For all the years major sports leagues such as the NHL, MLB and NBA have implemented the all-star game with the idea of honoring those performing at the highest level of their respective leagues.

In Major league Baseball, you have AL versus NL, in the NBA you have East versus West, which the NHL also follow.  In reality this type of format is pointless and  a complete failure.

Some argue this is not the case, because all-star games always sell out and they are a huge success. Actually, the pre-all-star game activities such as slam dunk competitions, (NBA) breakway contest  (NHL) and homerun hitting contests such  as the one in major league baseball, in reality is what markets the game and attracts interest and brings fans to all-star games.

In NBA all-star games, there's no defense and who ever has last shot most likely decides the game. While in the NHL allstar games, it's also about offense and there's not that hard hitting you usually see in regular NHL games.

In baseball allstar games, the pitch-by pitch philosophy you find during the course of a real MLB game is basically none existent, and that's evident by the consistent number of fast balls thrown by pitchers during the course of a MLB all-star game.

What about having MLB allstars facing the Japanese baeball all-stars, or having the best US players against an International team of none US baseball players..Other options, World Series Champions against the all-stars....anything to get away from this easy and nothing to prove concept our major sports leagues currently adopt...