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The central Florida city had been bidding to host the 2017
Pro Bowl along with Honolulu, Houston and Sydney, Australia.
"We are excited to re-imagine the Pro Bowl experience for both
fans and players and to celebrate the game of football at all
levels," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at ESPN Wide World
of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort.
"Collaborating with Disney and ESPN brings us closer to the best
in youth and family-focused entertainment. We look forward to
working with the city of Orlando and Florida Citrus Sports to
create a week-long celebration for football and our fans."
The 2017 Pro Bowl will mark a return to the traditional format
between the American Football Conference and the National
Football Conference, following a three-year experiment with
unconferenced squads.
Only twice since 1979 has the Pro Bowl been held outside Hawaii
with Miami playing host in 2010 and Glendale, Arizona in 2015.
In every other year, the all-star game was held at Aloha Stadium
in Honolulu.
The Pro Bowl, which has had plummeting television ratings in
recent years, is held the weekend before the Super Bowl, serving
as the signature event to kick off the league's biggest week of
the year.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by
Andrew Both)
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