It has been a week since the official announcement the NFL Pro Bowl would come to Orlando with a nationally televised Miami Dolphins preseason game along with it.
It was an opportunity that came about quickly for the city. Orange County had to quickly approve a change to how it was to spend the tourist development tax to submit the bid and secure this major event.
After more than a decade without any NFL physical presence in the Orlando metro area, the nation’s most popular sport would set up shop in town. Orlando is now the largest media market without a NFL team and it is not getting left out of the equation for this popular sport.
Orlando has been the center of several major sports stories and events in the past year.
Copa America Centenario wraps up its third and final game at Camping World Stadium tonight when Brazil takes on Haiti. WrestleMania will bring its hoopla and attention to the stadium in April. The Amway Center will host the NCAA Tournament in March. And then there are the usual events — the three bowl games, the new Camping World Kickoff Game featuring Ole Miss and Florida State this year. The Invictus Games were at Disney earlier this year.
Orlando has been ambitious and aggressive in its strategy in bringing sports to the city. It may be a lot of sunk costs, but the investment pays off in the form of advertisement and showcasing for the city and the potential for visitors to come to Orlando for these events when they otherwise would not.
The question for Orlando is what comes next?
These major events will come through spring of 2017. But what then?
Orlando City will open its new stadium ahead of the 2017 season in March. That will be a big step forward for the city.
The Orlando City stadium is expected to bid on the College Cup, the NCAA soccer championship. It may also host high school state championship and possibly bring rugby competitions to Orlando. The new stadium will open up new avenues to host events — albeit potentially minor ones that may include more soccer friendlies too.
The next big push for Orlando to host a major event may not come for several years. The next transformation in Orlando’s sports scene will come with the construction of the Orlando Magic’s entertainment complex. That completion could very well bring with it another bid for the NBA All-Star Game in 2019 or 2020.
“The application process is dependent on when the bids are put out on the league,” Magic CEO Alex Martins said about the potential All-Star bid a few weeks ago when the Magic hired Frank Vogel. “I think the moon and the stars are going to align on a similar path here not because we planned it that way but because the next two available are in ’19 and ’20. By that time, our complex will be complete and construction on I-4 should be almost over. The timing on that should be perfect.”
The Magic intend to bring the All-Star Game back to Orlando sometime in the next decade. A lot of that is dependent on the entertainment complex being built across the street from Amway Center.
Like L.A. Live near Staples Center or Beale Street in Memphis, the entertainment complex is meant to be a facility that hosts restaurants, bars and shopping along with some office space, a hotel and convention space. The Magic plan on moving their entire operations from RDV Sportsplex in Maitland to office building in the complex.
But the complex will also essentially be a place where fans can leave the stadium and immediately have entertainment options to keep them downtown.
Orlando as a tourist destination is still very attractive to a major sports event like the NBA All-Star Game. It will come back around to the city in the very near future. The amenities at the Amway Center, the hotel space, the great convention center all work for the league. It is a place everyone wants to come for the weekend — and all the festivities that come with it.
There will be impediments of course. But not anything that cannot be overcome.
Once the entertainment complex is complete and once I-4 Ultimate is finished, Orlando will make a push to host the All-Star Game again.
For the Magic, they too will want to get in on the Orlando sports hype. For them to do that, they need to win. If the stars align, the Magic and the All-Star Game and the entertainment complex will all be ready to compete and make Orlando the sports hub once again.
Orlando alum extends Women’s College World Series
It was an epic Game Two of the Women’s College World Series Championship Series.
Oklahoma, needing a win to take home the national championship went up 7-0. It seemed they were destined to win the title Tuesday night.
Auburn stormed back, tying the game at seven and forcing extra inning. In the eighth inning, the Tigers struck with a walk-off grand slam to force a decisive Game Three.
Hitting that home run? Pine Castle Christian alumna Emily Carosone. She came up following a walk to load the bases and hit a home run to force the game tonight with an 11-7 victory for the Tigers.
It was one of many incredible plays, including a late home run to tie the game and a grab at the wall to rob Oklahoma of a home run, that helped Auburn in its comeback.
Carosone had a stellar senior year, hitting .405 with 13 home runs. The Tigers live to fight another day, playing tonight in a the championship game.
Orlando Predators take home weekly Arena Football awards
The Orlando Predators snuck out of Los Angeles with a two point win off a safety on a botched field goal snap. It was truly a great escape for the Predators as they scored the game-tying touchdown with about 20 seconds remaining in the game.
There were plenty of stellar performances for the Predators and they took home two of the Arena Football League’s weekly awards.
Brandon Thompkins won the Small Playmaker Award as he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in addition to eight receptions for 82 yards.
Varmah Sonie also won the Cutters Catch of the Week for his interception on a deep pass in the second quarter. This play helped turn the game and negate an early stop from the KISS. It was Sonie’s league-leading sixth interception and was truly a miraculous over-the-shoulder catch.
The Predators are back in action Saturday at Amway Center against the Cleveland Gladiators.
