Hawaii has the Pro Bowl for 2014, but the NFL served notice Tuesday that the state’s near-exclusive hold will face competition for 2015 and beyond.
"There is interest in potentially bringing it back to the mainland in multiple sites as early as (2015)," commissioner Roger Goodell said during a press conference at the spring meetings in Boston.
An NFL spokesman declined to specify which cities had shown interest in the game but confirmed to the Star-Advertiser, "multiple cities have expressed interest in hosting the game in future years."
Speculation has been that those cities could include Glendale, Ariz., Santa Clara, Calif., and Houston, which host the 2015, ’16 and ’17 Super Bowls respectively. Santa Clara and Houston were announced Tuesday as host sites for upcoming Super Bowls.
Regarding the 2015 Pro Bowl, Hawaii Tourism Authority President and Chief Executive Mike McCartney said in a statement, "We are having ongoing discussions with the NFL and look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship."
The Pro Bowl has been played at Aloha Stadium every year but one since 1980. The exception was 2010, when the game was held in South Florida as an experiment in conjunction with the Super Bowl. The NFL has said it would consider returning to doubling up the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl in the same city.
One of the factors in Honolulu getting the 2014 game was that the Super Bowl will be played at a cold-weather site (East Rutherford, N.J.).
Earlier this year Goodell had said he expected the Pro Bowl would "stay in Hawaii on (at least) a rotational basis."
The HTA pays the NFL more than $4 million per year to host the annual all-star game.
An HTA-commissioned study said the 2012 game generated $25.3 million in visitor spending and $2.8 million in taxes. Figures for the 2013 game have yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, the NFL said it is still in talks with the NFL Players Association regarding the form the 2014 game will take. Goodell said, "The big focus we have had is how to make the game more exciting from a fan’s perspective. One of the concepts that was discussed (Tuesday) is the idea that players are selected as they are now with a vote from players, coaches and fans, but the actual teams are drafted by captains."
Goodell said, "That is an idea that came from our players. We think it is exciting. It is something we may do this season."