|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Florida Spring Training Baseball tops 1.5 million total
attendance for sixth
straight year
Although there were two less teams playing baseball
during the 2009 Major League Baseball Spring Training
season in Florida, more than 1.5 million
fans attended Grapefruit League baseball games for the sixth
consecutive year. From
late February to early April, a total of 1,561,873 fans
watched the 16 teams comprising Florida's Grapefruit
League pre-season in the Sunshine State.
A total of 259 games were
played between Major League teams beginning February
25 through April 4 for an average of 6,030 fans per
game. Only
two games were rained out in the 39 days of the 2009
Florida Spring Training season.
The total attendance was compiled from daily box scores
by the Florida Sports Foundation, the official sports
promotion and development organization of the State of
Florida, and verified by each team.
The World Baseball Classic provided Grapefruit League
teams with opposition in Florida in early March and a
total of 87,127 fans watched 24 exhibition games on
March 3-5.
The 2008 World Series participants, the Philadelphia
Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays saw significant increases in
their Spring Training attendance totals as fans packed
Bright House Field in Clearwater and the Charlotte
Sports Park in Port Charlotte.
The 2008 World Series Champion Phillies drew a record
133,620 fans in Clearwater and the American League
Champion Rays drew 97,642 in Port Charlotte.
When the Phillies and Rays met in Clearwater on
February 27, a total of 10,270 fans packed Bright House
Field for their first matchup since the November, 2008
when the Phillies won the World Series.
Five teams established new total attendance records and
six teams surpassed the 100,000 total attendance mark.
The New York Yankees led the way with 168,922
fans attending games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in
Tampa. The Yankees also led the Grapefruit League
with an average of 10,558 fans attending 16 games.
Teams with new total attendance marks include;
The Houston Astros with 62,326 fans attending 17 games
at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee.
The 2008 World Series Champions, the Philadelphia
Phillies, drew 133,620 to Bright House Field in
Clearwater, a 14% increase in total attendance from
2008.
The Pittsburgh Pirates drew 87,195 fans to 19 games at
McKechnie Field in Bradenton
Dunedin Stadium hosted 68,674 fans for Toronto Blue Jays
games.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Charlotte Sports Park had 97,642
fans, a 19% increase over the Rays previous record and
23% increase in per game average.
Governor
Charlie Crist kicked off the 2009 Florida Spring
Training season hosting Governor’s Baseball Dinner on
February 26 at the Tropicana Dome in St. Petersburg for
the second consecutive year.
The dinner was attended by Major League Baseball
Commission Bud Selig and Baseball Hall of Fame legends
Wade Boggs, Mike Schmidt, Al Kaline, Robin Roberts, Phil
Niekro, Tony Perez and Bill Mazeroski.
Team by team
individual attendance figures Only games
between major league teams are recorded in these totals.
Atlanta Braves, Champion Stadium, Disney's Wide World of
Sports, Lake Buena Vista
16
games; 133,016 total attendance; 8,314 average per game
Largest crowd: 10,955 vs. New York Yankees, Saturday,
March 28
Baltimore Orioles, Fort Lauderdale Stadium
16
games (two cancellations); 73,415 total attendance;
4,588 average per game
Largest crowd: 8,269 vs. Boston Red Sox, Saturday, March
14
Boston
Red Sox, City of Palms Park, Fort Myers
15
games; 117,832 total attendance; 7,855 average per game
Largest crowd: 8,279 vs. Detroit Tigers, Monday, March
23
Cincinnati Reds, Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota
15
games; 77,758 total attendance; 5,184 average per game
Largest crowd: 7,530 vs. Boston Red Sox, Thursday, March
19
Detroit Tigers, Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland
16
games; 111,131 tottal attendance; 6,946 average per game
Largest crowd: 9,680 vs. New York Yankees, Wednesday,
March 11
Florida Marlins, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter
17
games; 69,726 total attendance; 4,102 average per game
Largest crowd: 8,131 vs. Boston Red Sox, Saturday, March
21
Houston Astros, Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee
17
games; 62,326 total attendance; 3,666 average per game
Largest crowd: 6,6,78 vs. New York Yankees, Wednesday,
March 18
Minnesota Twins, William Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers
17
games; 122,555 total attendance; 7,209 average per game
Largest crowd: 8,027 vs. Baltimore Orioles, Monday,
March 16
New
York Mets, Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie
16
games; 82,116 total attendance; 5,136 average per game
Largest crowd: 7,135 vs. Atlanta Braves, Sunday, March
22
New
York Yankees, George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa
16
games; 168,922 total attendance; 10,558 average per game
Largest crowd: 11,113 vs. Boston Red Sox, Tuesday, March
24
Philadelphia Phillies, Bright House Field, Clearwater
16
games; 133,620 total attendance; 8,353 average per game
Largest Crowd, 10,335 vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday,
March 15
Pittsburgh Pirates, McKechnie Field, Bradenton
19
games; 87,195 total attendance; 4,589 average per game
Largest crowd: 5,866 vs. New York Yankees, Saturday,
March 14
St.
