Pro Bowl brings week of NFL activities to Las Vegas

The Pro Bowl arriving in Las Vegas this week will bring more events to the city than just the league’s most star-studded affair.

Sunday’s game at Allegiant Stadium, featuring a matchup of the best players from the AFC taking on their counterparts from the NFC, will of course be the main event.

But starting Wednesday, each day brings an opportunity for fans to see some of the game’s biggest stars up close.

One of the most popular events is sure to be the Skills competition on Wednesday.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. at Las Vegas Ballpark, which has been transformed into a football stadium for this week.

The event, which will air Thursday on ESPN, features NFL stars competing in various competitions, including a dodgeball game.

Players will also compete in a precision passing drill and a thread-the-needle competition that will pit quarterbacks against an opposing defense, as well as a fastest-man sprint challenge.

One of the more interesting competitions figures to be the new “Best Catch” event, which is like a slam dunk contest for NFL pass catchers. Judges will award points for imaginative receptions.

The same venue will also host practices for both the AFC and NFC squads each day from Thursday through Saturday.

Practices will be open to fans with tickets, which can be accessed on the Pro Bowl website. Game tickets are available through Ticketmaster and start around $90.

Several events will also be taking place off the field.

The NFL Las Vegas store at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace will feature meet-and-greets with Raiders’ quarterback Marcus Mariota from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, followed by two hours with NFL Hall of Famer Andre Reed beginning at 4 p.m.

An event at the Clark County Wetlands Park will kick off the week on Wednesday and is one of several community events scheduled.

The league will partner with the county to plant 1,200 trees and native plants as part of a restoration project, which will also include the Pro Bowl Legacy news conference.

Pro Bowl Community Day will follow on Thursday at Wells Park. Activities will include a park refurbishment project in which NFL legends will help paint over graffiti, plant trees and contribute to a mural.

An NFL Foundation Inspire Change initiative will help provide laptops, technical support and a digital literacy curriculum to more than 200 families in need.

Friday and Saturday will also be highlighted by the NFL Flag Championship tournament at Heritage Park in Henderson, which will feature 32 teams of boys and girls between 9 and 14 years old competing for titles in their respective age bracket.

It will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. until noon on Saturday.

A flag football All-Star game at Bishop Gorman High School on Saturday will help support the American Cancer Society’s Crucial Catch Initiative.

It’s a full week of NFL activities in Las Vegas, and it all kicks off on Wednesday.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.