There’s been a lot of talk about the Pro Bowl being on its last legs, but a report in the New Orleans Times-Picayune suggests that there could be a game in 2013 after all.
And it also suggests that the game could be in New Orleans the week before the Super Bowl. According to Nakia Hogan of the Times-Picayune, league sources are saying that New Orleans is a “leading candidate” to host the game in the event that it is played. When the Super Bowl was in Miami in 2010, the Pro Bowl was played there as well and it was a much more successful game than this year’s unwatchable contest.
Superdome General Manager Alan Freeman said that the league has asked him to keep the venue free on January 27th, but that there haven’t been any further discussions about having a game on that date. NFL owners are holding meetings in Atlanta this week and the future of the Pro Bowl will be up for discussion.
According to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, the league “does not have a venue for the game at this time. No decision has been made yet on whether to play the game this season. We have been discussing the future of the Pro Bowl with the union.” NFLPA President Domonique Foxworth said that the union wants to “improve and preserve” the game, but the league can cancel it without the union’s consent.