Pro Bowl Coming to Orlando

[Nick]

Details of this were officially announced today: The Pro Bowl will relocate to Orlando beginning this season

One interesting quote from Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's senior vice president of events, was "For us, Orlando is the new home of the Pro Bowl," suggesting that this may end up being like Hawaii was for so long.

Also, the NFL announced a pre-season game between the Falcons and Dolphins will be held at the same stadium on August 25th (pre-season week 3).

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will be used for player practices.

So yeah, it's just the pro bowl and a preseason game, but it's nice to see Orlando getting some love from the NFL either way.

 

[Nick]

Forgot this bit. All of these events will be held at WDW:

"There will be a Pro Bowl-themed 5K run, a parade of Pro Bowl players in the Magic Kingdom and Pro Bowl-themed elements throughout Disney Springs, Disney's newest entertainment and dining destination."

 

[ynnoj]

I actually liked the draft format of the past couple years. Kind of lame to see them revert back to the NFC-AFC tilt.

 

[Nick]

Figured i'd bring this up since it's right around the corner again and most of the festivities are happening at Wide World of Sports...

Following the success of its first year in Orlando, the Pro Bowl will return to Camping World Stadium on Sunday, January 28, the NFL announced May 25. The game will be televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, and simulcast on ABC, marking the first time it will air on both broadcast and cable networks. Live audio coverage will also be available on Westwood One, SiriusXM NFL Radio, and on the TuneIn app.

For the second consecutive year, the NFL will host Pro Bowl Week festivities across the Orlando area, bringing new experiences and activities as well as an extraordinary number of events focused on commemorating all levels of football – from youth to high school to the NFL’s best. In addition, Pro Bowl players will be able to invite their former youth or high school coach to be a part of the week’s celebrations.

The 2018 Pro Bowl will once again follow the traditional AFC versus NFC match-up and feature 88 of the best NFL players – 44 from each conference – as determined by a consensus of votes by fans, players, and coaches. Both teams will be led by Offensive and Defensive Legends who will serve as captains representing each conference.

Additional events during Pro Bowl Week will include the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge, testing the athletic prowess of All-Stars from each conference in unique competitions, and the free NFL Pro Bowl Experience, located at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. Fans attending the Pro Bowl Experience will be able to get closer to the action with new activities, immersive exhibits, and sponsor activations. Pro Bowl practices for the AFC and NFC teams will also be held at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, allowing fans to watch their favorite players as they prepare for the game.

 

[Nick]

PHOTOS: NFL Pro Bowl Week Comes to ESPN Wide World of Sports - Blog Mickey