Sports Radio Service


		Pro Bowl to be blacked out locally/sales down recession By Scary Barry and Super Bowl Wayne February 6, 2009

	HONOLULU--The clock struck 11:30AM on Friday and the tickets sat stacked up a little less than 1,500 high and the NFL officials who kept their collective fingers crossed shook their heads and the announcement was made that fans failed to buy the remaining tickets voiding any live broadcast feed from NBC in the local Honolulu TV market thus blacking out the final Pro Bowl game to be played at Aloha Stadium after 30 straight years. The Pro Bowl which has been played in Honolulu since 1980 has sold out every contest except 1982 and this year. The 1982 contest was due to the players strike and this year is because of the financial crisis and moving the Pro Bowl out of Honolulu. Most retailers have stated that they are either closing up shop in Honolulu or cutting back and the Hawaiian Tourism Authority has announced that tourism is down by 60%. Sportstalk was told that a number of restaurants and retail stores has suffered in the deep recession/depression. Despite the high numbers of voided sales the City of Honolulu on Friday night put on a fireworks display to be remembered by for the ages that were blasted off on Wakiki waters in full display of on lookers below on the main streets, a send off for the Pro Bowl's last stand to be played on Sunday in a game that will be moving to Miami with the Super Bowl and rotated with the Super Bowl each year. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has had a change of heart recently after the players made it clear that the only drawing card for them to play in the Pro Bowl was keeping the game here, however he did state that if Aloha Stadium can get some upgraded improvement like new seats, luxury boxes, and a whole new look the NFL would consider making the Pro Bowl in Honolulu their main stay and may scrap the rotation idea with the Super Bowl. Goodell stated that the rotation idea was originally intended to pump up interest in the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl. The HTA is considering the offer and the cost to remodel Aloha Stadium through 2011 would total $70 million. Aloha Stadium would have to become a state of the art stadium for the Pro Bowl and the prospects are really bright as the Commissioner mentioned that the Super Bowl would get a turn and be played in Honolulu with a newly improved stadium. The financial picture however for the State of Hawaii to spend $70 million has been dimmed so far as State employees have been asked to cut back on one working day a month and maybe more later. Peyton Manning the Colts quarterback said that they play in these other cities during the regular season for instance Miami and the players see coming to Hawaii as like coming to a vacation that they can share with their families. Some players have said privately they would opt out of playing anywhere else. The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the players and the NFL also expires after the 2010 season and the subject of the Pro Bowl site will be a part of that contract discussion. Goodell made it clear that a newly remodeled Aloha Stadium will be the only way the Pro Bowl can stay in Honolulu year after year. Scary Barry and Super Bowl Wayne are covering the 2009 Pro Bowl for Sportstalk Radio