There had been some talk that this season’s Pro Bowl could be held in New Orleans.

That’s not going to happen. According to a joint statement just sent out by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, the 2013 Pro Bowl will be played in Hawaii. The game is set for Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. ET at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said several weeks ago that the Pro Bowl would be played either in New Orleans or Honolulu. I guess you could say Honolulu “won’’ out, but I’m not sure that’s completely accurate. I’m sure the event would have brought some economic benefits to New Orleans if the game were played there.

But let’s be real honest here. The Pro Bowl isn’t what it once was. If you need further evidence, go back and watch the first play of last year’s game, when offensive and defensive linemen almost didn’t even touch one another. The press release contains quotes from a union official and NFL official, saying both sides are committed to making the game competitive.

Yeah, good luck on that one. The Pro Bowl as it is now is basically nothing more than a tourist attraction. Let Hawaii, which does a great job of rolling out the red carpet when the game is in town, have that.

New Orleans gets the real thing the week after that. On Feb. 3, Super Bowl XLVII will be played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. At least we know that will be a real football game.