Earlier this week, Sports Media Watch’s Jon Lewis noted that the NFL had yet to make an official announcement for this season’s Pro Bowl, leaving the status of the annual exhibition in question.
But while several details remain unclear, it appears that the Pro Bowl event will, in fact, continue. And it will do so in the Super Bowl’s host market, according to a new report from Sports Business Journal’s Ben Fischer.
Per Fischer, the move is aimed at making the Pro Bowl a part of the Super Bowl week’s festivities. The Pro Bowl traditionally takes place on the Sunday between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl, indicating that the event could mark a kickoff leading into the week of “The Big Game.”
Aside from the location — which will be the San Francisco Bay Area this season — most of the key details remain unknown. That includes which venue would host the event and what its format will be, with one source telling SBJ that the Pro Bowl Games should be perceived as happening in a “sandbox environment,” meaning that further experimentation will likely be necessary.
In a statement, the NFL confirmed that it has held discussions with various stakeholders, including ESPN and the NFLPA, about a “reimagined Pro Bowl for this season.”
“We’ll share more in the coming weeks, but our focus is a best-in-class all-star event that celebrates the league’s top players, deepens fan engagement and spotlights flag football — especially in light of confirming player participation in the LA28 Olympic Games,” the NFL spokesperson said.
SBJ‘s report also notes the league’s desire to make the Pro Bowl a more made-for-TV event capable of attracting a mass audience. This past year’s Pro Bowl Games drew only 4.7 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, and DisneyXD, marking the least-watched edition of the event on record aside from a COVID-marred edition in 2021.
As the shift from a traditional all-star game to a more flag football and skills competition-focused event has failed to catch on with fans, it makes sense that the NFL would further tinker with the low-stakes event. And while it remains to be seen what the new format will actually look like, the shift to the Super Bowl host city seems like a smart one, as the Pro Bowl longer appears strong enough to be its own standalone event.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.