Louis Cardinals, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter
18
games; 101,740 total attendance; 5,652 average per game
Largest crowd: 8,306 vs. Boston Red Sox, Thursday, March
12
Tampa
Bay Rays, Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte
15
games; 97,692 total attendance; 6,513 average per game
Largest crowd: 7,621 vs. New York Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays, Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin
16
games; 68,674 total attendance; 4,292 average per game
Largest crowd: 5,742, vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, March
20
Washington Nationals, Space Coast Stadium, Viera
14
games; 54,154 total attendance; 3,868 average per game
Largest crowd: 6,182, vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Saturday,
March 21
Florida Spring Training Totals
259
games; 1,561,873 total attendance; 6,030 average per
game
Florida Spring Training (1999-2009)
2009:
1,561,873 total attendance; 6,030 average per game
2008:
1,677,858 total attendance, 6,478 average attendance
2007: 1,716,840, total attendance; 6,243 average
attendance 2006: 1,604,393, total attendance;
5,855 average attendance 2005: 1,598,454, total
attendance; 6,244 average attendance 2004:
1,557,934, total attendance; 5,792 average attendance
2003: 1,397,144, total attendance; 5,272, average
attendance 2002: 1,538,444, total attendance;
5,028, average attendance 2001: 1,500,184,
total attendance; 5,320, average attendance 2000:
1,598,255, total attendance; 5,473, average attendance
1999: 1,502,617, total attendance; 5,042, average
attendance
FSF Awards $245,000 in grants to 32
Florida sports events
The Florida Sports
Foundation (FSF) awarded 32 grants totaling $245,000 to
sporting events throughout the State of Florida at its
March, 2009 Quarterly Board of Directors meeting. The sale
of professional sports team’s license plates throughout the
state provides the source of funding for the FSF Board to
award funds to statewide sports commissions hosting the
events.
The six major grant
events and 26 regional grant events are expected to bring
over $75 million into Florida’s economy and over 100,000
visitors to the Sunshine State between April and December
2009.
Among the sporting
events receiving grants is The National Bowling Association
(TNBA) National Championship Tournament, which is
anticipated to bring over 21,000 visitors and over $26
million in economic impact to Broward County. The National
Bowling Association is the largest minority bowlers
association in the world and its National Tournament is
comprised of singles, doubles, teams and mixed events.
In
three previous years, the TNBA national tournament has
brought more than $28 million in economic impact to Reno,
Nevada, Louisville, Kentucky and Chicago, Illinois.
The Amateur
Athletics Union (AAU) received grants for seven youth
championships being held in three Florida communities.
The AAU Championships in Taekwondo, Karate, Baseball
and Basketball will bring more than 24,000 visitors to
Florida for competition resulting in more than $18 million
in economic impact.
The 32 grants for
the third quarter of the 2008-09 fiscal year were
distributed to a wide variety of events, featuring 19
different sports and a multi-sport event being held in 21
different Florida communities.
Sporting events
bring additional tourism to Florida causing a significant
out-of-state economic impact on an annual basis. Since 1996,
the FSF has been assisting communities around the state in
their efforts to attract sport events and opportunities. The
March, 2009 disbursement of regional grants was the third of
four in the 2008-2009 fiscal year for the FSF.
In the
2008-2009 fiscal year, the FSF has awarded 71 major and
regional grants totaling over $1.1 million.
Combined, the 71 grants have a projected out of state
economic impact of just under $200 million and over 325,000
visitors to the State.
The following 32
major and regional grants were awarded at the March, 2009
FSF Board of Directors meeting:
Major Grant
Events
- YMCA National
Swimming and Diving Championships, April 4-9, Fort
Lauderdale
- The National
Bowling Association National Championship Tournament, May
21-31, Fort Lauderdale
- AAU Karate Jr./Sr.
National Championships, June 10-20, Fort Lauderdale
- AAU Taekwondo
National Championships, June 29-July 5, Fort Lauderdale
- Independent
Softball Association Girls Fast Pitch Softball World Series,
July 13-18, Cocoa
Beach
Regional
Grant Events
- AAU Division 1
(11U) Boys Basketball National Championships, July
26-August, 1, Cocoa Beach
- 2009 Gator
Nationals (Bicycle Motorcross Racing), April 3-5, High
Springs
- 2009 USA Rugby
College Playoffs, April 16-19, Sanford
- YMCA Masters
Swimming Championships, April 16-19, Fort Lauderdale
- Fiesta on Siesta
Key (Collegiate
sand volleyball),
April 18, Siesta Key/Sarasota
- Diving Grand Prix,
April 20-26, Fort Lauderdale
- Speedo USA Diving
Spring National Championships, April 22-26, Fort Lauderdale
- Region 8 Prep
Optional Gymnastics Championships, May 1-3, Panama City
Beach
- 2009 NCAA Division
II Men's & Women's Tennis Championships, May 13-26,
Altamonte Springs
- USTA National Clay
Court Championships, May 16-22, Fort Lauderdale
- BIG EAST
Collegiate Baseball Championships, May 18-23, Clearwater
- U.S. Soccer
Development Academy Spring Showcase, May 22-25, Sarasota
- Let It Fly Flag
Football Championships, May 23-24, Daytona Beach
- South Florida
Table Tennis Championships, June 26-29, Hollywood
- AAU Girls
Basketball Division II (12U) National Championships, July
3-8, Greater Fort Myers
- AAU Girls
Basketball Division II (13U) National Championships, July
10-15, Cocoa Beach
- USSSA AA Youth
Baseball World Series, July 12-19, Pace and Pensacola
- Big League Youth
Baseball Regional Tournament, July 18-25, Fort Lauderdale
- AAU Division 1 & 2
(15U & 16U) Baseball National Championships, July 19-26,
Cocoa Beach
- 2009 United
Southern Girls Fastpitch World Series, July 19-26, Pensacola
and Gulf Breeze
- AAU Division II
Boys 11U Basketball National Championships, July 26-August
1, Cocoa Beach
- 2009 Goode
Waterski National Championships, August 11-15, West Palm
Beach
- USTA Summer Smash
Regional Tennis Championships, August 29-September 1/,
Delray Beach and Boca Raton
- Atlantic Coast
Triathlon at Amelia Island, October 3, Amelia Island
- Geico & Offshore
Boating Super Series World Championship Invitational,
October 19-25, Jupiter
- Chiropractic Games
(Multi-sport event), November 6-8, Cocoa Beach
- NCCAA Volleyball
Championships Divisions I & II, November 12-14 and December
3-5, Kissimmee
Lee
County athletes earn Florida Senior Games State Championships
Athlete of the Year awards
In
the third year of an unprecedented five-year run in Lee County
and the City of Cape Coral, a pair of local senior athletes,
Dean Davis, of Fort Myers and Suzy Nothouse, of Estero, were
awarded for their outstanding performances at the 2008 Florida
Senior Games State Championships as the Jimmy Carnes Amateur
Athletes of the Year.
The pair was chosen from over
2,000 athletes who competed in the nine-day event in Lee County
and the City of Cape Coral in December, 2008.
The 2008 Florida Senior Games State Championships served
as a qualifier for the 2009 National Senior Games.
Following his performance at the
2008 Florida Senior Games State Championships, Dean Davis,
celebrated his 80th birthday.
Leading up to that milestone birthday, Davis competed in
11 different events in three sports of the 2008 Games.

Competing in Cycling, Swimming and Race Walk, he earned a silver
medal in the cycling 40K Road Race the 5K Race Walk and had two
bronze medals in swimming events in the 75-79 age group.
To close the track & field competition on Sunday, December 14,
he ran the grandparent/grandchild relay with his 11-year old
granddaughter.
What is most impressive about his
performance is he was nominated for Athlete of the Year by
fellow senior athletes David White and George Knoblock.
“Mr. Davis is the perfect choice
for Athlete of the Year,” said David White, who won medals in
track & field and basketball shooting.
“There is no one who better represents the spirit and the
actuality of the Senior Games.
It is hard to imagine a better ambassador for these
programs. He is
surely one of the most engaged and committed athletes of the
Senior Games of Florida, other states, and the National Senior
Games.”
Davis plans on competing in the
2009 National Senior Games. The
2008 Games were his fourth Florida Senior Games State
Championships.
Besides competing in sports of the Florida Senior Games, Davis
also competes in Senior Games State Championships in Illinois
and North Carolina and races in canoe/kayak and mountain biking
competition as well as sprint triathlons.
During the 2008 calendar year, Davis amassed over 80
medals competing in a variety of sporting events
At 89 years old, Suzy Nothhouse,
of Estero, was the oldest competitor among the 153 swimmers
registered at the Florida Gulf Coast University swimming pool.
