Pro Football Hall of Fame: Pros and Cons of Visiting

Last updated on August 5th, 2024 at 12:56 am

There’s no greater achievement for an NFL player than being immortalized at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Having a bronze bust displayed alongside other elite players is the dream of many children playing football. As a lifelong NFL fan, I had the chance to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the first time at age 36. Here’s what you can expect when you visit!

Growing Up a Passionate Football Fan

I grew up a passionate football viewer, while playing intramural football in middle school. I played quarterback and was pretty good at that level- which is a league away from being capable of starting in high school.

My hope was that if I couldn’t play quarterback, I’d grow big enough to play middle linebacker, captain of the defense. Unfortunately, my hands never grew bigger, nor did the rest of my body. But at the time, I didn’t realize that many of my fellow classmates, who grew super sized compared to me, did so through artificial methods.

Buffalo Bills Fan Since Childhood

I grew up a Buffalo Bills fan, which was both exhilarating and heartbreaking to a kid in the early 90’s. They’re still the only NFL team in history to reach four consecutive Super Bowls…. and lose all of them. I cried for the first one, by the fourth I pretty much expected that familiar ache in my stomach.

The 21st century has perhaps been even crueler to the franchise. It’s hard being a Bills fan. When they lose a big game, it still eats at me for a little. Then I attempt to shrug it off and mutter “it’s just a game.”

Visiting the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Last month, I finally made it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a visitor. And thanks to a career in writing, I was able to receive complimentary media admission. That saved me $24, plus $10 in parking at the time. It kinda felt like a little pat on the back for not using steroids in high school, in the slim hope I’d reach Canton as a player (I’m not saying all players get there that way, but no doubt many were assisted by illegal performance enhancing drugs).

The NFL Originated in Canton, Ohio

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is in Canton, Ohio because the NFL officially formed as a league there in 1920. The Canton Bulldogs were part of the NFL during its conception. Legendary athlete and player Jim Thorpe played for the Canton Bulldogs. Thorpe had previously won the Olympic gold medals for decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. He also played professional baseball.

Canton Hotel Recommendation

We stayed at the historic DoubleTree by Hilton Canton Downtown. Many of the hall of fame players stay there during the annual summer induction ceremony. The hotel features an indoor heated pool, business and fitness center. Rooms includes cable TV, coffee maker and desk, hair dryer and ironing board. The Classic Car Museum is less than 0.6 mi away. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 10 minute drive from the DoubleTree by Hilton Canton Downtown.

The Legendary Career of Jim Thorpe

As a football player, Jim Thorpe played running back, defensive back, placekicker and punter. That is unthinkable today. President Eisenhower, who played against Thorpe in college said of him: “Here and there, there are some people who are supremely endowed. My memory goes back to Jim Thorpe. He never practiced in his life, and he could do anything better than any other football player I ever saw.”

Jim Thorpe is regarded by many sports historians as the greatest American athlete of the 20th century. In the room encapsulating the history of professional football in America, there’s a massive bronze statue of Jim Thorpe “The Legend” in the center of the room. The statue is fittingly superior to all others at the Hall of Fame. It’s a testament to not only Thorpe, but to the integral role that Canton continues to play in the United States’ most popular sport, despite being a struggling rust belt town that has lost 50% of its population since the 1950’s.

Bronze Busts in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton

There are 326 bronze busts of inductees in the most famous room of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The busts include players, coaches, owners, administrators and press. I spent over half an hour closely examining many of the heads from the inaugural inductees of 1963 to the present. While the athletes of today are paid much better than previous generations, many incur serious injuries that hinder their later lives.

Many former players struggle to hold jobs outside football. That includes possibly the greatest athlete of the 20th century, Jim Thorpe, who died poor. But for those inducted, regardless of how much money these men die with, they are remembered for however long the league and museum exists.

Buffalo Bills Players and Memorabilia on Display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is particularly special as a Bills fan. Many players and staff from the early 1990’s Super Bowls continue to be inducted. In 2014, receiver Andre Reed was one of 8 players inducted. His former jersey and other personal mementos are displayed in a room especially devoted to the previous years inductees.

There’s also jerseys and playbooks from Buffalo Bills Super Bowl appearances. Perhaps what’s most special is that the entire football preservation wing is named after late Bills owner Ralph Wilson. Wilson died in 2014.

Wilson founded the Bills in 1960 and was the only owner in its history for 54 years, until his passing. His family then sold the team to billionaire Terry Pegula, who also owns the Buffalo Sabres hockey team.

NFL Fans Can See New Memorabilia on Display Every Year

A die hard NFL fan could visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame every year to view new items on display. Each year there are new inductees and new mementos from the previous season’s best plays temporarily displayed. A must is to watch the video highlighting the previous seasons Super Bowl. The movie theatre rotates and the sound is spectacular, as you can practically feel the players hitting each other. Most NFL fans, myself included, will feel goose bumps.

AFL and USFL History and Memorabilia

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has a room featuring mementos and history of other professional American football leagues before and during the NFL’s supremacy. This includes leagues like the AFL and USFL. For many younger football fans, it’s an important lesson in business as well as sports history.

Admission and Parking for the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Many visitors to the Pro Football Hall of Fame sport the jersey of their favorite team. While admission is pricey at $43.50, it is cheaper than attending an actual NFL game. Barring perhaps a pre-season game in cheaper markets like Buffalo, Cleveland and Jacksonville, where you might find a great deal on a third party ticket exchange site like stubhub.

The NFL out-prices most American families in many markets. The $10 charge for parking is new and rather unnecessary for a league raking in record profits. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell earns a $44 million+ a year salary, while the NFL holds a non-profit tax status.

Worth Visiting the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

My father took me to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown as a kid. That was an experience I cherished for years. As we age life makes us more cynical. But I still appreciated my visit to Canton as a 36 year old jaded NFL fan. Is the Pro Football Hall of Fame worth visiting if you’re from outside the US and have only a casual interest in American football? If you’re close by, then yes.

More to See in Canton, Ohio

The William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum is definitely worth visiting in Canton. It has a fantastic recreation of a typical late 1800’s American town. For those with no interest in football, the National First Ladies’ Library Museum is another great option. Canton offers a variety of activities while waiting for someone who is visiting the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Pro Football Hall of Fame Recap

For history lovers, Canton is significant, and for a struggling town, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is extremely important. But what does it say about the United States, when there’s mounting evidence that football is dangerous at all levels, that this sport has never been more popular? Perhaps we should stay away, but I would certainly be a hypocrite to tell you that.

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