NFL auditioning Orlando as permanent Pro Bowl home

As the NFL plays its first Pro Bowl in Orlando, wondering if it can be a longterm landing point for the beleaguered all-star game, Drew Brees can’t help but think about what was left behind.

The Saints quarterback understands the NFL’s decision to move the Pro Bowl from Hawaii to Orlando from a business standpoint. Still, the 10-time Pro Bowler feels for Honolulu and the loss of the game it had become synonymous with.

“It’s tough that it’s not there, because we had a great fan base there,” Brees said. “I know those fans appreciated it. They lived for that. They don’t have an NFL team and there are a lot of football fans there.”

With hopes of re-energizing an end of the season allstar game that has lost interest and intrigue over the years, the NFL made the decision to shop the Pro Bowl. Orlando ended up the winner, agreeing to a two-year contract to host the contest at Camping World Stadium, with an option for a third.

The players on hand agreed this week that Orlando is nice, but it’s no Hawaii.

This will be just the third time since 1979 that the Pro Bowl has been played outside of Honolulu.

“It’s always a fun week no matter where it is, but guys as a whole would certainly rather have it in Hawaii,” said Browns left tackle Joe Thomas, who will make his 10th straight Pro Bowl appearance Sunday night. “Orlando has been a great host so far.”

If all goes well, Orlando and its 75,000-seat stadium have hopes of being the permanent home of the Pro Bowl. The city believes it has everything to offer that Honolulu has and then some as one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations; last year Orlando accommodated 66 million visitors.