Indianapolis Colts

The NFL's TV ratings are stronger than ever, but it's facing its third straight year of declining season ticket sales. With the economy still sputtering, and real prices for tickets soaring, teams are struggling to attract fans to watch America's most popular pro sport in person.

The Super Bowl is not so super to many economists. Experts in the economics of sports say the NFL and its boosters have grossly overestimated the economic benefit of Sunday's championship game in Miami between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts.