Florida Sports · 3/3/2016  · Miami Open Tennis offers the best in the game The Miami Open, considered to be the most glamorous event on both the men’s and women’s tours, once

Florida Sports Monthly Update - March, 2016

More excitement at the Daytona International Speedway In 57 previous runnings of the Daytona 500, there was never a finish as close as the on witnessed on Sunday, February 21 when Denny Hamlin edged Martin Truex, Jr. at the finish line. It was a sight to behold and worthy of another look.

The legendary track in Daytona Beach didn’t rest on its laurels and immediately following the photo-finish race, construction began in the tri-oval area between pit road and the start/finish line to create the demanding and challenging course for the Daytona Supercross By Honda, scheduled for Saturday night, March 5. The Speedway has been hosting the Daytona Supercross By Honda since 1971.

Big Night for Baseball at aGovernor’s Baseball Dinner in Lee County The 2016 Governor’s Baseball Dinner featured Hall of Famers, Most Valuable Players, World Series winners and the Commissioner of Baseball among the 300 in attendance at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa in Lee County, Friday evening February 19. Representatives from the 15 Major League

Upcoming Events

Daily throughout March Florida Grapefruit League

Baseball 15 teams in 14 Florida

Locations

March 27, 2016 Sunshine State Games Artistic Roller-skating

Championships Skate Reflections, Kissimmee, Florida

May 13-15, 2016

Sunshine State Games Broward County Festival

Sports Offered: Figure Skating, Rugby

FSF Sponsors

Baseball teams holding their spring training in Florida were in attendance as well as members of the communities hosting spring training in their respective areas. Prior to speaking to the assembled crowed at the annual Governor’s Baseball Dinner to kickoff the 2016 Florida Grapefruit League season, Commissioner Rob Manfred (pictured at right with FSF President John Webb) met with the media at a Florida Media Day. He addressed topics such as the new stars that emerged last season, the speed of the game, fan safety and the number of established players teams bring when they travel around the state.

Grants approved at February Board Meeting and Granted Events for March Before heading out for an evening of talking Baseball at the Governor’s Baseball Dinner, the FSF Board of Directors approved 24 Grants that are projected to bring more than 128,000 visitors to the State of Florida and over $74 million in economic impact. The third-quarter of the fiscal year Board Meeting was held in Fort Myers on Friday, February 19. Among the events receiving grants were the U.S. Olympic Team Rowing Trials, at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota in April and the 43rd AAU Junior National Girl's Volleyball Championships, in Orlando in June.

In March, 13 sporting events will be taking place that received a FSF Grant. These events will bring 82,918 out of state visitors to Florida and $73.9 in economic impact. The Beach n'Boards Festival in Brevard County is expected to bring 19,000 visitors to the area March 10-13. Through three quarters of the 2015-16 fiscal year, the FSF has approved 85 sports events grants, projected to bring over 489,000 visitors to Florida and more than $387 million in economic impact.

SSG Calendar complete and sports are taking registration Now in its 37th year of providing amateur sports opportunities for Floridians, the Sunshine State Games rolls into a full calendar year of events with Artistic

Florida Sports Foundation A Division of Enterprise

Florida, Inc. 101 North Monroe Street

Suite 1000 Tallahassee, FL 32301

(850) 488-8347

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Roller Skating competition on March 27 at Skate Reflections in Kissimmee. Registration is also open for Sunshine State Games Figure Skating to be held in Broward County, the weekend of May 13-15. A total of 28 sports are offered in the state’s annual Olympic-style Sports Festival to be held in 10 different Florida communities. The 2016 Sunshine State Games schedule features multi-sport festivals in Broward County, Sarasota and Palm Beach County. 10 other sports will hold individual championship events in locations between March and November.

Florida Senior Games Series Qualifiers in March Senior athletes, age 50 and over, have the opportunity to qualify for the 2016 Florida Senior Games in six Florida communities during March. The Heartland Senior Games (Sebring), Good Life Games of Pinellas County, Charlotte County Fit For Life Senior Games, Polk Senior Games, Capital City Senior Games (Tallahassee) and The Villages Senior Games are all in action during the month. Check www.floridaseniorgames.com for a listing and dates.

Three of the state’s most-attended qualifiers are held in March at the Good Life Games in Pinellas County, the Polk Senior Games and The Villages Senior Games. Over 1,800 senior athletes competed in these three Series Qualifiers in 2015. Nearly 10,000 athletes competed in Series Qualifiers statewide in 2015. The 2016 Florida Senior Games Series Qualifiers are the starting line for athletes competing the 2017 National Senior Games in Birmingham, AL.

Florida Sports Directory and Facilities Guide now available The State of Florida’s most definitive sports resource guide is now available. The 2016-17 Florida Sports Directory and Facilities Guide features 144 pages of what the Sunshine State has to offer in support of the $44

billion annual industry. The state’s 27 sports commissions are featured and the sports directory highlights a variety of sports ventures in the state from amateur to collegiate to professional. The guide is currently available online at http://www.flasports.com/sports-development/directory-and-facilities-guide/. To request a copy, please email [email protected].

