“I saw them coming back to me and I put it in another gear. I was able to use it because I trained for it, and I was prepared for it.  The last mile I was able to pass the two runners and to make the team. The crowds [in Orlando] gave me the motivation to keep running. The cheering was a huge part for me the last mile.  The reason I was able to finish like that was because of the cheering of the spectators.”

-Leonard Korir

U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon Bronze Medalist

Around The Horn.

• GO Sports CFO Gary Cohen sat down with U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon bronze medalist Leonard Korir and interviewed him about his experience racing through the heart of downtown Orlando! Leonard highlighted his training, the support of the spectators, and many other factors that pushed him to qualify for a trip to Paris. Read the full interview here.
• The family of Orlando Magic co-founder Pat Williams will be celebrating his life tomorrow at the First Baptist Orlando at 3:00pm. The church seats 4,000 people and the service will be open to the public, the family said. A livestream link will also be made available.
• Orlando City SC continues its unbeaten streak after a hard-fought home draw against New York City FC last Saturday night. The Lions (9-9-7) will look to continue their strong play and push for the postseason when they host Montreal FC for a Leagues Cup match tomorrow at Inter&Co Stadium at 8:00pm.
• The Orlando Pride fell just short in their opening game of the Femenil Summer Cup last Saturday after losing 5-4 in penalties against the North Carolina Courage. The Pride will look to bounce back and secure the win in their second Summer Cup match against C.F. Monterrey this Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium at 7:00pm.
• Orlando's summer of soccer continues as three-time reigning Premier League champions Manchester City FC will face Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona for an FC Series match at Camping World Stadium on Tuesday, July 30. Don't miss out on this epic match between these two storied clubs, purchase your tickets today!
• The University of Central Florida football practice fields will be renamed the Wayne Densch Practice Complex in honor of a $2.5 million pledge the program received from the Wayne Densch Charitable Trust. The commitment will cover renovating the Wayne Densch Sports Center, providing a new locker room and constructing a new VIP parking lot and pedestrian promenade.
• The Florida High School Athletic Association's new rule allowing athletes to profit from their Name, Image and Likeness was ratified yesterday by the State Board of Education. This is a huge amendment to FHSAA bylaw 9.9, which has been in effect for decades and required high school athletes to retain amateur status. NIL opportunities, with some restrictions, are now permitted heading into the 2024-25 school year.
• The Orlando Solar Bears, in conjunction with the ECHL, have announced its home opening game of the 2024-25 season against the Savannah Ghost Pirates, ECHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers, on Saturday, October 26 at 7:00pm at the AdventHealth Rink in the Kia Center.

If you haven't purchased your table for 2024, reach out to Michael or Chase on our team today and join us to celebrate this year's class of award winners (announced at a later date) and hear from our 2024 featured speaker, Hall of Fame broadcaster and lead NBA Analyst for ESPN and ABC, Doris Burke. For more information, visit https://greaterorlandosports.com/celebrating-women-in-sports/

Michael Kalinich - michael@greaterorlandosports.com

Chase DeMayo - cdemayo@greaterorlandosports.com

In The News.

• AdventHealth Orlando has been ranked No. 1 in the Orlando metro area among U.S. News & World Report's 2024-25 edition of Best Hospitals. This is the 14th consecutive year the hospital has topped the rankings in greater Orlando. The hospital was also ranked Top 50 in the nation in four clinical specialties. U.S. News evaluated nearly 5,000 hospitals across 15 specialties and 20 procedures and conditions.
• Valencia College is set to receive a $500,000 grant from the Lowe's Foundation to start up a new accelerated plumbing program. The Orlando-based state college is one of eight to receive funds on behalf of the foundation, and the grants are part of a five-year, $50 million commitment to support the training of 50,000 people for skilled trades careers in the US.
• Lynx, the Orlando-based Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, received $27.6 million from the U.S. Federal Transit Administration's Low or No Emission Grant program. With these funds, the bus and paratransit service provider will add 30 compressed natural gas buses to its fleet.
• Lake Nona Town Center's popular Boxi Park concept is in line to receive some upgrades as Tavistock Development Co. is seeking a new use permit from the City of Orlando to expand on the property. Among the group of upgrades would be four new beach volleyball courts, an enhanced dog park, upgraded restrooms, and new cabanas to offer more shaded space.
• Are you interested in hosting an event in downtown Orlando? DTO is now accepting applications for the Special Event Grants Program, used to support a wide range of arts and cultural events to bring diverse entertainment to the downtown area! Applications for events taking place November 2024 - April 2025 are open until August 1, 2024, at 11:59 pm EST.
• Full Sail University was named one of the "30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada in 2024" by Moviemaker Magazine. The annual list recognizes schools that prepare students for every aspect of moviemaking. As one of only 30 institutions selected, Full Sail appears alongside notable film schools including University of Southern California, New York University, Vancouver Film School, and Columbia University to name a few.
• Avelo Airlines Inc. has added eight new flights originating out of two Central Florida airports. The airline announced earlier this week a new nonstop service from Daytona Beach International Airport and seven new, nonstop flights from Lakeland Linder International Airport.

