Pictured above: Grace Burr, Jo Wallen, Doris Burke, Evie & Layla Sahaydak, Pennie Parker and Angela Suggs



GO Sports hosted the 2024 Celebrating Women in Sports Luncheon presented by Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute yesterday at Addition Financial Arena! Congratulations to award winners Grace Burr (USTA), Pennie Parker (Rollins College), Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak (UCF), Angela Suggs (FSF/FAMU) and Jo Wallen (USTA) on being recognized for their tremendous achievements in sports business. Thank you to our corporate partners and event sponsors for their support of this year's SOLD OUT event.

And don't forget, the silent auction is live until tomorrow night at 9:00pm EST.

Around The Horn.

• UCF Football will face Deion Sanders and Colorado this Saturday, September 28 at FBC Mortgage Stadium at 3:30pm. The FOX Big Noon Kickoff Pregame Show announced earlier this week they will be traveling to Orlando for the game and will be broadcasting right from the UCF campus. Rob Stone hosts the two-hour pregame show, and musical guest DJ Khaled will perform live at 10:00am EST on FOX.
• The Orlando Pride continued their dominance with a 1-0 road win over Bay FC last weekend, guaranteeing them a finish in the top four of the league standings and hosting at least a quarterfinal matchup in the 2024 NWSL Playoffs. The Pride (15-0-6) extended their unbeaten streak to a league-record 22 games dating back to last season, and now face Houston at Inter&Co Stadium this Saturday at 7:30pm.
• Orlando City SC fell just short against rival Columbus Crew last Saturday night in a riveting match that ended 4-3. The Lions (12-11-7, 43 points) currently sit in fifth place in the MLS Eastern Conference, and will need to finish in the top seven seeds to guarantee a spot in the playoffs. Orlando City now travels to face FC Dallas this Saturday at 8:30pm.
• The Orlando Magic announced the team will honor co-founder Pat Williams with a special patch on their uniforms this season. All of Orlando's jerseys will feature a black stripe along the top of the left side with the initials "PW" in white. The Magic are entering their 36th season with expectations of returning to the playoffs for a second straight year.
• Tickets are officially on sale for the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard! Whether you're a long-time fan or experiencing the magic for the first time, this is your chance to be part of one of golf’s most iconic events. From single-day tickets to VIP experiences, there’s something for everyone at Orlando's signature golf event.
• The Orlando Solar Bears have announced that single-game tickets for the 2024-25 season are on sale now! The Solar Bears will play 36 home games during the 2024-25 season presented by Janney Roofing at the AdventHealth Rink at Kia Center, beginning with the club's home opener against the Savannah Ghost Pirates on Saturday, October 26 at 7:00pm.
• The Osceola Magic, NBA G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic, have announced the team schedule for the 2024-25 regular season, and single-game tickets are now on sale! The Magic will kick off their season Friday, November 8 at Osceola Heritage Park when they host the Austin Spurs at 7:00pm.
• The Pro Volleyball Federation announced it will play a 28-game slate for the 2025 campaign, an increase of four games from last season. The league is also adding another team to the mix to give the league eight teams overall. The Orlando Valkyries and the rest of the teams will now play 14 home games and 14 away games, seeing league opponents a total of four times each.

Support sports tourism in Central Florida and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission by bidding on more than 50+ items including: Autographed Sports Items, Exclusive Sports Experiences, Hotel Stays, Concerts, Restaurant Packages, Entertainment, Travel, Fishing Charters, Health & Wellness Items and more!

Auction ends on Friday, September 27 at 9:00pm EST

 Fox‘s Big Noon Kickoff Pregame Show will broadcast live from UCF's campus this Saturday as the Knights take on Deion Sanders and Colorado at FBC Mortgage Stadium at 3:30pm EST. Musical guest DJ Khaled will perform live on campus at 10:00am EST before the pregame show begins.

In The News.

