The NFL and McDonald's USA announced today that McDonald's will serve as the title sponsor of the 2010 Pro Bowl. McDonald's presents the 2010 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 31, 2010 and televised live on ESPN at 7:20 p.m. ET from Dolphin Stadium in South Florida, also the site of Super Bowl XLIV a week later on Sunday, February 7.
As part of the agreement, McDonald's will sponsor the 2010 Pro Bowl MVP award winner who will be announced on-the-field following the game. McDonald's also will be featured on LED boards in-stadium. McDonald's then will promote the new Mac Snack Wrap at the Super Bowl Fan Zone at South Beach during the week leading up to Super Bowl XLIV.
Fans will have the opportunity to see 86 of the NFL's brightest stars who will descend upon South Florida to help kick off the most-anticipated week in sports leading into the Super Bowl.
Ticket prices range from $50 to $195 and may be purchased on NFL.com and Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.
Prior to the game, ticketholders will be able to check out the new free NFL Gameday Fan Plaza, the NFL's festival area at Dolphin Stadium that also will be open on Super Bowl Sunday. NFL Gameday Fan Plaza will feature musical acts, player appearances and autograph opportunities, one of the largest assortments of NFL merchandise, and refreshments. The national championships of the NFL's FLAG Tournament of Champions also will take place on a specially designed turf field in the heart of Gameday Fan Plaza on Pro Bowl Sunday preceding the game.
The Pro Bowl had been played annually since 1980 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii the week following the Super Bowl. The Pro Bowl will return to Hawaii for the 2011 and 2012 games.
The 2010 Pro Bowl will be the first played prior to the Super Bowl and only the second Pro Bowl played in the same city as the Super Bowl. The Los Angeles Coliseum hosted the first Super Bowl on January 15, 1967 and the Pro Bowl the following week.
Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals was last year's Pro Bowl MVP. Fitzgerald caught two touchdown passes, including the go-ahead score with 4:03 remaining, as the NFC rallied to defeat the AFC, 30-21, in front of a sold-out crowd at Aloha Stadium. Vikings RB Adrian Peterson led the NFC in rushing with 48 yards on eight carries and one touchdown. Eli Manning and Peyton Manning were the first brother quarterbacks to play against each other in the Pro Bowl. Eli completed 8 of 14 passes for 111 yards and one touchdown. Peyton was 12 of 17 for 151 yards and one touchdown.
The AFC and NFC squads are each comprised of 42 players with 21 offensive and 17 defensive players plus four specialists. A 43rd "need" player will be chosen by the head coach and must be a cornerback, defensive end, linebacker or long snapper. The coaching staffs of the losing teams in the AFC and NFC Divisional playoffs with the best regular season record will serve as the coaching staffs of the AFC and NFC teams.
