The 2010 Pro Bowl was held on the weekend before the Super Bowl, the first time ever that the Pro Bowl was held before the championship game, and the first time that the Pro Bowl was held somewhere other than
Aloha Stadium in
Honolulu since
1980 (
1979 season). The game was moved up in order to prevent a conflict that would have taken place if the game had taken place on February 13 or 14, with the game facing against the
NBA All-Star Game,
Winter Olympics, and
Daytona 500. Due to the change, players from the conference championship teams, who were going to play in the Super Bowl the following week—the
Indianapolis Colts and
New Orleans Saints—did not participate. As a result, for the first time in Pro Bowl history, rosters for the AFC and NFC teams were not allowed to include any players from the teams that would be playing in
the Super Bowl to avoid major injuries to members of either team. However, these players were still required to be on site for the Pro Bowl to collect a bonus payment from the NFL. Several NFL players spoke out against the decision regarding timing of the game; ten-time Pro Bowl quarterback
Peyton Manning raised issue with the possibility that if the concept of rotating the location of the game were to continue, the 2012 game could be held in a cold-weather city (
Indianapolis) not seen as a winter vacation destination. NBC sportscaster
Al Michaels was skeptical of the changes, telling the
Honolulu Star-Bulletin that "the [NFL] thinks playing it before the Super Bowl will add to the buzz. It won't."
Indianapolis Colts president
Bill Polian also came out against the change, explaining that it seemed disruptive and "stupid" to have players voted to the Pro Bowl, only to have to sit out because they're playing in the Super Bowl, but still have to show up to the game to collect a bonus payment. ==Broadcasting==