FSF Awards 23 Sports Grants to Florida sports events

 

The Florida Sports Foundation (FSF) awarded 23 grants totaling $100,000 to various sporting events throughout the State of Florida at its April, 2008 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 23 events granted funds are expected to bring over $18 million into Florida’s economy and over 39,000 tourists to the Sunshine State between April and August 2008.

 

Among the 23 sporting events receiving grants are 15 different sports and two multi-sport events, the ACC Spring Championships in Seminole and Volusia County and the Southeast Sports Festival in Tallahassee.  Five different tennis events, to be held in Broward, Palm Beach and Brevard counties, and two Taekwondo events, in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, received funding.  The two multi-sport events receiving funding also feature tennis

 

The Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Tournament returns to the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville for its final appearance.  The annual tournament, which will bring the conference’s top eight teams to Jacksonville for a four-day, pool play tournament, is expected to benefit the area with more than $3 million in economic impact and 7,000 baseball fans.

 

Pinks All Out, held at the Gainesville Motor Speedway, is a motor sports competition involving 400-450 drag racing teams from throughout the US.  Two contestants race against one another in this high stakes drag race. The event is projected to bring more than $2 million in economic impact and approximately 8,000 spectators to Gainesville and Alachua County.

 

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. This was the third disbursement of regional grants in the 2007-2008 fiscal year for the FSF.   To date, the FSF has awarded $236,000 to 45 different events.

 

The fourth of four rounds of grants for the 2007-08 fiscal year will be awarded at the June, 2008 FSF Board of Directors meeting.

 

The following 23 regional grants were awarded at the April, 2008 FSF Board of Directors meeting:

 

-- 2008 ACC Spring Championships, (Multi sport event), April 16-20, 2008, Daytona Beach and Altamonte Springs

-- AAU Women's and Men's Basketball National Championships, April 17-20, 2008, Brevard County

-- Pinks All Out, (Motor sports competition) April 18-19, 2008, Alachua County

-- 2008 USA Powerlifting Masters Nationals, May 2-4, 2008, Miami

-- Tri-America Triathlon Series, May 3-4, 2008, Englewood

-- 2008 MIMA Foundation/USTA Pro Tennis Classic, May 4-11, 2008, Indian Harbour Beach

-- FINA Diving Grand Prix, May 7-11, 2008, Fort Lauderdale

-- 2008 USA Taekwondo National Qualifier, May 9-11, 2008, Daytona Beach

-- USA Gymnastics Women's Jr. Olympics Nat'l Championships, May 15-18, 2008, Kissimmee

-- YMCA Masters National Swimming & Diving Championships, May 15-18, 2008, Fort Lauderdale

-- USTA National Clay Court Championships, May 16-22, 2008, Fort Lauderdale

-- 2008 IFA Redfish Tournament, May 17, 2008, Englewood

-- Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship, May 21-25, 2008, Jacksonville

-- 2008 National Cup VII Region C Soccer Tournament, May 24-26, 2008, Jacksonville

-- Extreme Volleyball Professionals Tour Pro/Am, May 31, 2008, Naples

-- 2008 Renshinkan Karate Tournament of the Americas, June 14, 2008, Gainesville

-- South Florida Table Tennis Championships, June 28-30, 2008, Coral Springs

-- USTA Boys' 18 & 16 Clay Court National Championships, July 12-20, 2008, Palm Beach County

-- USTA Boys/Girls 14 National Clay Court Championships, July 13-20, 2008, Fort Lauderdale

-- US Open Jr. Judo Championships & Training Camp, July 17-24, 2008, Fort Lauderdale

-- Southeast Sports Festival, (Multi-sport Regional State Games event) August 1-3, 2008, Tallahassee

-- USTA Summer Smash Regional Tennis Championships, August 30-September 2, 2008, Delray Beach

-- AAU Taekwondo Team Trials, September 4-8, 2008, Fort Lauderdale
 

Florida Spring Training Baseball tops 1.6 million total attendance for third straight year

For the third consecutive year, Florida Spring Training Baseball surpassed the 1.6 million mark in total attendance as 1,677,858 fans watched the 18 Florida Grapefruit League teams in 17 locations around the Sunshine State during the month of March.  Per game attendance at the 259 games established a new record with an average attendance of 6,478 fans per game.
 

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 new average per game attendance topped the previous mark of 6,244 fans per game during the 2005 season.  Florida Spring Training Baseball experienced only eight rain out games this season.  The total number of games was also less during the 2008 season due to the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles not playing a full month of games in Fort Myers and Vero Beach, respectively.  The Red Sox traveled to Japan for games and the Dodgers played games on the west coast.


