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The Pro Bowl, which changed its name to Pro Bowl Games this season, will be held on Sunday, February 5 in Las Vegas in a new format. The NFL organizes the Pro Bowl every year, which features the league's star players from that particular season.
Since its inception in 1951, the Pro Bowl has seen many changes, mostly because it has struggled to generate revenue in comparison to All-Star games in other sports.
The Pro Bowl is played a week before the Super Bowl, and players competing in NFL Championship games avoid taking part to prevent the risk of injury. It has been mocked as a less intense matchup and NFL players have been questioned for not playing the game competitively.
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The first Pro Bowl was played in 1951 and was known as the National Football League All-Star Game. The first 21 Pro Bowl games (1951-1972) were played in Los Angeles. The next seven games were played at different sites, which were changed annually before it made its way to Aloha Stadium in Halawa, Hawaii.
The Pacific archipelago became a permanent venue for the Pro Bowl for the next 30 years. The site was chosen as it is a popular tourist destination and offers luxurious experiences. It was a strategic decision to attract NFL fans towards the Pro Bowl. It also became a haven for the athletes who started their offseason while vacationing in Hawaii.
The plan worked, and the concept grew with decent viewership, but the numbers were still meager in comparison to other sporting events. The league made several changes to make it more interesting and shifted the Pro Bowl venue to Orlando in 2017.
Orlando is home to Disney World, which is a major tourist destination where people come from all over the world. The NFL experimented with this location where fans could experience Disney World and watch star football players play in the Pro Bowl.
Orlando hosted the Pro Bowl games until 2020. The 2021 edition was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas hosted the 2022 Pro Bowl. The 2023 Pro Bowl will also take place in Las Vegas.
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What changes have the NFL made in the 2023 Pro Bowl Games?
The most recent Pro Bowl, which was held alongside the Beijing Winter Olympics, garnered 6.69 million views across platforms - the lowest viewership in 16 years.
The NFL is naming the new event "The Pro Bowl Games" to add interest. There will be competition between the AFC and NFC and in place of the customary tackle football game, a flag football game will be played at the Las Vegas Raiders' stadium on February 5.
