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Volume 2, Issue 6 - August 2006 |
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In the News |
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 Touchdown for Tampa! College Football Media Days in Tampa for the First Time
On July 29 and 30, The Tampa Bay Sports Commission partnered with Sun Sports & FSN Florida to host the 2006 Florida Sports Writers Association (FSWA) College Football Media Days at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina. With the football season quickly approaching, this two-day event provided the state's sports reporters exclusive access to the state's twelve college football head coaches.
Day one featured the University of Miami's Larry Coker and the University of Florida's Urban Meyer, while day two showcased the University of South Florida's Jim Leavitt and Florida State University's Bobby Bowden, among others. Highlights from the 2006 FSWA Media Days can be seen on Sun Sports & FSN Florida throughout the month of August.
In its 15 year history, this marks the first time the FSWA College Football Media Days has been held in Tampa. Feedback from Sun Sports, the Florida Sports Writers Association and many of the coaches indicate this event could become a staple in Tampa for years to come. University of South Florida's Head Coach Jim Leavitt commented, "I think the Tampa Marriott Waterside and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission did an outstanding job hosting the 2006 College Football Media Days. The hotel is outstanding and convenient from the airport for the coaches and media from out of town. I can't see why media and coaches wouldn't enjoy being right on the water and within Tampa's wonderful downtown area."
"It's not every weekend that a community has the opportunity to play host to each of the twelve state universities head football coaches," said Rob Higgins, Executive Director of the Tampa Sports Commission. "Combine this fact with getting a chance to showcase your destination to countless sports media from around the state, and you can see why the FSWA College Football Media Days is such a truly special event."
The National Softball Association Finds New Home in Tampa
The Tampa Bay Sports Commission strengthened its relationship with the National Softball Association (NSA) during the past month by hosting two major State Championships. Both the Youth "B" State Championship and the Adult States drew over 50 teams for each of their respective tournaments.
The Youth B State Championship took place June 30-July 2 at the Ed Radice Sports Complex, New Tampa Community Park and Greco Softball Complex. Nearly 90 percent of the teams competing in this year's State Championship came from outside the Tampa Bay area, accounting for more than 1,400 hotel visitor room nights.
"The overall transition to Tampa for our Florida NSA Youth 2006 State B tournament was a virtual success," said Joan Simpson, Florida NSA Youth State Director. "Tampa, being a new area for NSA was a challenge and a good move for all of us. With that said, Tampa will be in our future plans for other upcoming Florida NSA Youth tournaments."
The NSA Adult State Championship made its first visit to Tampa on the first weekend of August. The tournament featured three divisions of play at the Ed Radice and Greco Softball Complexes with half of the teams coming from outside the Tampa Bay area.
Tampa Bay Sports Commission Hosts 5th USSSA Event of the Year.
The Tampa Bay Sports Commission hosted the 2006 USSSA Girls Basketball National Championships on July 11-14, 2006 at multiple Hillsborough County high school and middle school gyms. The championship drew over 60 teams from across the country with participants ranging in age from nine to 16.
Along with this National Championship, the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and USSSA Basketball also partnered on an additional four tournaments in 2006, including the Boys and Girls Tournament of Champions, the Sunshine State NIT and the Extreme Hoops Classic.
"As we work to expand the youth basketball market here in Tampa, USSSA will continue to be a focal point. We strongly value the relationships we have built and look forward to partnering with USSSA for years to come on many more quality events," said Jason Aughey, Sports Sales and Events Manager.
National Junior Disability Championships Deemed a Success in Tampa
 For the second straight year, the Tampa Bay area played host to the National Junior Disability Championships (NJDC), July 22-29 at the Shriners Hospital for Children, Freedom High School and the New Tampa YMCA. Competition for this week long event featured 250 athletes from over 40 states ranging in age from seven to 21. During the championships, athletes showcased their talents in events such as, racing, boccia, table tennis, swimming, track and field, soccer, basketball and weightlifting.
"Tampa Bay did an excellent job with supporting the 2006 National Junior Disability Championships for the second year in a row with the number of volunteers, beautiful venues and business/donor support," said Arleen Sand, Meet Director of Shriners Hospital for Children Tampa.
Blake Guthrie Joins Sports Commission Staff
On June 12, 2006, Blake Guthrie joined the Tampa Bay Sports Commission team as the new sports sales and events coordinator. Blake will assist in the coordination of the commission's direct sales efforts in attracting as well as organizing amateur events of all sizes on behalf of the community. Before joining the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Blake served as the marketing and event presentation coordinator at the University of South Florida.
While at USF, Blake was responsible for game management and event production for home athletic events, including football, which averaged nearly 40,000 in attendance last season. Among several key university initiatives, Blake helped oversee the purchase, installation and implementation of four new state-of-the-art video boards for the Sun Dome. "We couldn't be more excited to have Blake join our team," said Rob Higgins, Executive Director. "He has all the tools necessary to help take this organization to a new level." Blake earned his bachelor's degree in Public Relations from the University of South Florida.
Upcoming Events
US National Dragon Boat Racing Championship
The Tampa Bay Sports Commission has partnered with the Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) to host the 2006 USDBF US National Dragon Boat Racing Championship at Garrison Channel, Aug. 25-27.
"Our organization is so excited to have the opportunity to host teams from across the US in our great City, to race on our beautiful waterfront," said Christine Boudreau Executive Director of Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races. "The competition is going to be fierce, the festivities fabulous and the experience unbeatable!"
Dragon Boat Racing first debuted in Tampa in 2004, and some of those same competitors along with many new participants from around the nation will compete in Tampa at the "Gateway to Sydney." At stake is a chance to be a part of Team USA at the 2007 IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championship in Sydney, Australia.
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The Tampa Bay Sports Commission is a private, non-profit, 501c3, charitable corporation that serves the entire Tampa Bay area as the lead organization for bidding on and hosting major amateur sporting events. Our mission is to attract, promote and/or organize major amateur sporting events, and grassroots youth sports programs, that foster the ongoing development and quality of life for the entire Tampa Bay area. |
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