She was also one of the 186 senior athletes competing who
were in their 80s.

Nothhouse won gold medals in the
50 yard freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke and is planning
on attending the National Senior Games to compete in the 85-89
age group.
Since 2002, Nothhouse has won 12
gold medals, three silver and a bronze swimming in the 80-84 and
85-89 age groups.
She won a bronze medal in the 2005 National Senior Games in
50 yard breaststroke.
Before moving to Florida,
Nothhouse was a well-known swimming instructor in St. Charles,
Missouri and gave lessons to children for many years.
She admits to teaching a majority of the children in St.
Charles how to swim.
Besides swimming for its athletic
benefits, it also soothes Nothhouse’s mind as well. “Swimming
has kept me great. If I get depressed or my back hurts, I go
swimming and I'm fine,” she said in a 2005 article in the Marco
Eagle. “If I don't swim, I'm grouchy."
The 2009 Florida Senior Games
State Championships return to Lee County and the City of Cape
Coral, December 5-13, 2009. Visit
www.flasports.com for a list of 2009 Local Senior Games
qualifiers and for more information about the 2009 Florida
Senior Games State Championships.
Previous Florida Senior Games State Championships
Athletes of the Year
1994 -
Doris Prokopi, Land O’Lakes; Wayne
Wakefield, Bradenton
1995 - Mary Melehan, Englewood; Leonard Stone, Barefoot Bay
1996 - Hope Fage, Largo; F.L. McFadden, Lakeland
1997 - Ethel Lehmann, Largo; Seymour Duckman, Daytona Beach
1998 - Lucia Schatteleyn, Englewood; Donald Ritenour, Belleview
1999 - Patricia Bond, Bradenton; Gordon Johnson, Dundee
2000 - Erika Messner, Clermont; Al Treichel, Spring Hill
2001 - Sperry Rademaker, Floral City; Howard Hall, Port
Charlotte
2002 - Janice Lathouwers, The Villages; Allen Bjork, Sebring
2003 - Madelaine Cazel, The Villages; James Anderson, New Port
Richey
2004 - Lillian Webb, Sebring; Harry Carothers, Pinellas Park
2005 - Patricia Sargeant, Melbourne; Andy McGuffin, Umatilla
2006 - Sari Kisbany, Redington Shores; Roger Gentilhomme,
Dunedin
2007 - Claudette Braswell,
Lake Wales; Larry Wallen, Jacksonville
Florida's Sunshine
State Games calendar of events features 30th Annual
Summer Games
The Florida Sports
Foundation announces its 2009 Sunshine State Games
Calendar of Events and the 30th Anniversary
of the annual Summer Games Olympic-style Sports
Festival.
While looking ahead to
the coming year, the FSF looks back to recognize its
2008 Sunshine State Games Athletes of the Year, Luke
Kendall, a 14-year old medal winner from Winter Haven in
Track & Field and Swimming and Evelyn Dowling, an
81-year old synchronized swimmer from West Palm Beach.
See more below about Kendall and Dowling.
Sunshine State Games
events begin in April with the annual Sport Shooting
competition and wraps up in June the weekend of June
12-14.
Overall, the Sunshine State Games features 26 sports for
amateur athletes of Florida.
With competition taking
place in four Florida counties, the Sunshine State Games
hosts the Biggest Amateur Sports Day of the Year in the
State of Florida on Saturday, June 13.
The 2009 Summer Games hosts
20 sports and 3,000 athletes in Polk County while
Sunshine State Games Inline Hockey and Water Polo
Championships in Fort Myers and Central Florida,
respectively.
No other annual sports event in the state can
match the number of sports and athletes in action on
Saturday, June 13.
In
2008, Sunshine State Games competitions featured
athletes ranging from age four to 89.
Some use the Games as a stepping stone to
national and international competition.
Some participate the in Games for a fitness
opportunity and some compete in the Games for the pure
love of a sport.
Whatever the reason, Floridians have flocked to
the second-oldest state games competition in the United
States since 1980.
During the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, seven former
Sunshine State Games athletes represented the United
States in the pinnacle of amateur sports. Those who
advanced from the Sunshine State
Games to the Olympic Games included Swimmer Ryan Lochte
(2001 Games), Walter Dix, Track & Field (2003 Games),
Triple jumper Rafeeq Curry (2002 and 2003 Games),
Bershawn Jackson, Track & Field (2001 Games), Brian
Olson, Judo (early 1990s Games), Triathlete Hunter
Kemper (1992 Games) and Archer Vic Wunderle (2006
Games).
CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE 2009 SUNSHINE
STATE GAMES CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
2008 Sunshine State Games Athletes of
the Year
The performance of Winter Haven’s Luke Kendall's in both
track and field and swimming earned a nomination, and
subsequently, the Sunshine State Games Male Athlete of
the Year.
He won 11 medals total including four in track & field
and seven swimming medals.
In the Track & Field
competition at Winter Haven High School, he won gold
medals in the Youth Boys division of the 800 Meter Run
(2:31.51), 3000 Meter Run (10:52.82) and 1500 Meter Run
(5:02.87).
He also won a silver in the High Jump (4-00).
At the
swimming competition, he
took a silver and six bronze medals in the 13-14 age
group in the swimming competition.
The silver
medal came in the 200 Yard Butterfly and bronze medals
in the 500 Yard Freestyle,
400 Yard IM, 200 Yard IM, 200 Yard Backstroke,
100 Yard Butterfly and was on the bronze medal winning
Winter Haven Stingrays Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay
swimming with 17-19 year olds.
He also competed in the 2007 Sunshine State Games
swimming competition winning 10 bronze medals.
Evelyn Dowling, of West Palm Beach, has been participating in
the Sunshine State Games as a coach, judge and as a
participant in the Open Division for many years,
according to Synchronized Swimming director, Mary Rose.
“There is no doubt she
would have won gold medals all of these years if we had
a master’s division in the Sunshine State Games
Synchronized Swimming competition,” Rose said.
“She has been an inspiration to all participants
when they see her swim each year.”
Evelyn competed in the
Open Solo Free Routine at the 2008 Games and has won
Sunshine State Games medals dating back to 1999 and has
competed at U.S.S.S.A.
She began her involvement in synchronized
swimming in 1985 and has enjoyed coaching, competing,
choreographing and judging at meets.
Governor Crist Discusses
$36-Billion-A-Year Florida Sports
Industry in Tallahassee
Governor Charlie
Crist, as part of his ongoing commitment to
strengthening Florida’s economy, met with
representatives of the Sunshine State’s
$36-billion-a-year sports industry to discuss the
importance and impact of sporting events such as the
recent Super Bowl XLIII
in Tampa.
“In challenging
financial times like these, it is important to remember
that these teams and sporting traditions are a major
part of the state economy, generating hundreds of
thousands of jobs,” said Governor Crist, who hosted the
group as part of Tallahassee Tuesdays. “People love the
Sunshine State for many reasons, and the variety of
sporting events and teams we offer is a significant draw
for residents and visitors. I look forward to working
with Florida’s many sports organizations to keep this
industry strong for future generations.”
Since 1999,
Florida’s sports industry has grown from a $16-billion a
year industry to an estimated $36-billion-a-year
industry, employing more than 400,000 Floridians.
Florida is home to
nine major professional sports franchises in the Major
League Baseball, National Hockey League, National
Football League, and National Basketball Association, as
well as NASCAR, the PGA Tour, the LPGA, and the PGA of
America. In each of the four major sports leagues, a
Florida team has won its championship within the last
six years: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2002 Super Bowl
Champions; Florida Marlins, 2003 World Series Champions;
Tampa Bay Lightning, 2004 Stanley Cup Champions; and
Miami Heat, 2006 NBA Finals Champions.
The recent
Super Bowl XLIII, held at Raymond James Stadium in
Tampa, was the 14th Super Bowl hosted by the
Sunshine State, and the fourth in Tampa. Florida has
hosted more Super Bowls than any other state – including
four since 2000 – and Tampa is one of only four cities
in the United States to host the Super Bowl at least
four times. The Super Bowl is the world’s largest
one-day sporting event, and the economic impact of Super
Bowl XLIII is $300-million. In 2010, Miami will host
Florida’s 15th Super Bowl.
In addition to
the Super Bowl, Florida also hosts other championship
games. The BCS National Championship for college
football was held in Miami last month, and Florida will
host the 2009
SEC Men’s Basketball Championships and the 2009 NCAA
Men’s Basketball Championships.
Florida is also home to
16
of the 30 Major League Baseball
club’s spring training programs in
15
locations, making it the nation’s
leader for such training. Annual attendance during March
spring Training averages 1.56 million each year, an
economic impact of more than $450 million.
In addition,
Florida offers many world-class venues for sports and
recreation. The Sunshine State boasts more than 1,200
golf courses, where more than 58 million rounds of golf
are played each year. With a 44 percent share of
the golf travel market, Florida remains the No. 1
destination for more than 5 million golf travelers each
year.
