The N.F.L. introduced on Monday that it will flip the Professional Bowl, its annual all-star recreation, right into a flag soccer recreation and drop the deal with recreation fully. The shift comes as participation and curiosity within the exhibition has dwindled lately, regardless of the league’s efforts at modifying it.
At this season’s occasion, scheduled to happen in Las Vegas the week earlier than the Tremendous Bowl in February, chosen gamers will proceed to take part in abilities competitions as they’ve carried out since 2017, earlier than gamers from the N.F.C. and the A.F.C. will play one another in a flag soccer recreation.
The week of occasions can be broadcast by ESPN and ABC together with manufacturing from Omaha Studios, the media firm based by the retired quarterback Peyton Manning.
“We’ve obtained invaluable suggestions from gamers, groups and followers about reimagining the Professional Bowl, and because of this, we’re thrilled to make use of the Professional Bowl Video games as a platform to highlight flag soccer as an integral a part of the game’s future whereas additionally introducing enjoyable, new types of competitors and leisure that may carry our gamers, their households and followers nearer than ever earlier than,” Peter O’Reilly, the N.F.L.’s senior vp for occasions, mentioned in an announcement.
The league has for years confronted criticism over the Professional Bowl and dwindling curiosity in it. Tv rankings for the occasion have steadily declined, with the 2021 model drawing a reported 6.7 million viewers, the bottom complete since 2006.
Few star gamers who’re chosen for the sport really take part, citing the necessity to relaxation after the common season, and the N.F.L. has relocated the occasion a number of occasions within the hopes of drawing gamers to trip locations.
The sport, which started in 1951, was initially hosted in Los Angeles, then moved to Hawaii from 1980 to 2009. The N.F.L. has since cycled the sport amongst completely different cities, together with Las Vegas and Miami.
With few aggressive stakes and solely passing curiosity, the sport has been marked by lackluster play and few compelling moments. So as to add pleasure to the broadcasts, the N.F.L. re-added the abilities competitors to the occasion in 2017 after having discontinued it forward of the 2008 Professional Bowl.
The brand new model of the showcase occasion marks a shift for the N.F.L., which has for years funded and promoted youth flag soccer leagues as a approach to introduce kids and blended gender competitors whereas mitigating the dangers of head harm and accessibility considerations amongst mother and father.