IMO it's an improvement. There has been almost no attention to the pro bowl after the selections were made for years. Nobody went and nobody watched. People were just done with football by then. This year they've already sold more tickets than they have in a very long time, maybe ever. And I wouldn't be surprised if the ratings also turned out to be higher.
I've slowly come to agree with your line of thinking. Initially, my reaction to Goodell's comments was "look the Emperor has new clothes". But the more I've thought about it the more I can see it. You're right; the Super Bowl is considered the season finale, and the Pro Bowl is somewhat anticlimactic. Well...not somewhat; it's VERY anticlimactic. However, play it before and it becomes part of the hype that is the build up to the championship game.