The World’s Best Golfers call Florida home during March Adam Scott claimed the first of four PGA Tour events being held in Florida during the month of March edging Sergio Garcia, by one stroke, at the Honda Classic in West Palm Beach. Scott and Garcia began the final day tied at 201. Over the final 18 holes Scott carded a 71 on Sunday while Garcia finished with a 72. Remaining on the calendar during the month of March is the highest purse of the Florida Four, the World Golf Championship-Cadillac Championships in Miami, with a total winnings over $9 million (March 3-6), the Valspar Championship at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor (March 10-13) and the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando (March 17-20) Each of the Florida Four tournaments are broadcast on NBC Sports.

Frozen Four in Tampa The 2016 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four will be played out on the ice at Tampa's Amalie Arena. National Semifinals will be held April 7, and the National Championship will take place April 9. This is the 69th annual NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship and the second time that the City of Tampa and Tampa Bay Sports Commission (2012) will host this premier college men’s ice hockey championship event. Regionals for the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship will be held March 25-27 at four locations to determine those advancing to Florida's west coast. Midwest – Cincinnati, Ohio Northeast-Worcester, Massachusetts East – Albany, New York West – Saint Paul, Minnesota

The NCAA Frozen Four was held in Tampa in 2012 and Boston College defeated Ferris State for the National Championship. The University of Minnesota and Union College rounded out the 2012 Frozen Four

Florida NHL teams among the League’s best After both Florida NHL teams made the post-season after the 2014-15 season, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are among the Eastern Conference’s best in 2015-16. The Panthers and Lightning are tied for the second-most points in East with 80 each.

The two teams head down the homestretch during March as the Panthers have six home games at the BB&T Center in Sunrise. The Lightning will be at the Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa for eight games in March, including a five-game homestand in nine days between March 22-31. The two Florida teams meet for a final time in the regular season on March 26 in Tampa and the regular season ends on Saturday, April 9.

March Madness in Florida College basketball will heat up during the month of March and the State of Florida will be adding to the madness. Post-season conference tournaments will be held in Jacksonville and Orlando.

The Southeastern Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament will be held at Jacksonville’s Veteran’s Memorial Arena, March 2-6. The fourth-seeded Florida Gators play the winner of the LSU/Kentucky matchup on Friday, March 4. The University of Central Florida and Central Florida Sports Commission host the American Athletic Conference Men’s Tournament at the Amway Center in Orlando, March 10-13. Heading into the last week of the 2015-16 regular season, the Central Florida Knights and South Florida Bulls are in eighth and ninth place in the conference, respectively. As teams look ahead to the NCAA Post-Season Tournament, Florida boasts four women’s teams in the AP Top 25 and one “also receiving votes,” that will seemingly earn a post-season spot. The Florida State Seminoles lead the way ranked 12th, the South Florida Bulls are 20th, the Miami Hurricanes are 21st, the Florida Gators are 25th and the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles are also receiving votes. The Miami Hurricanes are the lone Florida men’s team in the AP Top 25 ranked 12th.

Back to the Pitch for Orlando City Soccer After an inaugural season in the MLS that saw impressive crowds flock to the Citrus Bowl, Orlando City Soccer President Phil Rawlins said Friday he is confident the club will sell out their MLS regular season opener for a second consecutive year.

The team has sold more than 43,000 tickets for their home opener on Sunday, March 6 against Real Salt Lake. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.

Miami Open Tennis offers the best in the game The Miami Open, considered to be the most glamorous event on both the men’s and women’s tours, once again brings the brightest stars in tennis to the Crandon Park Tennis Center for a two-week sports and entertainment spectacle (March 21- April 3) that has become the place to be in Miami each spring. Its 2016 lineup is unrivaled among tour events.

With all 76 of the top ranked men and 72 of the top 73 ranked women currently entered, the Miami Open player field ranks best on the tennis calendar. The player field includes a combined 16 Grand Slam singles champions, seven men and nine women, so whether you are looking to see a future Hall of Famer, a multiple Grand Slam champion, or a rising star, all will be on display at the Crandon Park Tennis Center.

Nathan Benderson Park hosts Community Day Sarasota’s World Class Rowing facility hosts this free family-friendly event, Saturday, March 20 from 10 am – 2pm. The event will showcase everyday programming and amenities offered at Benderson Park. Refreshments will be available and NBP staff will be on hand to answer any questions on upcoming programming, classes and events offered at the park! This event will be held on Regatta Island

Spring means Horse Racing in Florida – On the Road to the Kentucky Derby Tampa Derby – March 12 The Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby is a “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points race, which offers 50, 20, 10 and 5 qualifying points to the first four finishers toward eligibility for the 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on May 7 at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Florida Derby – April 2 The biggest race day of the year in South Florida, the Florida Derby is a showcase of the world's best horses and jockeys, who all are competing

for the coveted title of Florida Derby Winner on their road to the Triple Crown.

Jimmy Johnson National Billfish Championship in Key Largo This 2-Day Billfish competition will feature the top anglers in the country as they hit the waters for a guaranteed purse of over $100,000*. In its 4 year history, this tournament has awarded $1,000,000 in prize money and 4 championship rings as the anglers join in the Keys for this grueling competition.

The Last Word - Over 25 million fans have attended Spring Training Baseball games in the State of Florida since 2000. To push that total over 26 million in the 2016 season, visit www.floridagrapefruitleague.com and find a game between now and April 2. Baseball fans can also follow the 2016 Florida Grapefruit League season on Twitter @flaspringtrain or download the Florida Grapefruit League Mobile Phone App.