15 Times Pro Sports Tried to Reinvent Their Image In Ridiculous Ways

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15 Times Pro Sports Tried to Reinvent Their Image In Ridiculous Ways

Photo Works/Shutterstock, Gotoenter/Wiki Commons

Since the NFL and NHL have been around for a little over a century, and professional baseball began in the 1850s, we’re pretty sure that we’re now watching more modern versions of the sports. These, the NBA, and a slew of other professional sports have undergone many updates, rule changes, and complete reinventions over the years, and sometimes we’re lucky enough to witness some real unusual ones.

Much like studio executives sit around all day conjuring up wild what-ifs for the film industry, we like to picture the hilarity of league executives and franchise owners think-tanking the next glowing puck or Lingerie Football League. “Guys! Guys, I’ve got it! Hot chicks in lingerie who tackle the hell out of each other! ‘Merica, baby!” The problem is that, unlike a sport evolving over time, a complete and instantaneous reinvention is just so glaring. Whether the fans were into them or not, here are 15 bizarre ways that pro sports have tried to reinvent their image.

Nickelodeon’s collaboration with the NFL.

Sports Reinvented ©CBS SPORTS BY NICKMAS GAME nickolodeen 61 77 SAS ALI 61 1ST nick DEN П LAB 10 5-39 2C PATRICK STAR DOES NFL PLAY-BY-PLAY The NFL's Nickmas Game game had SpongeBob's Patrick Star commentate on a Denver Broncos and L.A Rams game. Patrick got pretty amped up for a Bobby Wagner interception. CRACKED

NFL

NFL.com

The Bears took time out of their historic season to record a silly smash hit.

Sports Reinvented OC 7 5 3 83 0 5 THE SUPER BOWL SHUFFLE The historically dominant 1985 Chicago Bears showed their sillier side with the song (and video) The Super Bowl Shuffle. It reached #41 on Billboard, received a Grammy nom, and sold half a million copies (with the proceeds going to charity). CRACKED

Red Label

Sports Illustrated

Swimming gets a glitzy rebrand in Las Vegas.

Sports Reinvented a SWIMMING: VEGAS STYLE In 2019, some of swimming's biggest names competed in the International Swimming League. At Mandalay Bay Events Center, under flashing lights, pulsating music spun by an on-deck DJ, the winning team split $100,000. CRACKED

AP Photo

AP News

Boxing embraces technology in the ’70s.

Sports Reinvented THE SUPER FIGHT In 1970, Murray Woroner entered Muhammad Ali and Rocky Marciano's career stats into a computer, pitting them against each other virtually. The boxers filmed a reenactment, where a 13-year retired, toupee-donning Marciano beat Ali. CRACKED

YouTube

ESPN

Fox thought technology could help grow the NHL in U.S. markets.

Sports Reinvented THE NHL'S GLOWING PUCK After new fans complained that the puck was hard to follow, Fox Sports experimented with FoxTrax, a luminescent disc in the puck that debuted (and completely failed) at the 1996 All-Star game. CRACKED

Fox Sports

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