, but she had a smile that stretched from ear-to-ear.
Unique memories like this have made the Pro Bowl an unbroken string of wins for Hawaii over its 25 years in the islands, and that is the way it should stay. It's a mutually enriching relationship that's built to last.
Nationally, the Pro Bowl broadcast, which airs in prime time on the snowy East Coast, brings the sights and sounds of Hawaii to millions of potential visitors and spotlights our state as a sunny family destination. In 2004, 4.24 million viewers tuned in and saw our brilliant blue skies and sparkling oceans and heard the broadcasters marvel at our 80-degree days in the dead of winter.
This year more than most, the Pro Bowl seemed to highlight the wholesome cultural richness of Hawaii to which parents can -- without hesitation -- expose their children.
It was refreshing to see Hawaii entertainers showcase their talents to the world at halftime. I was as much impressed by the great performances by Willie K., Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom and members of Halau Hula 'Ohana and Drill Team Hawaii, as by the short time they had to put the halftime show together.
Even the NFL players seemed to enjoy the experience all the more this year. From the spectacular game to nationally broadcast featurettes about players scuba diving and visiting the USS Arizona Memorial, these sights were invaluable complements to the state's efforts in marketing Hawaii to the world.
Locally, the Pro Bowl focuses our community like few other events. Put simply, it is our NFL game, complete with its own pageantry and culture. All week there are player sightings -- "Isn't that Peyton Manning?" and "Come quick, it's the New England Patriots!" -- giving us the thrill of seeing national sports celebrities.
Local businesses see value in associating themselves with Pro Bowl events, sparking marketing activity and generating a windfall for the island economy. Although the NFL did not exclusively use local companies to facilitate the Pro Bowl, credit must be given for the work it did bring to on-island business, supplying a shot in the arm for some during the otherwise slow, post-holiday season months.
For the keiki there are the NFL's public festivals, youth football activities and even visits by Pro Bowlers to the children's wards of hospitals. There are also all the funds raised for local charities in conjunction with the Pro Bowl; this year the NFL Charities Pro Bowl Grant Program generated $100,000 for local public and private service providers. NFL Charities has provided grants the past nine years to Hawaii-based groups.
These are the kinds of one-on-one interactions that mean so much and separate the Pro Bowl from every other NFL game, even the Super Bowl. The players, coaches and officials from the NFL are not just rushing to prepare for the game or do interviews. They spend time with people and bring some of the glamour and excitement of the most popular game in the United States to Hawaii.
And some, like Tini, will carry that with them for the rest of their lives.
Gerald Shintaku is the business manager of Kraft Foods Hawaii.