Joining Governor
Crist today were Larry Pendleton, President and CEO of
the Florida Sports Foundation; and
John Webb, President of Sports
Development-Broward County, the largest sports council
in Florida.
Other sports industry
leaders attending Tuesday’s discussion were:
Jeff Mielke of Ft. Myers, the Florida Sports Foundation
designee for the Florida Sports Commission
Randy Spetman of Tallahassee, Athletic Director for Florida
State University
Joe Steranka of Palm Beach, chief executive officer for
PGA of America
Mike Sophia of Miami, executive director for the
Miami-Dade Sports Commission
Rob Southwick of Fernandina Beach, president of
Southwick Associates Inc., and an expert on the on
economic impact of fishing, boating and hunting in
Florida
Kathy Milthorpe of Daytona Beach, Managing Director of
Public Affairs for the International Speedway
Corporation
Mark Jackson of Polk County, president of the Grapefruit
League
Jack Swope of Orlando, executive vice president
for the Orlando Magic
Florida Senior Games State
Championships return to Lee County for two more
years
The Florida Sports Foundation
and the Lee County Sports Authority announced
Tuesday, December 2, the Florida Senior Games State
Championships will return to Lee County and the City
of Cape Coral in 2009 and 2010.
The extension of the
current three-year agreement signifies an
unprecedented five-year run in Southwest Florida.
In the 17-year history of the Florida Senior
Games State Championships, no community has hosted
the Games for five consecutive years.
“We are honored to be awarded the Florida Senior
Games State Championships again for 2009 and 2010,”
said Jeff Mielke, Executive Director of the Lee
County Sports Authority. “Our partnerships
with the City of Cape Coral, Lee County Parks &
Recreation and the Florida Sports Foundation have
enabled us raise the bar to new standards in hosting
the Senior Games.”
The dates of the upcoming games
will be December 5-13, 2009 and December 4-12, 2010.
The 2010 Florida Senior Games State
Championships will be a qualifier for the 2011
National Senior Games, to be held in Houston, Texas.
“Over the last three
years, we have enjoyed our partnership with the Lee
County Parks and Recreation Department and Lee
County Sports Authority,” said Stephen Rodriguez,
Director of Amateur Sports for the Florida Sports
Foundation.
“We received very positive comments from our
athletes about the community and competition
venues,”
“Those two factors played a big part in
extending the current agreement.”
More than 2,000
senior athletes, age 50 and over are expected to
compete in Lee County and the City of Cape Coral
when the 2008 Games begin on December 6.
The nine-day Olympic-Style Sports Festival
continues through December 14.
In the last two years
with Lee County and the City of Cape Coral serving
as host for the Florida Senior Games State
Championships, over
5,300 athletes visited Lee County generating over $2
million in economic impact.
Over 6,000 hotel room nights were used by
senior athletes
and nearly
$40,000 in resort tax has been collected, according
to the Lee County Sports Authority.
Since the Florida
Senior Games State Championships inception in 1992,
more than 30,000 athletes have competed in the
annual Games.
Lee County and the City of Cape Coral is the
sixth Florida community to serve as host of the
Games.
Florida natives and residents
win 28 Olympic medals in Beijing
A total of 40 Olympic athletes who
call a Florida city their hometown or currently live in
Florida won 29 medals at the 2008 Olympic Games, held in
Beijing, China.
The 40 athletes competed in 15 different sports
contested in the 16 days of the 29th Olympic
Games.
U.S. athletes from Florida garnered
13 gold medals, five silver and 11 bronze medals.
Basketball and Beach Volleyball team
members accounted for five of the gold medals as Miami
Heat guard Dwayne Wade and Orlando Magic center Dwight
Howard were members of the U.S. Olympic Basketball team.
Sylvia Fowles, who grew up in Miami and was a
member of the Edison High School State Championship
team, won gold for the women’s basketball team.
Floridians were successful in the
sand of the Beach Volleyball competition as Misty May-Trainor,
a Coral Springs resident, and Phil Dalhausser, an Ormond
Beach native and University of Central Florida alum, won
gold medals.
Track and Field athletes Natasha
Hastings, of Clermont, and Sanya Richards, of Fort
Lauderdale were members of the gold medal winning 4 X
400 relay team.
Richards also won a bronze medal in the 400 meter
run.
Swimmer Ryan Lochte, of Ormond Beach,
won gold medals in the 200 meter backstroke and the 4 X
200 meter relay. He earned a pair of bronze medals in the 200 and 400 meter IM
events.
Also winning gold medals were Venus
and Serena Williams, residents of Palm Beach Gardens, in
women’s double tennis and Laura Kraut, an equestrian
athlete from Wellington, in team jumping.
