The business behind the Senior Bowl, East/West Shrine, & NFL Scouting Combine

The Senior Bowl is the premier college football all-star game. The phrase, “The draft starts in Mobile” signifies the importance of the first major event leading up to the NFL Draft. In 2020, the Senior bowl actually registered the phrase as a service mark.

Insights from a 2015 report by South Alabama professor Christopher Keshock:

• Senior Bowl brought in an estimated $27.7 million to Mobile

• Over 35,000 visitors came specifically for the event

• 20,000 hotel rooms were booked

• Senior Bowl paid out $500k+ to all types of employees

While this report isn’t a current snapshot, these numbers have likely increased and implicates a strong financial impact from a college all-star game.

The East/West Shrine Bowl is another opportunity for college football players to showcase their talent. In 2024, it was held at the Ford Center in Frisco, TX. This bowl is considered the next best college football all-star event, inviting more than 120 players. According to the Frisco Enterprise, the estimated direct economic impact from the East/West Shrine Bowl is $3.35 million.

The NFLPA announced on August 7, 2023 that the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl will be discontinued after 12 years.

The Hula Bowl is a college football all-star game that was held in Orlando, FL in 2024. Despite the change in 2022 to move to Florida, the Hula Bowl was typically held in Hawaii. In 2020, only 50 NFL scouts showed.

The NFL Scouting Combine is an invite-only tryout where the best college football players are evaluated for the upcoming NFL Draft. This year, 321 prospects were invited. It’s essentially a 4-day interview period where players are tested on the following:

• 40-yard dash, Bench pressing of 225 pounds, Vertical jump, Broad jump, 20-yard shuttle, 60-yard shuttle, Position-specific drills

• Interviews - each team is allowed 60 interviews in 15-min intervals

• Drug screening

• Cybex test - tests the flexibility and joint movement from each prospect

• Wonderlic test - used to measure the cognitive ability and problem-solving aptitude

According to the NFL.com, the combine brought in $9.1 million in economic impact to Indianapolis in 2023. The NFL Scouting Combine will stay in Indy until 2025.