Chances are the 2026 Pro Bowl Games came and went without you even noticing, and the NBA's All-Star Weekend is dredging up the usual arguments about format and motivation and so on. Steven Godfrey and Ryan Nanni look at these two events and their counterparts in Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, the WNBA, and Major League Soccer to examine whether All-Star events still serve their original purposes and what can still make them effective entertainment.

This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.