By Jim Carchidi
Camping World Stadium has hosted its last Pro Bowl for a while. According to media reports, the fan-friendly standalone event with its own host market will be part of the weeklong lead-up to the Super Bowl and played in the same city starting next year.
Game changing moves
The change was first reported by the Sports Business Journal and confirmed during this week’s NFL owners meeting in New York. The league announced Wednesday, Oct. 22, that the 2026 Pro Bowl Games will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, ahead of Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Sunday, Feb. 8.
Camping World Stadium hosted the Pro Bowl from 2017-2020 and again from 2024-2025. The estimated economic impact per game was about $45 million.
Where the NBA and MLB all-star matches decide championship home field advantage, player access and ancillary events have been the Pro Bowl recipe for success. The event was rebooted in 2023 and renamed Pro Bowl Games. The revised format includes a series of skills challenges topped off by a flag football match. The direct Super Bowl spotlight and a focus on television coverage would provide the proper lead-up to the addition of flag football at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Home field advantage
Meanwhile, Orlando is waiting on word from the NFL on whether it will host the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2027 season.
Camping World Stadium is one of two Florida venues in the running for Jaguars games while their home turf, EverBank Stadium, undergoes a $1.4 billion renovation. Orange County commissioners in April approved more than $29 million in tourist development tax funding for high-profile sports event incentives. The measure included a $10 million bid to host Jaguars 2027 regular season games with an additional $1 million for post season play.
Gainesville's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was in contention to host the Jaguars due to its closer proximity to Jacksonville, but its own $398.5 million renovation is scheduled to begin in 2027 with completion expected in February 2030.
Camping World Stadium is in line for $400 million in renovations that would finish before the 2027 NFL season.
Another Orlando incentive for Jags games would be the $400 million in planned improvements at Camping World Stadium that are scheduled for completion before the start of the 2027 NFL season. The renovations include:
- Expanded seating bowls: Reconstructed east and west upper decks, plus a brand-new north upper bowl, boosting capacity to at least 65,000.
- Modernized exterior: A sleek metallic façade featuring integrated hurricane bracing, blending structural resilience with a striking aesthetic
- Premium fan experience: New luxury suites, upgraded concourses, restrooms, and better life-safety systems—all tailored to modern expectations
- Retractable stage pocket: Installed in the south bowl, enabling large-scale concerts and live entertainment with flexibility
- Structural & life safety upgrades: Full overhaul of building systems to meet current codes and long-term performance goals
Currently, there is no word on whether NFL owners will take up the matter at their December meeting. Stay tuned for developments.
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