Seven teams established new total attendance records and new per game attendance records.  Six teams surpassed the 100,000 mark as the New York Yankees led the way with 139,497 fans attending games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.  The Yankees, which officially changed the name of the field to honor owner George Steinbrenner at their final home spring training game of 2008, also led the Grapefruit League with an average of 10,731 fans attending 15 games, a new team record.


Teams with new total attendance marks include;
Cincinnati Reds, Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota – 90,489
Cleveland Indians, Chain of Lakes Park, Winter Haven – 87,301
Detroit Tigers, Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland – 123,484
Florida Marlins, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter & Dolphin Stadium, Miami – 127,093
Houston Astros, Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee – 61,027
New York Mets, Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie – 97,929
Toronto Blue Jays, Knology Park, Dunedin – 64,444

Teams establishing per game average attendance records include;
Florida Marlins, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter & Dolphin Stadium, Miami – 7,061

Los Angeles Dodgers, Holman Stadium, Vero Beach – 6,404
Minnesota Twins, Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers – 7,808
New York Yankees, Steinbrenner Field, Tampa – 10,731
Philadelphia Phillies, Bright House Networks Field, Clearwater – 8,194
Pittsburgh Pirates, McKechnie Field, Bradenton – 5,404
Tampa Bay Rays, Progress Energy Park at Al Lang Field, St. Petersburg – 4,996

“Baseball is the nation’s pastime, and we are honored to host Florida Spring Training Baseball in the Sunshine State,” said Governor Charlie Crist.  “Each year we welcome the teams and their fans to Florida.  It’s a time of year that is cherished by fans of all ages and from all parts of the United States.”


Governor Crist hosted the 2008 Governor’s Baseball Dinner on February 26 at the Tropicana Dome in St. Petersburg to kick off the season.  During the 2008 Florida Legislative session, he welcomed Major League Baseball Hall of Famers Jim Palmer and Reggie Jackson to Tallahassee on March 26 to recognize Florida Spring Training Baseball before the Florida House of Representatives and Senate.

 

Other Florida Spring Training attendance notes:


The Florida Marlins attendance totals include two games played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami against the New York Yankees.  Each game drew more than 30,000 fans.

The Cleveland Indians total attendance record topped the previous mark set in 1999 when the Indians played 16 games at Chain of Lakes Park.  The record was set in 2008 in 15 games.

The Atlanta Braves had four games with better than 10,000 attendance at Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista including the largest crowd at a Spring Training venue in 2008 when 11,606 fans saw the Braves play the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, March 20.

 

The Cincinnati Reds record attendance of 90,489, at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, topped the previous record set last year by more than 3,000 fans.

 

With expansions to their stadiums, the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees set individual game attendance records during the 2008 season.  The Tigers hosted the Cleveland Indians at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland before a record crowd of 9,781 on Sunday, March 23.  The Yankees packed Steinbrenner Stadium with a record attendance of 11,079 when they faced the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, March 21.

 

Jupiter’s Roger Dean Stadium, the only Florida Spring Training venue to host two teams, the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, drew a total of 152,335 fans to 30 games. 

 

Team by team individual attendance figures

 

Atlanta Braves, Champion Stadium, Disney's Wide World of Sports, Lake Buena Vista

15 games; 135,367 total attendance; 9,024 average per game

Largest crowd: 11,606 vs. Detroit Tigers, Thursday, March 20

 

Baltimore Orioles, Fort Lauderdale Stadium

14 games (one cancellation); 74,373 total attendance; 5,312 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,391 vs. Boston Red Sox, Friday, March 7

 

Boston Red Sox, City of Palms Park, Fort Myers

11 games; 86,893 total attendance; 7,899 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,048 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, March 13

 

Cincinnati Reds, Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota

17 games; 90,489 total attendance; 5,318 average per game

Largest crowd: 7,564 vs. Detroit Tigers, Monday, March 17

 

Cleveland Indians, Chain of Lakes Park, Winter Haven

15 games; 87,301 total attendance; 5,826 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,826 vs. New York Yankees, Tuesday, March 25

 

Detroit Tigers, Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland

16 games; 123,484 total attendance; 7,718 average per game

Largest crowd: 9,781 vs. Cleveland Indians, Sunday, March 23

 

Florida Marlins, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter

18 games; 127,093 total attendance; 7,061 average per game

Largest crowd: 32,229 vs. New York Yankees (at Dolphin Stadium), Saturday, March 29

 

Houston Astros, Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee

15 games (one cancellation); 61,027 total attendance; 4,068 average per game

Largest crowd: 6,726 vs. New York Mets, Sunday, March 16

 

