Red Sox Win World Series, Capture back-to-back championships for Florida Grapefruit League Spring Training teams
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Sports Foundation congratulates the Boston Red Sox on winning the 2018 World Series Championship.
The Red Sox were one of 15 teams that began their season in the Sunshine State in February when teams reported for Florida Spring Training.
Since arriving in Fort Myers/Lee County as its Spring Training home, the Red Sox have won four of their nine World Series Championships in the last 15 years (2004, 2007, 2013, 2018). The Red Sox have made their Florida Spring Training home in Fort Myers since 1993, having also spent time in Sarasota (1946-58) and Winter Haven (1966-92).
“We extend enthusiastic congratulations to the Boston Red Sox, and their fans, who spend the months of February and March enjoying the atmosphere of Spring Training Baseball in Fort Myers every year,” said Jesse Biter, Florida Sports Foundation Board of Directors Chairman. “We look forward to seeing them again in February 2019 at Jet Blue Park for another successful season.”
After posting a Spring Training-best 22 wins, and an MLB-best 108 regular season wins, the Red Sox were one of four teams advancing to the 2018 MLB postseason, after beginning their seasons in Florida. The other three teams included the Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, and New York Yankees. The Red Sox scored postseason series wins against the Yankees and Astros en route to their 2018 World Series win, downing the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games to capture the Commissioner’s Trophy.
During the 2018 Florida Spring Training season, an economic impact survey by Downs & St. Germain showed a $687.1 million impact to the State of Florida during the 15 teams’ trek to the Sunshine State. Fans of all 15 teams were surveyed at each of the 13 facilities statewide.
The Red Sox led the Florida Grapefruit League in total attendance during the 2018 spring training season attracting 165,688 fans to 17 games at Jet Blue Park, for an average of 9,746 fans per game.
Boston is scheduled to open its 2019 Florida Spring Training schedule on February 22, 2019, at Jet Blue Park, against the Northeastern University Huskies. The Red Sox face their first MLB team on February 23 when they meet the New York Yankees at Jet Blue Park.
With Sunday’s World Series win by the Red Sox, the Commissioner’s Trophy has now been won by Florida Grapefruit League-based teams in back-to-back seasons, as the Astros were crowned the 2017s World Series Champions.
The annual Governor’s Baseball Dinner will kick off the 2019 Florida Grapefruit League Spring Training season in mid-February at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach.
For more information on teams and schedules for the 2019 Florida Spring Training season, visit www.floridagrapefruitleague.com or www.flasports.com.
About the Florida Sports Foundation
Florida’s Sports Industry creates over $57.4 billion in economic impact for the Sunshine State, provides over 580,000 jobs for its citizens, and attracts over 16 million out of state visitors each year. All of which deservingly make Florida the “Sports Capital of the World”. The Florida Sports Foundation, Inc. is a 501(C)3 non-profit corporation, serving as the Sports Industry Development Division of Enterprise Florida, Inc. The mission of the Florida Sports Foundation is to:
- Assist Florida’s communities with securing, hosting and retaining Sporting events and sports related business that generate significant economic impact and Sports Tourism for the state of Florida through the Foundation’s grant programs, legislative initiatives and Industry Partner service, recognition and development.
- Provide the citizens of Florida with participation opportunities in the Sunshine State Games and Florida Senior Games events.
- Serve as Florida’s leading resource for Sport Tourism research and facts.
- Assist in the promotion of targeted leisure sports industries in Florida.
- Assist National and Florida State Governing Bodies to promote amateur sport development through the Sunshine State Games and hosting events in Florida.