Seven of the 40 athletes who traveled
to Beijing to compete have experience in Florida’s
Sunshine State Games, an Olympic-style Sports Festival
for amateur athletes of the state. Brian Olson, of Woodville and early 1990s Sunshine State
Games participant, was named captain of the U.S. Olympic
Judo team.
Lochte won gold medals in the 2001 Sunshine State Games
swimming competition.
The track & field competition
featured three former Sunshine State Games participants
in 100 and 200 meter dash bronze medalist Walter Dix, of
Coral Springs and triple jumper Rafeeq Curry, of Miami.
Dix and Curry were also members of the three-time
Florida State University National Championship Track &
Field teams.
Bershawn Jackson, of Miami, won a bronze medal in
the 400 meter hurdles.
Triathlete Hunter Kemper, a native of
Longwood, was a seventh place finisher in the men’s
triathlon and Archer Vic Wunderle, a resident of
Lighthouse Point, advanced to the final eight in his
third consecutive Olympic Games appearance.
Florida’s Sunshine State Games began in 1980 in an
effort to increase athletic participation for Floridians
in amateur athletics.
During the 1976
Olympic Games, then-State Senator Bob Graham inquired
about the number of Florida athletes participating.
He was shocked to find out there were only nine
Floridians among the U.S. Olympic team.
Graham set out to increase athletic participation
for Floridians in amateur athletics.
Florida's Sunshine State Games began as only the second
Olympic-style Sports Festival.
Only New York's Empire State Games preceded the
Sunshine State Games.
Today, more than 40 states offer State Games
competitions.
Complete list of Florida natives and current
residents on the U.S. Olympic team
Archery
Vic
Wunderle, resident of Lighthouse Point, Florida –
Advanced to final eight for third straight Olympics.
Baseball
Matthew
LaPorta, native of Port Charlotte
– Member of bronze medal winning team.
Hit home run in bronze medal game vs. Japan.
Head Coach Davey Johnson, resident of Winter Park
Diving
Jevon
Tarantino, native and resident of Boca Raton
Chris
Colwill, native of Brandon
4th
in 3M springboard
Equestrian
Laura
Kraut, native and resident of Wellington – Gold medal
team jumping
Judo
Brian
Olson, native of Woodville
– Lost in preliminaries
Adler
Volmar, native of Miami current resident of Coral
Springs – Lost in preliminaries
Men's Basketball – Gold medal
Dwight
Howard,
resident of Orlando
Dwayne
Wade, resident of Miami
Women's Basketball – Gold medal
Sylvia
Fowles, native of Miami
Sailing
Benjamin
Barger, native of St. Petersburg, current resident of
Tampa
Zach
Railey, native and resident of Clearwater – Silver
medal Men’s Finn
Nancy
Rios,
native of Cocoa Beach, currently resident of Miami
Anna
Tunnicliffe, native and current resident of Fort
Lauderdale – Gold, Laser Radial – Women’s One Person
Dinghy
Soccer Jozy
Altidore, native of Boca Raton
Nathan
Sturgis, native of St. Augustine
Softball
Kelly
Kretschman, native of Indian Harbor Beach – Silver medal
Swimming
Dara
Torres, native of Parkland, won three silver medals to
raise her total count to 12.
Caroline
Burckle, current resident of Gainesville, - bronze medal
in 4 X 200 relay
Ryan
Lochte, native of Ormond Beach, currently resident of
Gainesville, 2 gold, 2 bronze medals
Tennis
James
Blake, current resident of Tampa
Bob
Bryan, current resident of Wesley Chapel – Bronze medal,
men’s doubles
Mike
Bryan, current resident of Wesley Chapel – Bronze medal,
men’s doubles
Serena
Williams, current resident of Palm Beach Gardens – Gold
medal, women’s doubles Venus
Williams, current resident of Palm Beach Gardens – Gold
medal, women’s doubles
Track
and Field
Jennifer
Barringer, native of Oviedo – 9th place 3000
steeplechase
Damu
Cherry, native of Tampa, current resident of Winter
Garden – 4th place 100m Hurdles
Rafeeq
Curry, native of Miami, current resident of Tallahassee
Walter
Dix, native of Coral Springs, current resident of
Tallahassee – 2 bronze medals (100 and 200 meter)
David
Oliver, current resident of Orlando – Bronze medal (110
m hurdles)
Tiffany
Ross-Williams, native and resident of Orlando – 8th
place 400m Hurdles
Calvin
Smith, native and resident of Gainesville
Lauryn
Williams, native and resident of Miami – 4th
place 100m dash
Nastasha
Hastings, native of Clermont
– Gold medal (4 X 400)
Sanya
Richards, native of Fort Lauderdale – Gold medal (4 X
400), Bronze medal (400 meter run)
Bershawn Jackson, native of Miami – Bronze medal
400 meter hurdles
Triathlon
Laura
Bennett, native of North Palm Beach – 4th
place
Hunter
Kemper, native of Longwood – 7th place
Volleyball
Phil
Dalhausser, native of Ormond Beach – Gold medal
Misty
May-Treanor,
current resident of Coral Springs – Gold medal
Sports means $32 billion to
the State of Florida
With the beginning of a new year, the State
of Florida can look forward to an infusion of
$32 billion in 2006 due to Sports and
Recreation.