Los Angeles Dodgers, Holman Stadium, Vero Beach

11 games; 72,649 total attendance; 6,604 average per game

Largest crowd: 9,293 vs. Boston Red Sox, Sunday, March 9

 

Minnesota Twins, William Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers

16 games; 124,934 total attendance; 7,808 average per game

Largest crowd: 8,207 vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, March 21

 

New York Mets, Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie

16 games; 97,929 total attendance; 6,121 average per game

Largest crowd: 7,353 vs. Boston Red Sox, Monday, March 10

 

New York Yankees, Legends Field, Tampa

15 games (one cancellation); 139,497 total attendance; 10,731 average per game

Largest crowd: 11,079 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, March 21

 

Philadelphia Phillies, Bright House Networks Field, Clearwater

14 games (one cancellation); 114,715 total attendance; 8,194 average per game

Largest crowd: 10,178 vs. Minnesota Twins, Saturday, March 15

 

Pittsburgh Pirates, McKechnie Field, Bradenton

15 games (one cancellation); 81,067 total attendance; 5,404 average per game

Largest crowd: 6,106 vs. Detroit Tigers, Wednesday, March 26

 

St. Louis Cardinals, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter

14 games; 87,596 total attendance; 6,257 average per game

Largest crowd: 7,798 vs. Atlanta Braves, Sunday, March 16

 

Tampa Bay Rays, Progress Energy Field at Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg

11 games (two cancellations); 54,960 total attendance; 4,996 average per game

Largest crowd: 6,759 vs. Cincinnati Reds, Friday, March 28

 

Toronto Blue Jays, Knology Park, Dunedin

14 games; 64,444 total attendance; 4,603 average per game

Largest crowd: 5,510, three occasions

 

Washington Nationals, Space Coast Stadium, Viera

13 games (one cancellation); 54,040 total attendance; 4,157 average per game

Largest crowd: 5,914 vs. Florida Marlins, Sunday, March 2

 

Florida Spring Training Totals

259 games; 1,677,858 total attendance; 6,478 average per game

 

Florida leads the nation as home to 18 of the 30 Major League Baseball spring training programs. In 2000, the Florida Sports Foundation reported that Major League Baseball spring training contributes $450 million annually to Florida’s economy.

Florida’s spring training tradition began in 1888 when the Washington Statesmen traveled to Jacksonville to work out in the “off season.”  Since then, 35 Florida cities have hosted major league teams for spring training. All but six of today's major league teams have trained in Florida.

Florida Spring Training Attendance Totals (2000-2008)
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
 



Strength and accuracy are key in 2007 Florida Senior Games State Championships Athletes of the Year

 

Strength and accuracy play key roles in several sports of the Florida Senior Games State Championships.  For the two athletes who earned the 2007 Athletes of the Year Award, the two attributes were prominent in their success.

 

Claudette Braswell, of Lake Wales, won medals in Basketball Shooting, Horseshoes, Racquetball with her accurate shots and Larry Wallen, of Jacksonville, used his strength to record the highest totals of the inaugural Powerlifting competition of the Florida Senior Games State Championships. 

 

The duo was chosen from a field of more than 1,600 senior athletes who competed in 24 sports over nine days of competition in Lee County and the City of Cape Coral in the 16th Annual Florida Senior Games State Championships.

 

At the first Florida Senior Games State Championships Powerlifting competition, Wallen, 60, had the best deadlift of the day with 320kg (705 lbs), a USAPL American Record for his age group.  Wallen had the best combined total of the day with 460kg (320 deadlift, 140 bench press).  His total was 25kg more than the next competitor. He won a total of three gold medals for the event. 
 

During 2007, Wallen (pictured at left) won first place in his age group and weight class at the USAPL Florida State Championship [Estero, FL], USAPL Masters National Championships [Milwaukee, WI], Sunshine State Games [Lakeland, FL], USAPL Southeastern USA Regional Championships [Miami, FL] 1st Place and Florida Senior Games State Championships.

 

He also set 12 USAPL Florida State Records, 8 USAPL American Records and 3 IPF World Masters Record during 2007.

 

Among the women’s basketball shooters, Claudette Braswell, 71, won three gold medals in the 70-74 age group and had the highest scores of the day with 23 of 30 points in free throw shooting, 12 of 15 points in spot field goal shooting and 111 points in timed field goal shooting.  She won a silver medal in the horseshoes competition, finishing second to longtime horseshoe pitcher, Dorothy (Babe) Hood.  As one of only three women racquetball players, she won the women’s singles gold medal in the 70-74 age group.

