AP Sources: NFL Moving Pro Bowl To Orlando In 2017
TERRANCE HARRIS, Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The NFL is moving the Pro Bowl from Honolulu to Orlando this season, three people with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The people spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because an announcement has not been made.
The NFL and ESPN have scheduled a news conference for Wednesday at ESPN Wide World of Sports at the Disney complex, during which the league will announce the move, according to a person with knowledge of the move. The game will be played at Camping World Stadium. Orlando beat out Honolulu, Houston and Sydney for the right to host the NFL's all-star game.
The league had until Tuesday to notify Honolulu that it would not renew the contract. This will be just the third time since 1979 that the Pro Bowl has not been in Hawaii. It was in Miami in 2010 and Glendale, Arizona, in 2015.
In recent years, the NFL has attempted to ramp up interest in its all-star game. In addition to twice moving its location, the league has shifted the game from being played a week after the Super Bowl to being played the week between the AFC and NFC championship games and the Super Bowl. Select former star players now pick teams, instead of having the traditional AFC-NFC matchup.
The Pro Bowl will be played next year in the newly rebranded Citrus Bowl. The stadium underwent $200 million in renovations two years ago in hopes of attracting more major sporting events.
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