Pro Bowl Coming to Orlando

[Nick]

The National Football League is moving its Pro Bowl all-star game to Orlando, according to a report by Bloomberg.com.

The Bloomberg report cited three people familiar with the matter confirming that Orlando has beaten out the event's traditional home of Honolulu, as well as Houston and Sydney, Australia, to host the game.

Local officials previously confirmed the city was bidding to host the game at Camping World Stadium for at least three years, beginning in 2017. Last week, Orange County's Tourist Development Council voted unanimously to recommend $3 million in hotel taxes to help land the all-star game.

City and county officials were unable to confirm the Bloomberg report Thursday afternoon. Steve Hogan, the CEO of Florida Citrus Sports who has spearheaded Orlando's bid, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Reached by email Thursday evening, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy would not confirm the report.

"Multiple cities have expressed interest in hosting the Pro Bowl, including Honolulu, Houston, Orlando and Sydney, Australia," McCarthy said. "We do not have a comment on discussions with any of these cities."

Report: NFL to move Pro Bowl to Orlando - Orlando Sentinel

 

[bob albert]

Players needed a new vacation destination to show up.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Besides the normal Pro Bow jokes this is win win. Fills hotel rooms during a slow season and more people will fly to MCO than Hawaii for a football game.

 

[Nick]

Besides the normal Pro Bow jokes this is win win. Fills hotel rooms during a slow season and more people will fly to MCO than Hawaii for a football game.

There's also just A LOT of sports fans in Orlando looking for a team to root for. Unfortunately the Magic suck, but people fill the almost 60,000 seat Citrus Bowl for our Soccer team from time to time.

Locals will come out in droves for this game.

 

[Mad Dog]

Will it be fun to pay big bucks to watch a touch football game?

 

[ynnoj]

Awesome! Always wanted to visit the Pro Bowl (more for the festivities and player interaction than the actual football), so now the site is a shorter flight this is more of a reality for me.

 

[bob albert]

Besides the normal Pro Bow jokes this is win win. Fills hotel rooms during a slow season and more people will fly to MCO than Hawaii for a football game.

It probably won't do worse than in Hawaii but really how many people are going to travel to see a game that no one even cares to watch on tv? At least they might get more people who happen to be there to stop by. Maybe they can have some sort of vacation packages that include some sort of pro bowl event/meal/meet and greet. That would prob be a boost.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

It probably won't do worse than in Hawaii but really how many people are going to travel to see a game that no one even cares to watch on tv? At least they might get more people who happen to be there to stop by. Maybe they can have some sort of vacation packages that include some sort of pro bowl event/meal/meet and greet. That would prob be a boost.

More people will go to see it in Orlando than Hawaii. All of the eastern seaboard and probably most of the western it's cheaper to go to Orlando than Hawaii for such a trip.

 

[Brian G.]

When it was in Miami, it was pretty damn successful. Aloha Stadium is crap, couple that with an out of the way locale and that's why it's been in decline.

 

[Tobias]

Aloha Stadium is crap, couple that with an out of the way locale and that's why it's been in decline.

I'd say there's more reasons then that on why the games in decline, after all the ratings keep dropping and the number of players opting out of it keep rising. Every year people keep catching on this is nothing but a pointless exhibition game.

The game has to be played for something, if nothings at stake, there's no point in actually playing and that's how we get touch football.

 

[Brian G.]

I'd say there's more reasons then that on why the games in decline, after all the ratings keep dropping and the number of players opting out of it keep rising. Every year people keep catching on this is nothing but a pointless exhibition game.

The game has to be played for something, if nothings at stake, there's no point in actually playing and that's how we get touch football.

Well part of it is the travel. Many of the veterans skip going just because of the travel.

 

[Tobias]

Well part of it is the travel. Many of the veterans skip going just because of the travel.

Well if that is a factor, yes moving to Orlando will help with that. Though they gotta' change the game up. Myself I'm fond of the suggestion where it's more of a "Draft" bowl of sorts, the bottom two teams of the season play for the first round draft pick. Not only would they definitely be playing for something, but it would also discourage teams purposely tanking a la' "Suck for Luck".

 

[Brian G.]

Well if that is a factor, yes moving to Orlando will help with that. Though they gotta' change the game up. Myself I'm fond of the suggestion where it's more of a "Draft" bowl of sorts, the bottom two teams of the season play for the first round draft pick. Not only would they definitely be playing for something, but it would also discourage teams purposely tanking a la' "Suck for Luck".

It's just really tough to really make it mean something because of Football's style of play. If you're at the bottom of the league, would you want one of your star players go all out for a draft pick and risk getting hurt? I wouldn't.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

Regardless of the quality, the economic impact for Orlando will be successful. Orlando is a family destination with family amenities. That in itself is a win. Then we have a newly renovated stadium that's surrounded by a ton of field and grass for smaller events much like the all star game. Make the probowl game itself a destination vs an event and you'll see more people enjoying it.

 

[Mad Dog]

The Pro Bowl was cool to watch long ago when they actually played football in the game. It's just a glorified touch football match now. It's not football. :sleep:

 

[Nick]

As I said at the beginning, Orlando could fill this game all on their own without any out-of-towners. The bowl always fills for the few college football games we have a year and even some of our MLS games sell out. Orlando is an ideal location for this game.

Besides, if someone did want to fly to see it, a husband could easily sell to the wife/kids "but it's in Orlando! We could go to the theme parks as well!"

 

[Mad Dog]

As I said at the beginning, Orlando could fill this game all on their own without any out-of-towners. The bowl always fills for the few college football games we have a year and even some of our MLS games sell out. Orlando is an ideal location for this game.

Besides, if someone did want to fly to see it, a husband could easily sell to the wife/kids "but it's in Orlando! We could go to the theme parks as well!"

The key phrase is "Football Game". The Pro Bowl, by no means, is a real Football Game. More like a Football "Meet & Greet", with some really big Princesses (Princes). I'm from Pittsburgh, where they play real football. If you put the game in Pittsburgh, they'd be lucky to fill up the end zone seats. You guys can't be that starved for football(?).

 

[Nick]

The key phrase is "Football Game". The Pro Bowl, by no means, is a real Football Game. More like a Football "Meet & Greet", with some really big Princesses (Princes). I'm from Pittsburgh, where they play real football. If you put the game in Pittsburgh, they'd be lucky to fill up the end zone seats. You guys can't be that starved for football(?).

I understand what the game is and yes, we mostly ARE that starved for football

Outside of UCFs games and maybe a bowl game, we get nothing unless you drive to Tampa to watch a crappy team play.

 

[Mad Dog]

I understand what the game is and yes, we mostly ARE that starved for football

Outside of UCFs games and maybe a bowl game, we get nothing unless you drive to Tampa to watch a crappy team play.

.....Well, I guess it could be worse. You could have the Cleveland Browns as a home team. :ack:....I feel bad for Joe (Test Track).

 

[bob albert]

Well if that is a factor, yes moving to Orlando will help with that. Though they gotta' change the game up. Myself I'm fond of the suggestion where it's more of a "Draft" bowl of sorts, the bottom two teams of the season play for the first round draft pick. Not only would they definitely be playing for something, but it would also discourage teams purposely tanking a la' "Suck for Luck".

Lol do you think players have that much team loyalty when they can get hurt, cut, and not paid most of the time?