The National Football League announced today a transformation of the Pro Bowl, renaming the tentpole event as ‘The Pro Bowl Games.’ Taking place in Las Vegas in 2023, The Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon will be a week-long celebration of player skills featuring an exciting new format that spotlights Flag football. The multi-day AFC vs NFC competition will culminate in an action-packed Flag game featuring Pro Bowl players at Allegiant Stadium, and will air on ESPN and ABC on Sunday, February 5, 2023.
Throughout the week, The Pro Bowl Games will also integrate new challenges where players showcase their football and non-football skills in unique competitions. The revamped programming allows the top stars to show off their skills and celebrate their accomplishments in a fun, memorable way, surrounded by their families and fans.
To program the week-long event, the NFL will work with partners, including ESPN, as well as some of the biggest names in football. Peyton Manning and Omaha Productions— which co-created and executive produces the Emmy-Award-winning Monday Night Football with Peyton & Eli alongside ESPN, as well as ESPN+’s critically acclaimed PLACES series in partnership with NFL Films — will help shape the programming throughout the week. Manning himself will provide a unique perspective as a 14-time Pro Bowl player who understands the importance of the event to players and fans. He will also be a key part of the coaching staff for the AFC vs NFC Flag football game.
“We’ve received invaluable feedback from players, teams and fans about reimagining the Pro Bowl, and as a result, we’re thrilled to use The Pro Bowl Games as a platform to spotlight Flag football as an integral part of the sport’s future while also introducing fun, new forms of competition and entertainment that will bring our players, their families and fans closer than ever before,” said PETER O’REILLY, NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business and League Events. “Building on the success of the 2022 Pro Bowl and 2022 Draft, as well as our strong partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Las Vegas Raiders, we look forward to bringing The 2023 Pro Bowl Games to the capital of world-class sports and entertainment.”
As a growing focus for the organization, Flag football has been a critical piece of the NFL’s participation and development strategy, due to its highly accessible and inclusive qualities. In addition to the AFC vs NFC game on Sunday, The Pro Bowl Games will integrate Flag throughout the week, including the Play Football Opening Night and NFL FLAG Championships presented by Subway, which was created in partnership with RCX Sports and will feature the top girls’ and boys’ youth Flag teams from across the country and around the world. Most recently, the league celebrated a major milestone for the global growth and popularity of the football format, partnering with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) this summer to bring Flag football to The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama.
In the same way Flag celebrates the game of football at all levels, The Pro Bowl Games will highlight key partnerships that empower future generations, such as Boys & Girls Clubs of America. With a long-standing league relationship that supports Flag football programs and drives social justice conversations as a recent Inspire Change grant recipient, Boys & Girls Clubs of America will team up with the NFL to elevate philanthropic efforts and community activations throughout the week of The Pro Bowl Games. This collaboration will provide an opportunity for AFC and NFC Pro Bowl players to continue their ongoing engagement with America’s youth through exciting activities and in-person experiences.
While The Pro Bowl Games includes many new elements, it will maintain fan-favorite moments and events, including fan voting, which will start in the fall and help determine the NFC and AFC team rosters; skills activities, where the NFL’s best players participate in unique competitions; and the East-West Shrine Bowl, where senior collegiate pro prospects have an opportunity to showcase and develop their talents, as well as engage in life-changing experiences with the patients and families of the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
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