 

Since she began competing in the Florida Senior Games State Championships in 2003, Braswell (pictured at right) has won 12 basketball shooting gold medals, four racquetball gold medals and a gold and bronze medal in horseshoes.

 

The 2008 Florida Senior Games State Championships will be held December 6-14, in Lee County and the City of Cape Coral.  Local qualifiers for the 2008 State Championships are held throughout the year leading up to the event.  The 2008 Florida Senior Games State Championships will be a qualifier for the 2009 National Senior Games, to be held in San Francisco, California.

 

The Florida Senior Games State Championships are a program of the Florida Sports Foundation, the official sports promotion and development organization for the State of Florida.  The Florida Senior Games State Championships are sponsored in part by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Performance Health, Inc., makers of BioFreeze, the Florida Chiropractic Association and Suncoast Beverages.

 

Florida Senior Games State Championships Athletes of the Year (1994-2006)

1994 -- Doris Prokopi, Land O’Lakes; Wayne Wakefield, Bradenton

1995 -- Mary Melehan, EnglewoodLeonard Stone, Barefoot Bay

1996 -- Hope Fage, LargoF.L. McFadden, Lakeland

1997 -- Ethel Lehmann, LargoSeymour Duckman, Daytona Beach

1998 -- Lucia Schatteleyn, Englewood; Donald Ritenour, Belleview

1999 -- Patricia Bond, BradentonGordon Johnson, Dundee           

2000 -- Erika Messner, ClermontAl Treichel, Spring Hill

2001 -- Sperry Rademaker, Floral CityHoward Hall, Port Charlotte

2002 -- Janice Lathouwers, The VillagesAllen Bjork, Sebring

2003 -- Madelaine “Tiny” Cazel, The VillagesJames Anderson, New Port Richey

2004 -- Lillian Webb, SebringHarry Carothers, Pinellas Park

2005 -- Patricia Sargeant, MelbourneAndy McGuffin, Umatilla

2006 -- Sari Kisbany, Redington ShoresRoger Gentilhomme, Dunedin

2007 -- Claudette Braswell, Lake Wales; Larry Wallen, Jacksonville

 

Tallahassee to host 2008 Southeast Sports Festival
 

Florida’s Capital City, has been selected to host the 2008 Southeast Sports Festival, August 1-3, 2008.  Hosting the biennial event is the Tallahassee Sports Council, a division of the Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Florida Sports Foundation, the official sports promotion and development organization of the State of Florida. 

 

The 2nd Southeast Sports Festival features 10 sports, five team and five individual sports.  The finest amateur athletes in the Southeast have the chance to compete in Baseball, Basketball, Flag Football, Lacrosse and Soccer as well as Fencing, Gymnastics, Taekwondo, Tennis and Track & Field. 

 

The 11 states eligible to participate in the Southeast Sports Festival are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.  Any athlete or team participating in their 2008 State Games event is eligible for the 2008 Southeast Sports Festival.

 

“Tallahassee is a perfect location for a multi-state regional event with exceptional athletic facilities and a variety of attractions and activities to provide athletes and their families,” said Brian Hickey, Executive Director of the Tallahassee Sports Council.  “Tallahassee has a proven track record of hosting sporting events including the Florida's Sunshine State Games, AAU Track and Field State Championships and many more.” 

 

The Southeast Sports Festival was created to give athletes of State Games programs a regional championship in which to compete and an opportunity to progress to the next level of competition following a statewide event.

 

“When the Southeast Sports Festival Committee asked Florida to host the 2008 Festival, Tallahassee was the perfect choice, having run several successful Sunshine State Games and its central location in the region,” said Stephen Rodriguez, the Director of Amateur Sports for the Florida Sports Foundation.  “We are looking forward to working with the Tallahassee Sports Council again and show the athletes of the Southeast Sports Festival the outstanding facilities and hospitality Florida has to offer.”

 

The 2008 Southeast Sports Festival is expected to draw approximately 2,000 athletes to the area and provide Tallahassee with over $1 million of economic impact, according to the Tallahassee Sports CouncilThe inaugural Southeast Sports Festival was held in July, 2006, in Shelby County, Alabama with over 1,200 athletes participating.

 

The Tallahassee Sports Council will partner with the Florida Sports Foundation along with Leon County Tourist Development Council, Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Leon County Schools, Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College and Tallahassee Parks and Recreation Department, Leon County Parks and Recreation, Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center to present the 2008 Southeast Sports Festival. 

 

For information about the Southeast Sports Festival, check www.southeastsportsfestival.org.

 

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. 
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