• The City of Orlando’s Downtown Recreation Center with expanded services for young Parramore residents is now open following the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and District 5 City Commissioner Shan Rose earlier this week. The space will offer enrichment programs including tutoring, mental health support, financial literacy, career guidance and culinary classes, along with two game rooms, a movie room and a computer lab.
• The University of Central Florida hit a key construction milestone for its Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion earlier this week, bringing in representatives from AdventHealth, Orlando Health, Nemours Children's Health and more to sign a beam that will be put in the $68 million, 90,000-square-foot building. Construction is more than 40% complete on the facility, which the college expects to occupy late next summer ahead of the 2025-26 academic year.
• Orange County has earmarked a record amount from its Affordable Housing Trust Fund to create 573 units. The county commission approved an award of $20.85 million for five projects in the county. Roughly $19 million came from the trust fund, while $1.85 million came from the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program. The county's plan for the trust fund — which was established in 2020 — projects a "minimum of 6,500 certified affordable units will be produced or preserved in Orange County by 2030."
• Osceola County is putting much of the land at Osceola Heritage Park up for sale or lease. County officials issued a request for letters of interest for most of the 251-acre complex, which include Silver Spurs Arena, Osceola County Stadium, an events center and the practice facilities for Orlando City SC. The county would ultimately decide how much property it would lease or sell to a development team.
• AIC Hotel Group of Miami has big plans for a 50-acre stretch of land near Walt Disney World, according to filings with Orange County. The company’s development plan review application shows the mixed-use complex aims for five 25-story towers enveloping a total of 2.3 million square feet of space. The new AIC project will aim to offer so much that guests are more likely to plant themselves on site than go out looking for other ways to spend.
• RosenCare, the health organization founded by Rosen Hotels and Resorts founder Harris Rosen and PeopleOne Health, has announced they are opening four health centers in Orange County. The two organizations have partnered with Orange County Public Schools to provide primary care, pharmacy, mental health services and more to the school system's 24,000 employees and their families.

Visit Orlando's Magical Dining presented by Orlando Health is back and better than ever! Don't miss your chance to enjoy three course, prix-fixe dinners at a record-breaking 150+ top Orlando restaurants for just $40 or $60 per person, plus tax and gratuity. The lineup includes nine MICHELIN Guide honorees, as well as 24 venues participating for the first time.

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.

• The virtual queue era is over for Tron Lightcycle/Run, the indoor/outdoor roller coaster located at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom theme park. The sign-up system, accessed by the My Disney Experience app, had been in place for the ride since its debut in April 2023. Walt Disney World visitors now choose between the standby line or paying for faster access with Lightning Lane passes.
• Universal Orlando announced the new Harry Potter land at Epic Universe theme park will feature a Ministry of Magic-based ride, a full-scale theater experience and characters roaming the streets of 1920s Place Cachee. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic is the fifth Epic land to be detailed by Universal. It will have Parisian settings based on the “Fantastic Beasts” films and British elements from the “Potter” franchise created by author J.K. Rowling.
• An orphaned Pacific walrus found on the beaches of northern Alaska is now living at SeaWorld Orlando, the theme park announced Wednesday. The calf, estimated to be a few weeks old, was discovered by residents of Utqiagvik, Alaska, after a walrus herd had left the area. After rehabilitative care, she was determined to be non-releasable by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and she arrived at SeaWorld weighing about 220 pounds.
• The Orlando Home and Garden Show returns for its fall edition this weekend with 160,000 square feet of vendors, seminars, family-friendly activities and home improvement ideas at the Orange County Convention Center. At the free-admission show, visitors are invited to bring their home-related questions, photos and ideas to a variety of experts for consultations, estimates and comparisons, all under one roof.
• Join the City of Orlando's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month at the Hispanic Heritage Art Exhibit running from September 17 - November 3 at City Hall's Terrace Gallery. The exhibit, titled Pioneers of Change: Shaping The Future Together, features a variety of art pieces by local visual artists that showcase the richness of Latin American history, culture and heritage through visual arts. A Community Celebration Event with Latin food, music and live entertainment will be held on October 3, 2024.
• Country Thunder Florida returns to Osceola Heritage Park on October 18-20 this year featuring electrifying performances from Luke Combs, Bailey Zimmerman, Jon Pardi, and more. There are many different ticket options to choose from, ranging from single-day admission to camping over the weekend. View details about pricing and different ticket options here.
• 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 was recognized by Sports Business Journal as one of 50 Game Changers at an event in New York City, pictured with Katie Stocz Miller (Orlando Magic) and the rest of the honorees.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel and staff members on stage at the Celebrating Women in Sports Luncheon yesterday, pictured with Chairman Sharon Line Clary (AdventHealth) and NBA Lead Analyst and featured speaker Doris Burke.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel and his wife Sarah Grafton attended the Celebrating Women in Sports Luncheon yesterday, pictured with NBA Lead Analyst and featured speaker Doris Burke.

GO Sports Intern Kristen Scott pictured with volunteers from the UCF DeVos Sport Management program at the Celebrating Women in Sports Luncheon yesterday.

GO Sports Senior VP Brent Nelson and Associate VP Lindsey McBride attended the Teams Conference in Anaheim this week, pictured with Mike Waterman (Visit Anaheim).

NBA Lead Analyst and Celebrating Women in Sports featured speaker Doris Burke pictured with student-athletes from UCF women's basketball team.

Corporate Partner Spotlight.

GO Sports is proud to welcome our newest corporate partner, Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Lake Buena Vista! For more information, click the logo above.

Thank you for supporting sports tourism in Greater Orlando!

Fun & Games.

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