Raiders' New Stadium Will Already Host the 2021 Pro Bowl

NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero announced Tuesday that the newly-constructed Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, will host the upcoming season's Pro Bowl on Jan. 31, 2021. The event has traditionally been held in Hawaii or Orlando, with 2021 an outlier.

The decision to hold the Pro Bowl in a city outside Honolulu or Orlando is an unorthodox one, but the league certainly has its reasons. After decades in Oakland and Los Angeles, and nasty stadium disputes in recent years, the Raiders chose to relocate to Las Vegas, leaving a proud fan base in Oakland and tasking ownership with drumming up support in the team's new home.

The announcement comes months after the 2020 NFL Draft, slated to be held in Las Vegas, shifted to a remote format due to the coronavirus pandemic. While hosting the draft in 2020 was not feasible at the time, Roger Goodell said that the league would compensate the city by holding the 2022 NFL Draft there, per Los Angeles Times reporter Arash Markazi.

Goodell and Raiders owner Mark Davis certainly have incentive to market Sin City as an NFL town. Although Las Vegas has never had an NFL team, the city's gambling and sports betting culture is sure to draw fans for not only regular season games, but events like the draft and Pro Bowl as well.

Led by head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock, the Raiders hope that young players like running back Josh Jacobs and rookie wideout Henry Ruggs III can attract plenty of new fans. While the franchise's ability to succeed in a new city may not be immediately clear, the NFL seems bullish about its odds.