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NFL mulling idea to move Pro Bowl to Brazil in 2017, report says

Team Irvin safety Eric Weddle, right, congratulates linebacker Clay Matthews during the Pro Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 25.
(Doug Benc / Associated Press)
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The reinvention of the Pro Bowl continues, with a report suggesting the beleaguered postseason All-Star game could be heading to South America.

According to FoxSports.com, the NFL is considering playing the 2017 Pro Bowl in Brazil.

The league is looking to gain more traction among budding fans in South America’s largest economy, and figures the Pro Bowl might help its cause, the report said. The NFL has seen promising interest based on television figures in the country, and a Brazilian Pro Bowl could aid the NFL in its efforts to market the sport overseas.

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The report also said the NFL believes players would be more willing to participate if it were in a unique, exotic locale.

The issue of where to host the 2017 Pro Bowl is expected to be among the talking points at this week’s NFL annual meeting in Phoenix.

For the first time, this year’s Pro Bowl was held at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., which was also the site of Super Bowl XLIX a week later. It traditionally has been played in Hawaii, where it will be played next year.

The Pro Bowl has struggled to remain relevant among fans in recent years with limited player participation and less-than-stellar play.

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