The "heavy" involvement of Arizona Cardinals President Mike Bidwill helped move the Pro Bowl out of Aloha Stadium for just the second time in 36 years.
Glendale, Ariz., will host the 2015 Pro Bowl on Jan. 25, 2015, at University of Phoenix Stadium, piggybacking the Feb. 1, 2015, Super Bowl at the same site.
The Pro Bowl will return to Aloha Stadium in 2016 and might also be held here in 2017, pending agreement of the NFL and Hawaii. The NFL said both it and Hawaii have options for the 2017 game and a "collective" decision will be made later.
The NFL’s annual all-star game came to Aloha Stadium in 1980 and has been played here every year except 2010, when it was held in South Florida in conjunction with the Super Bowl.
An NFL source said Bidwill, who pushed the joint Pro Bowl/Super Bowl package with Commissioner Roger Goodell for some time, was, "heavily involved" in securing the deal. The Cardinals and the Arizona Super Bowl Committee will host the Pro Bowl and related events.
The Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce heralded the Pro Bowl announcement as an "economic touchdown for Arizona."
The Hawaii Tourism Authority said it will pay the NFL $5 million for the 2016 game, plus operating expenses of $152,000.
HTA President and CEO Mike McCartney said in a statement the 2014 Pro Bowl "contributed an estimated $71.9 million in direct visitor spending in the state."
McCartney said, "we want to extend our aloha to the NFL and wish them well for the 2015 game in Arizona and look forward to welcoming them back to Hawaii in 2016."
Gov. Neil Abercrombie said in a statement, "While we would like to have had the Pro Bowl in Hawaii in 2015, the return of the Pro Bowl in 2016 provides the state with an opportunity to showcase our islands’ unique culture and beauty. Our state stands ready to create another memorable experience for the world’s best football players, their families and the fans."
The Pro Bowl will return to Hawaii on Jan. 31, 2016, and be shown on ESPN. Super Bowl L will be held a week later in San Francisco.
The 2015 Pro Bowl will be the sixth consecutive game played before the Super Bowl and the second under the new player "draft" format, the NFL said.
The league said tickets for 2015 will be available first to Arizona Cardinals season ticket holders and annual Pro Bowl season ticket holders. Pro Bowl annual ticket subscribers in Hawaii will maintain their account status for any future games at Aloha Stadium.