A stellar mix of athletes, coaches and support team members has been tapped for induction into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 class. The eight-member class represents six different sports and includes a seven-time NBA All-Star, a Super Bowl winner, women’s World Cup champion, a 14-time NCAA Track & Field Championship Coach, a World Golf Hall of Fame member, a four-time national champion cheerleading coach and the first-ever athletic trainer. The eight will be inducted in a star-studded ceremony to be held at the Kia Center in Orlando on October 16.

Stay Engaged.

• Universal Orlando is introducing a new ticket offer that allows repeated entry to Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios theme parks for $199 through December 18. The ticket offer, exclusively for Florida residents, will allow buyers to move between the two parks freely, and is dubbed the Florida Unlimited Days Ticket. The new ticket is available online now, but is not sold at the entrance to the parks.
• The new version of Walt Disney World's Country Bear Jamboree debuts this weekend and features new songs and costumes while maintaining the spirit of the original attraction, which first opened back in 1971. The show, found in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, boasts the new name "Country Bear Musical Jamboree" and features a new voice talent, singer Emily Ann Roberts from TV's The Voice.
• SeaWorld Orlando's Bands, Brew, and BBQ event continues on Saturdays and Sundays at the Nautilus Theater at 6:00pm through August 25. There are 17 food and beverage stops throughout the park, the artists are a mix of big names, local bands, and cover bands, and the concerts are included with regular SeaWorld admission.
• The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens celebrates African-American history and culture with an after-hour 'Sunset at the Zoo' event tomorrow from 5:00-8:00pm. Guests can enjoy food vendors, live entertainment, activities and more. Tickets are $6 each when purchased in advance or $8 at the gate.
• The Orlando Fire Museum has its grand reopening to the public this Saturday, July 27 from noon-4:00pm. The museum, which sits next to the Orlando Science Center, has nearly 140 years worth of Orlando's fire department history. The event is free and open to all members of the public.
• Head to the Milk District for the Bikes, Bars, and Bites Crawl tomorrow from 6:00-10:00pm starting from District Dive. Themed as an “Olympics kick-off,” the event includes free “swag,” a costume contest and free drinks at several stops included with each ticket.
• Florida residents can save up to $65 on select multi-day tickets at Universal Orlando theme parks when buying online. Click here for current offers.
• Florida residents can save big while visiting Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. Click here to view the current list of special offers.

In The Community.

GO Sports Executive VP Jennifer Lastik joined an Orlando delegation and met with British Airways in London earlier this week, pictured with Mayor Jerry Demings (Orange County), Roseann Harrington (Orange County), Kevin Thibault (GOAA), Dr. Alexander Cartwright (UCF), Mike Kilbride (UCF) and John McReynolds (Universal Orlando).

GO Sports Senior VP Brent Nelson and Director Jordan Lyda attended the USYS National Championships Opening Ceremony at ESPN Wide World of Sports earlier this week, pictured with Jorge Senior (Disney/ESPN Wide World of Sports) and Adam Ball (Disney/ESPN Wide World of Sports).

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel and Executive VP Jennifer Lastik attended the 2024 USA Basketball Showcase London earlier this week, pictured with Mayor Jerry Demings (Orange County) and his wife Val Demings, Roseann Harrington (Orange County), Kevin Thibault (GOAA), Dr. Alexander Cartwright (UCF) and his wife Melinda Cartwright, Mike Kilbride (UCF), and Andrew Bacchus.

GO Sports Associate VP Kyle Sturley and Intern Pierce O'Lenick attended the Florida Citrus Sports High School Football Media Day for Orange and Osceola counties earlier today at Camping World Stadium.

GO Sports Executive VP Jennifer Lastik took a tour of Virgin Atlantic in London earlier this week, pictured with Mayor Jerry Demings (Orange County), Roseann Harrington (Orange County), Kevin Thibault (GOAA), Dr. Alexander Cartwright (UCF), Mike Kilbride (UCF), Vicki Jaramillo (GOAA) and John McReynolds (Universal Orlando).

GO Sports Senior VP Michael Kalinich attended the UCF Coach Malzahn Luncheon presented by Coca-Cola last week, pictured with UCF Football head coach Gus Malzahn.

GO Sports Executive VP Jennifer Lastik pictured at the UK foreign office in London with Mayor Jerry Demings (Orange County), Roseann Harrington (Orange County), Dr. Alexander Cartwright (UCF) and his wife Melinda Cartwright.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel and Executive VP Jennifer Lastik pictured with Mayor Jerry Demings (Orange County) and his wife Val Demings, Roseann Harrington (Orange County), and John McReynolds (Universal Orlando) met with the UK Department of Business & Trade in London earlier this week.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel and Executive VP Jennifer Lastik met with Will Brass and Aidan Mullally from The Premier League, pictured with Mayor Jerry Demings (Orange County) and his wife Val Demings, Roseann Harrington (Orange County), Dr. Alexander Cartwright (UCF) and his wife Melinda Cartwright, and Mike Kilbride (UCF).

GO Sports Associate VP Lindsey McBride attended ICAST at the Orange County Convention Center, pictured with Kim Edwards (Major League Fishing).

Corporate Partner Spotlight.

GO Sports is proud to welcome our newest corporate partners, SeaWorld Orlando and Kimley-Horn! For more information, click the logos above.

Thank you for supporting sports tourism in Greater Orlando!

Fun & Games.

• What's Happening: Orange County Things To Do
• What's Happening: Lake County Things To Do
• What's Happening: Osceola County Things To Do
• What's Happening: Seminole County Things To Do