Sports and recreation activities provide a $32
billion annual economic impact to Florida’s
economy, according to an “Economic Impact of
Sports and Recreation Activities in Florida
Survey,” prepared by the Washington Economics
Group, Inc. and commissioned by the Florida
Sports Foundation, the official sports promotion
and development organization of the State of
Florida.
Besides the $32 billion in economic impact, the
survey showed sports and recreation provide
support for 434,000 employment positions and
generate $12.9 billion in annual labor
compensation.
In preparing the survey over the course of eight
months, using data from the 2004 calendar year,
the Coral Gables-based Washington Economics
Group, separated the sports and recreation
activities into nine components for which there
was sufficient data to prepare the survey.
The components are:
Consumer spending on sports and recreation
apparel and equipment
Local government expenditures for parks and
recreation
Sport fishing (including associated boating)
Hunting and wildlife associated recreation
Recreational golf and golf courses
Professional sports teams
Sports associated with pari-mutuel wagering
Recreational ownership of horses
Sporting events sponsored by Florida’s 18
Regional Sports Commissions
Major Professional Golf and Tennis Tournaments
“This survey will show sports and recreation are
an important activity in the State,” said Robert
Cruz, Chief Economist for the Washington
Economics Group. “The number of jobs
sports and recreation creates in the State was
quite impressive to me. I think it showed
a very significant impact that had not been done
before and those numbers are conservative.
Of the 9.2 millions jobs in Florida, sports and
recreation accounts for about 5% of jobs
statewide.”
As the official sports promotion and development
organization of the State, the Florida Sports
Foundation strives to promote Florida's unique
sports industry and realize its economic
benefit. The study also sought to uncover
the externality benefits directly affecting the
society or economy at large.
Externality benefits associated with sports
include; the encouragement of participation,
inclusion and citizenship; creating confidence
and discipline; facilitating recruitment of high
wage and the promotion of health increasing
longevity.
One of the reasons behind Florida’s success is
the competitive advantage the state possesses in
the sports and recreation sector.
Florida has extensive experience hosting
nationally and internationally renowned sporting
events.
The State has hosted 12 Super Bowls and been
selected to host 3 more through 2010.
The Annual Daytona 500 kicks off the NASCAR
season of races with a crowd of more than
200,000.
Four PGA Tour Events take place in Florida
during the month of March.
The 2006 Citgo Bassmasters Classic, known as
the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing,” will be held
in Kissimmee in February.
Florida boasts five college bowl games, tied
with Texas for the most bowl games in the
country, bringing visiting fans to Jacksonville,
Orlando, Tampa and Miami.
Florida has exceptional representation in
high-profile professional sports franchises.
Major League Baseball’s Florida Marlins were
World Series Champions in 1997 and 2003.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National
Football League won the Super Bowl in 2002.
The Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey
League won the Stanley Cup in 2004.
Florida is a preferred worldwide destination
for playing and training in several outdoor
sports, specifically golf, baseball, tennis
boating and fishing
18 Major League Baseball teams hold their
annual Spring Training in 17 Florida locations.
Florida boasts more than 1,200 golf courses.
Florida offers more than 7,700 lakes, 10,550
miles of rivers and streams, and 2,276 miles of
tidal shoreline for anglers and boaters alike to
enjoy.
Florida boasts versatile and modern sporting
facilities and claims a critical mass of
headquarters of numerous amateur sports’
governing bodies and organizations.
Since 1999, Miami’s Dolphins Stadium,
Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium and Jacksonville’s
ALLTEL Stadium have hosted Super Bowls.
The Professional Golf Association (PGA) Tour is
located in Ponte Vedra Beach.
The International Softball Federation is located
in Plant City.
The United States Specialty Sports Association
is located in Kissimmee.
Click here for a complete version of the
Economic Impact of Sports in Florida.
(100 page pdf document. Adobe reader
software is necessary to view this document)
|
|