LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The NFL’s Pro Bowl will have a totally different look this year in Las Vegas, and the real winner will be the Boys & Girls Clubs.
Attention to community involvement is growing as the National Football League puts tradition on the shelf and makes changes with a new “Pro Bowl Games” week that begins Jan. 31, 2023.
A number of skills contests will earn points leading up to the first-ever AFC vs. NFC flag football games on Sunday, Feb. 5. More than 400 members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada will be invited to the games. A summary of how scoring will work is at the bottom of this story.
The NFL Foundation will donate more than $300,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs across the country, with each player on the winning team playing for a club in their hometown or NFL team market.
The Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada, in Henderson at 2980 Robindale Road, will be especially involved, hosting an event on Friday, Feb. 3. The Pro Bowl Legacy Event will bring NFL legends — to be named later — and Pro Bowl players to the club, which has been awarded a grant to refurbish the gym, revitalize an outdoor garden, upgrade an art room and an outdoor mural.
Local youth will be invited to attend and participate in the day’s activities. Little Caesars Love Kitchen will serve pizza to kids, volunteers and other event guests.
The week will also include events focused on “green” events:
- Tuesday, Jan. 31: NFL Green City of Henderson Greening Project and Pro Bowl Games Press Conference.
- During an event at Acacia Demonstration Gardens in Henderson, the City of Henderson, the Las Vegas Raiders and Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada will plant trees, remove grass and spread rock landscaping materials to create a xeriscape/low water use project.
- Wednesday, Feb. 1: NFL Green Nature Play Corner Pro Bowl Greening Event.
- At the Clark County Wetlands Park, students and community volunteers will gather to plant trees at the Nature Play Corner, a new one-acre park just to the left as you enter the Wetlands. NFL Green initiatives will participate. Also, to celebrate World Wetlands Day, volunteers will be planting large trees to expand shade and plant grasses and pollinator plants to attract wildlife.
- Thursday, Feb. 2: Play Football Opening Night
- At Allegiant Stadium, youth- and high school-focused media event for all NFL Flag Championship teams from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Over 2,100 players will have the opportunity to mix and mingle before the competition kicks off on Friday and Saturday. Participants will interact with NFL players and NFL legends.
- Friday, Feb. 3: NFL FLAG Championship tournament
- At Heritage Park in Henderson, the NFL will host the largest to-date NFL FLAG Championship tournament with 200 teams and over 2,100 players. Eight different countries will be represented, including Australia, Canada, China, Ghana, Germany, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand. Participants will range from the ages of 8- to 17-year-old boys and girls. The two-day event will consist of pool play and a single elimination tournament. The championship games for 14U Boys and 17U Girls will be played on Sunday, Feb. 5.
- Saturday, Feb. 4: AYF Middle School All-Star Game
- At Green Valley High School, AYFs top middle school football players, will compete in an All-Star Football game.
- Sunday, Feb. 5: AFC vs. NFC Flag football games
- At Allegiant Stadium, Flag football game between AFC and NFC. Also: Flag football championship games for 14U Boys and 17U Girls will be played on Sunday, Feb. 5.
Pro Bowl Games scoring
The Pro Bowl Games will have cumulative scoring starting with skills competitions on Thursday, Feb. 2, leading up to the first-ever AFC vs NFC Flag football games on Sunday, Feb. 5. Scoring works in the following way:
The winning conference of each skill competition earns three points towards their team’s overall score, with 24 total points available across the eight skills events.
The winning conference from each of the first two flag football games on Sunday will earn six points for their team, for a total of 12 available points.
Points from the skills competitions and first two flag games will be added together and will be the score at the beginning of the third and final flag game, which will determine the winning conference for the Pro Bowl Games.
