NFL Officials May Cancel Future Pro Bowl Games, Keep Ballot Voting

Being named to an NFL Pro Bowl team is a huge honor for NFL players, however the event itself is typically seen as little more than an excuse for players to receive a free trip to Hawaii while playing a half-hearted game of football when they arrive. It’s for that reason that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and his NFL front office are considering cancelling future Pro Bowl events.

The next Pro Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 3, one week before the Super Bowl is set to kick off in New Orleans, however a game site for the event is not forthcoming because of the events potential cancellation.

Sources close to the commissioner say he has voiced displeasure over the lack of commitment players give to the event, causing an environment that is not competitive and has angered fans in the past.

A second source tells ESPN that after the 2013 season the Pro Bowl is going to be “DOA (dead on arrival).”

While the actual game may go away the NFL would still use a balloting system to name the years top players and the league would still encourage “Pro Bowl” clauses to be agreed upon in player contracts to provide those players with extra incentive to make the Pro Bowl list.

In the meantime Roger Goodell has publicly asked players for suggestions to make the Pro Bowl more enjoyable for fans.

Some NFL officials believe the game should stay in place based simply off its high TV ratings. while Goodell argues that lackluster play during that event weighs poorly on the league and its professional players.

In the meantime Roger Goodell fully understands that safety issues have led many players to tone back their game play, especially now that the Pro Bowl occurs before the Super Bowl and not one week after.

Do you think its time for the Pro Bowl to end or should it carry on as part of NFL tradition?