The impact of the 2022 PRO BOWL PRESENTED BY VERIZON will extend far beyond Allegiant Stadium, coming to life through the NFL’s many community and youth football events planned for Pro Bowl Week in Las Vegas. From a park refurbishment project to flag football games and greening projects, thousands of local children and their families will experience the positive impact and community spirit of the NFL Pro Bowl.
The NFL will kick off Pro Bowl Week festivities on Wednesday, February 2nd with the NFL GREEN WETLANDS RESTORATION PROJECT and PRO BOWL LEGACY PRESS CONFERENCE. Together with Clark County, the NFL will work to revitalize portions of the Clark County Wetlands Park by planting 1200 trees and native plants with students and community volunteers.
Later in the week, the NFL will host its PRO BOWL COMMUNITY DAY, where NFL Legends will partake in hands-on volunteering activities alongside local youth. Activities will include refurbishing Wells Park by painting graffitied picnic tables, planting trees, and contributing to a community mural. Other activities will include packing “care” bags for community members impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault as well as writing positive messages as part of a prompt wall that promotes acceptance and inclusion. The wall will be displayed in a local organization that supports the LGBTQ+ community.
Additionally, the NFL will work to close the digital divide through the continuation of the NFL FOUNDATION’S INSPIRE CHANGE HUDDLE LEGACY PROGRAM. The NFL has partnered with Comp-U-Dopt, with support of the Latin Chamber of Commerce Nevada Inc., to provide laptops, technical support, and a digital literacy curriculum to more than 200 families in need. This event will aim to break down barriers to education, particularly for individuals who speak English as a second language.
On Saturday of Pro Bowl Week, American Youth Football’s top 8th-grade football players will compete in an ALL-STAR GAME at Bishop Gorman High School to support the NFL and American Cancer Society’s Crucial Catch Initiative. NFL Players and Legends will serve as honorary assistant coaches, and the young players will get to showcase their skills on the field and raise awareness for the fight against cancer.
The below outlines the community events taking place in Las Vegas throughout the week.
PRO BOWL WELCOME FOLLOWED BY NFL GREEN WETLANDS RESTORATION PROJECT
To kick off the 2022 Pro Bowl Week festivities on Wednesday, February 2nd, the NFL will join Clark County Parks, the Las Vegas Raiders and Verizon to revitalize portions of Clark County Wetlands Park at 7050 Wetlands Park Lane on World Wetlands Day.
The volunteer work will kick off at 9 AM PT with opening remarks starting at 9:30 AM PT from NFL Executive Vice President of Club Business and League Events PETER O’REILLY, Las Vegas Raiders President DAN VENTRELLE, Clark County Commission Chairman JIM GIBSON, Clark County Parks Director DAN HERNANDEZ, and Director of Government and Community Affairs at Verizon, KU’ULEI JAKUBCZAK. Pro Bowl Legends Captains ROD WOODSON and JASON WITTEN will also attend the welcoming moment.
Following the press event, community volunteers and local students will plant 1200 native plants and trees to improve air quality, reduce the urban heat island effect, create wildlife and pollinator habitat, and reduce fuels for wildfire. Wetland vegetation helps filter out pollutants that flow into Lake Mead, which provides the community with 90% of its drinking water. As one of the largest created wetlands in the desert southwest, the Wetlands Park is home to more than 340 species of birds, 70 species of wildlife and 60 species of pollinators. With an annual visitation of more than 500,000, Clark County Wetlands Park is a destination for people from all over the world but still retains its community feel.
Media – For more information, contact Jordyn White, NFL, Jordyn.White@nfl.com
INSPIRE CHANGE HUDDLE LEGACY EVENT
In continuation of the NFL Foundation’s Inspire Change Huddle Legacy Program, which serves to help close the digital divide, the NFL has partnered with non-profit Comp-U-Dopt, with support of the Latin Chamber of Commerce Nevada Inc., to provide individual devices (laptops and technical support) and digital literacy curriculum to more than 200 families in need. The event will take place on Wednesday, February 2nd, at 5 PM to 6 PM PT at the Latin Chamber of Commerce Nevada at 300 N 13th St, Las Vegas, NV. The Digital Divide has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and has increased barriers to education, particularly for individuals who speak English as a second language. Comp-U-Dopt will distribute devices to families throughout Pro Bowl week, with Wednesday’s distribution event being open to the media.
Media – For more information, contact Kenlyn Tyree at Kenlyn.Tyree@nfl.com
PRO BOWL COMMUNITY DAY AT WELLS PARK
On Thursday, February 3rd, in partnership with the City of Henderson and the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada, the NFL family will partake in hands-on volunteering and host an NFL Pro Bowl Community Day – an event around refurbishing and beautifying Wells Park as well as other fun activities such as packing bags for those in need. One of the activities will be focused on engaging attendees to complete a mural on one of the Boys and Girls Club’s exterior walls (located adjacent to Wells Park). The mural will encapsulate the theme that, “We Are Wells” with elements of football and play tied in. The event will take place from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM PT at 1640 Price Street, Henderson, NV. Local youth from nearby Boys and Girls Clubs ranging from ages 6 – 18 years old will be invited to attend and partake in the event. NFL Legends LUKE KUECHLY and REGGIE WAYNE, who are serving as Captains in this year’s Pro Bowl will be in attendance as well as NFL Legends BOBBY TAYLOR and CHAD PENNINGTON.
Media – For more information, contact Jordyn White, NFL, Jordyn.White@nfl.com
NFL FLAG CHAMPIONSHIP
The NFL FLAG Championship tournament will take place Friday, February 4th through Saturday, February 5th from 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM PT on Friday and 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PT on Saturday at Heritage Park in Henderson, Nevada. A total of 32 teams, consisting of boys and girls, ages nine to 14, will compete for the championship title for their respective age division.
Media – For more information, contact Khalid Hashi, NFL, Khalid.Hashi@nfl.com
CRUCIAL CATCH YOUTH FOOTBALL ALL-STAR GAME
American Youth Football’s top 8th-grade football players will compete in an All-Star game on Saturday, February 5th, at Bishop Gorman High School at 5959 S Hualapai Way, Las Vegas, NV 89148 at 5:00 PM PT. This year, the players and coaches will support the NFL and American Cancer Society’s Crucial Catch youth program, Youth Crucial Catch, which gives youth across the country the opportunity to draw awareness to multiple cancers and raise funds for screenings in underserved communities. The two teams will have NFL Players & Legends serving as honorary assistant coaches including Jonathan Ward of the Arizona Cardinals.
Media – For more information, contact Elizabeth Cove, NFL, Elizabeth.Cove@nfl.com
‘NFL GREEN’ SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS
- Swag for Seedlings: Fans at Allegiant Stadium and the Las Vegas Ballpark who are showing their team spirit and wearing team swag have an opportunity to have trees planted in their honor and in honor of their favorite team. NFL Green and Verizon have partnered with the White Mountain Apache Forestry Teams to plant 5,000 trees to reforest areas damaged by wildfire. Lucky fans will receive an NFL Green pin and opportunity to have their photo posted to NFL social media as part of the Swag for Seedlings program.
- Food Recovery: The NFL is teaming with Three Square to recover unserved, prepared food and beverages from Pro Bowl events and minimize food waste.
- Material Recovery: There will be an intensive drive to collect and donate all items left over from Pro Bowl events. In partnership with Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and other local organizations, the NFL will donate decorative materials, office supplies and other items that can be reused or repurposed.
- Renewable Energy Project: Emissions from energy use at Allegiant Stadium, the site of Pro Bowl 2022 will be offset using renewable energy certificates (RECs).
