REPORT -- Pro Bowl Says 'Aloha' to Hawaii in 2010

by John Bena on Dec 29, 2008 5:27 PM MST in Denver Broncos in the News

Hopefully Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall enjoy their first trip to Hawaii and the Pro Bowl - it could be their last. A source told the Associated Press that the NFL has moved the 2010 game to the site of the Super Bowl(Miami) and the game will be played the week before the Big Game

More from the report --

It's not a new notion to have the game moved up to take place between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. The NFL has discussed it multiple times in recent years, and commissioner Roger Goodell told the AP last month that having the game precede the Super Bowl would avoid a "somewhat anticlimactic" ending to the season.

The Pro Bowl has been held in Honolulu since 1980, and it's probable that the game will return to Hawaii after 2010, although not on the permanent basis as has been the case over the last three decades.

It won't be South Florida's first Pro Bowl: the 1975 game took place in Miami's Orange Bowl, during a period when the site rotated annually.

Barring a schedule change, next season's Pro Bowl will take place Jan. 31, 2010, with the Super Bowl that year on Feb. 7. The league's plan is for players on the AFC and NFC championship squads not to take part in the Pro Bowl.

Miami was awarded the 2010 Super Bowl three years ago, a record 10th time the game will come to the Dolphins' home city. The notion of adding the Pro Bowl to the lineup in South Florida was first discussed several months ago. It's not clear when the final decision was made to move the game.

Hawaii tourism officials have lobbied in recent months to extend the game's current contract, which expires after this season's Pro Bowl, pointing to the fact that it's been sold out every year since moving to Honolulu and generates about $30.5 million in visitor spending and tax revenues.

And earlier this year, Hawaii's state government released $11 million for lighting and roofing improvements at Aloha Stadium, part of ongoing upgrades designed to refurbish and modernize the aging stadium. State officials have also considered demolishing the facility and building a new stadium.

Whatever the motivation(Cost?), the League is definitely flexing some muscle with the move right in time for talks on a new CBA to begin.

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Comments

I heard this before.

However if it does happen then I guess if the teams in the Super Bowl have guys in the Pro Bowl, you can’t really expect them to play. I mean I wouldn’t if Denver was in it.

"It doesn't dissipate" ~ Mike Shanahan

Cutler's 4th qtr/OT game winning drives: 9

by weazel on Dec 29, 2008 7:25 PM MST reply actions

Hopefully the reason that Jay and Brandon

won’t be playing in Hawaii next year will be that the Broncos are in the AFC Championship game!! Seems a little strange to lose the players from the four best teams in the league from the Pro Bowl, though I like the idea of having it fill the gap before the Super Bowl….

"You're slow. You're not a running back, and you're not a running back for a reason."
The Shanahan

by Broncs Cheer on Dec 29, 2008 10:23 PM MST reply actions

Pro bowl is a joke anyway

Pete Rose is the only person in any sport to go all out in an all-star game

by Sneaky Sean on Dec 29, 2008 10:32 PM MST reply actions

So the best players from the best teams won't play?!!

How bizarre.

Relevance = getting the players that deserve to be there playing.

- Stopping the bias and ballot stuffing. Take away the media and publics right to vote on it. It cheapens the prestige.
- Make it based on an entire season. So the voting begins at the end of the season.
- Balance the vote so that comes equally from every team. Maybe have just the head coaches or the head coaches and OC & DC from each team vote.
- Glamorise it a little bit. Maybe have a two hour show on NFL Network or ESPN or CBS announcing the players and maybe having a run down of the starters season and why they deserve their place.
- Keep the game after the Super Bowl. Have it in towns they deem unsuitable for the Super Bowl (Like Denver!!) Try to pump the crowds up to get the best out of the players.
- I’m not sure about players loyalty to their conferences? (Help me on this) But I know they have a huge loyalty to where they grew up or where they went to college. Maybe make the All-star teams based on something other conference?? Geography? East coast, west coast? I don’t know.

Just a thought. Try to generate some passion!!! I even think if it was done this way it would contribute more to a players claims to HOF places.

Darren Bennett... check
Ben Graham... check
Sav Rocca... check
Now if only we can find an Australian who can run and tackle in the NFL and show these Yanks what we're made of.

by orange&blue_aussie on Dec 30, 2008 3:50 AM MST reply actions

Voting needs to be

after the regular season, game needs to come after the SB- otherwise, players on the SB teams won’t play in the PB- what a waste of time.

Having the game in Hawaii makes for a nice vacation for the families of the players, who have to give up quite a bit themselves. Or have the PB game in cities that don’t quite make the SB cut.

Also, voting needs to be done by coaches and coordinators only- I believe this would lead to the BEST players in the PB and not the most popular players in the PB.

Frack, frackin' fracker!

by BornOrange on Dec 30, 2008 9:03 AM MST reply actions