SOCIAL MEDIA FAN VOTING OPENS FOR 2017
PRO BOWL
-- For the first time, fans may now cast
their vote through social media by using #ProBowlVote on Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram --
-- All-Stars to be Announced on Pro Bowl
Selection Show
on NFL Network on Tuesday, December 20
--
-- Re-Imagined Pro Bowl Week Culminates
with Traditional AFC-NFC Matchup
at Camping World Stadium in Orlando --
Beginning today, for the first time, fans may
vote for who they want to see on the 2017 Pro Bowl roster via social media by
using #ProBowlVote and the player’s first and last name on Twitter and
Instagram. On Facebook, fans may comment on any official Pro Bowl Vote post by
the NFL or a club.
The Pro Bowl players are determined by the
consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group’s vote counts
one-third toward determining the 88 All-Star players who will be selected to the
Pro Bowl. NFL players and coaches will cast their votes on Friday, December 16.
Fan voting for the 2017
Pro Bowl will continue online and on web-enabled mobile phones at www.NFL.com/probowlvote until Tuesday,
December 13. See official rules on how to vote at www.NFL.com/probowlvoterules.com.
The Pro Bowl players will be announced on
Tuesday, December 20 in a live primetime special on NFL Network.
The NFL is the only sports league that combines
voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its all-star teams. It was the
first professional sports league to offer online all-star voting in 1995.
The 2017 Pro Bowl will feature a return to the
traditional AFC vs. NFC format following three years using a revised,
"unconferenced" structure.
The game will be played on Sunday, January 29,
2017 and simulcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes from Camping World Stadium in
Orlando, Florida. Fans may visit NFL.com/ProBowlOnSale
to purchase game tickets.
Leading up to the Pro Bowl, the NFL will host
new activities to celebrate all levels of the sport at Walt Disney World Resort
and throughout Orlando. Highlights of PRO BOWL WEEK festivities include:
- Pro Bowl
AFC and NFC practices will be held alongside youth
football competitions, activities and fan events at ESPN Wide World of
Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort, which annually hosts more than
100 youth sports events, such as the Pop Warner Super Bowl.
- The 2017
Pro Bowl players will also be able to invite their former youth or high
school coach to be a part of the celebrations during the week. Players on
the winning Pro Bowl team will receive a grant from the NFL Foundation to
support their youth or high school football program.
- The
first-ever NFL Women’s Career in Football Forum will be held in
conjunction with USA Football’s Women’s World Football Games at
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. The forum
will prepare women for careers in football operations, including coaching,
officiating and scouting.
- NFL FLAG
Championships and Punt, Pass, and Kick National Championships
will take place at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World
Resort. The 13-14 Boys Championship Game will be aired on ESPN as part of
the network’s broadcast of the Pro Bowl at Camping World Stadium.
- The
fourth annual USA Football National Conference will take place at
the Orange County Convention Center during the weekend of Pro Bowl. USA
Football, the sport's national governing body and a member of the U.S.
Olympic Committee, leads the largest annual conference of high school and
youth football administrators and high school coaches in the United
States. More than 650 participants from all 50 states attended USA
Football's 2016 National Conference in Indianapolis, addressing coach
education, player safety and key trends through inspiring speakers
representing youth, high school, collegiate and pro levels. This year’s
conference will host over 1,000 participants, featuring current and former
NFL and college coaches who will lead discussions on leadership, program
building, and X’s and O’s football strategy.
- The Don
Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award winner will be announced
during the Pro Bowl as part of a year-long recognition of high school
coaches on ESPN. The award honors high school football coaches that
display the integrity, achievement, and leadership exemplified by Pro
Football Hall of Famer DON SHULA, the winningest coach in NFL
history.
- Pro Bowl
festivities for youth and their families will take place throughout the
week across Orlando, including a Pro
Bowl-themed 5k run and a parade of Pro Bowl players in the Magic Kingdom.
Contact:
Jake Gellerman
National Football League
212-450-2404
Jacob.Gellerman@NFL.com