Florida’s Sports Industry on Display at Capitol Courtyard
The State of Florida’s $57 billion sports industry was on display at Florida Sports Day at the Capitol Courtyard, Thursday, April 20 as many of the sports entities that make Florida the top sports tourism destination in the country, hosting over 3,000 events per year, were on hand to celebrate the occasions.
Talking sports in the Capitol Courtyard on April 20 were representatives from Florida’s 10 Professional Teams, Nine Florida College Football Bowl Games, 27 Florida Sports Commissions, the state’s Olympic-style sports festivals, the Sunshine State Games and Florida Senior Games, the Florida Grapefruit League (Major League Baseball Spring Training), Auto Racing (Daytona International Speedway and the Homestead-Miami Speedway), Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida, Florida Sports Hall of Fame, Florida Fishing and Boating Industry (International Game Fish Association, Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission), Paddle Florida, Bike Florida, Florida Tennis, USA Volleyball and more.
Mascots from Florida’s professional teams provided their own brand of entertainment and frivolity and participants snapped plenty of photos with the likes of the NFL’s Jaxson DeVille (Jacksonville Jaguars), Captain Fear (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and T.D. (Miami Dolphins), the NBA’s, STUFF (Orlando Magic) and Burnie (Miami Heat), from the NHL Stanley C. Panther (Florida Panthers) and ThunderBug (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Billy the Marlin (Miami Marlins), Raymond (Tampa Bay Rays) and Kingston (Orlando City Soccer).
Florida Sports Day recognized the FSF’s amateur sports Athletes of the Year during a 12:30 p.m. program. The 2016 Sunshine State Games Athletes of the Year Trevor McGovern, a 14-year old swimmer from Gainesville and Brianna Whitman, a 22-year old synchronized swimmer for the Lakeland YMCA Flamingos received their awards, along with the 2016 Florida Senior Games Athletes of the Year, Kathy Petrillo a 55-year old cyclist from Jupiter and John Horwath, a 94-year old archer from The Villages.
Also adding to the scenery at the Capitol Courtyard will be two NASCAR Racing Cars courtesy of the Daytona International Speedway and Homestead Miami Speedway an interactive fishing boat from the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida and the Capital One Bowl RV.
For the full gallery of photos visit https://flasports.smugmug.com/Florida-Sports-Day-at-The-Capitol/
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