Hall Prez: “All On The Same Page” For Another Noon Enshrinement -

(EDITOR’S NOTE: To listen to Jim Porter, click on the following link: Megaphone: A Modern Podcasting Platform)

A year ago, the Pro Football Hall of Fame made a significant change for the Class of 2022. It moved its induction ceremony from Prime Time to noon. At the time, the move was considered experimental. Now, however, it seems it may be more than that.

According to Hall president Jim Porter, preliminary plans call for this year’s induction to stay at noon. The reason: Simple. Hall of Famers who attended last year’s event preferred it.

“The reaction,” said Hall president Jim Porter on the latest “Eye Test for Two” podcast, “to moving it to noon has been 100 percent favorable if you’re somebody who wears a Gold Jacket (i.e., a living Hall of Famer). And that’s what this weekend is all about, quite honestly.”

Last year’s ceremony marked the first time since 2006 that the Hall held its induction in midday. In the 15 years in between it moved to the evening, which increased viewership but created an unexpected problem. Some ceremonies ran so deep into the night that they didn’t conclude until well after 11 p.m. — cutting into evening parties scheduled for incoming class members.

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No problem. The Hall last March announced that it would move its induction ahead by seven hours, with Porter saying he hoped it “would improve the experience for the new class members and the many returning Hall of Famers who come back to Canon each year.”

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It appears it did. Of the 182 Hall of Famers who were alive last August, Porter said, 108 — or 59 percent – showed up in Canton. Furthermore, an overwhelming majority supported the time change.

“We’re finishing (now) at 3 o’clock,” said Porter, “(so) they have an opportunity to refresh; they have an opportunity to get ready for their parties … and then the parties happen around 6 or 7 o’clock. That was a big decision-maker for us because we wanted as many of the new class to be able to celebrate with the other members of the Hall without the stress of being here and there, and it being 1 o’clock (in the morning) by the time (they) get there.”

The induction ceremony is part of a weekend celebration that annually includes the Hall of Fame game, Gold Jacket dinner, a downtown parade, and an outdoor concert. But evening parties, put on by incoming members, have become part of the weekend, too – with Jerry Jones’ 2018 evening celebration one of the most lavish. By moving the enshrinement ceremony forward, all Hall of Famers were accommodated.

“From their standpoint,” Porter said, “it’s been terrific. From the standpoint of how the weekend flowed at the Hall … on the campus … that’s a huge improvement also.”

Now the question: What do the networks think about it? ESPN televised Pro Football Hall-of-Fame enshrinements the past 27 years and is joined in broadcasts by the NFL Network.

“My guess,” said Porter, “is if the next guest you guys have on one of your shows would be somebody at one of the networks they may not have the same thoughts as I did with the success of it. But we’ve got to keep focused on this weekend (being) about celebrating the greatest of the game and how can we make this entire weekend (better for them).”

He may be right about that “next guest,” provoking the question: Who has the leverage here?

“It’s not a matter of leverage,” said Porter. “It’s a matter of partnership and a matter of understanding the mission of what we’re trying to do. And I think we’re all on the same page here. I haven’t heard that anybody is expecting a change, and I haven’t talked about a change at all. So I’m assuming that we’re going to go at noon.”