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AFC-NFC format gone in 2014

The NFL is overhauling the Pro Bowl, eliminating the AFC-NFC format in favor of captains picking 43 players per team regardless of conference.

In addition, kickoffs will be eliminated from the game as a safety measure, one of several changes to the game.

Voting for the game also will be changed as conference affiliation no longer will be considered in determining the All-Star selections. The two leading vote-getters will be named captains and will be assisted by Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders and two NFL.com fantasy football champions in picking the two teams.

Among other changes:

• A two-minute warning will be added to the first and third quarters in addition to the traditional rule in the second and fourth quarters. Possession also will change hands after each quarter.

• Defenses will be allowed to play Cover 2 and press coverage. In the past, only man coverage had been allowed, except for goal-line situations.

The changes were proposed by NFL Players Association president Domonique Foxworth and were jointly announced Wednesday by the NFL and the union.

"As players, we wanted to keep the Pro Bowl to honor excellence in individual performance and connect with the fans in a different environment," Foxworth said in a statement. "To do that, I worked with a group of players to map out new ideas."

Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league was "very receptive to the ideas that Domonique and the players put forth."

"From there, our office worked closely with him in developing the concept. The players made it clear that they wanted to continue the Pro Bowl and were committed to making it better than ever. We think these changes will enhance the game for both fans and players," he said in the statement.

The Pro Bowl draft will be held Jan. 22 next year and the game will be played Jan. 26 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.

Icness wrote:Just kill this stupid thing already

Simba248 wrote:<---------still doesn't find the Pro Bowl appealing

Nolan wrote:I'm still not going to watch it.

BIGGIEsmalls 23 wrote:It still had better TV ratings than Game 3 of the 2012 World Series, and more viewers than Game 7 of Pacers-Heat ECF this year.

The NFL is so popular that their most despised game (Pro Bowl) consistently pulls in numbers that other sports could only dream of.

pepperfoot wrote:the pro bowl is a dead...i dont see it last for 5 more years at best.

The television ratings are in for the 2013 Pro Bowl, and while they are down for the second year in a row, they're still solid. The game received a 7.7 overnight rating and was viewed by 12.2 million people.

For the second straight year, the Pro Bowl was televised on NBC. The rating was down slightly from last year's 7.8 and even further from the 2011 game, which was televised on FOX. Nevertheless, the folks at NBC seem to be pleased.

NBCSportsPR @NBCSportsPR

With 12.2 million viewers, Pro Bowl wins night for NBC. Also wins night in HH rating (7.1) & P18-49. Most-watched all-star gm in past 12 mos

The Pro Bowl outdid Major League Baseball's All-Star Game, which aired in July on FOX. The MLB game drew 10.9 million viewers and a 6.8 rating. The NBA's All-Star Game last February in Orlando received a 5.4 rating and 7.07 million viewers on TNT. The NHL most recent All-Star Game in Ottawa, Ontario last January drew a 1.0 rating and 1.3 million viewers on NBC Sports Network.