"Their background of who they are in Brazil and what they have done working with topflight clubs in some of the most competitive soccer markets in the world was a draw for us."



- Jarrod Dillon, President of Business Operations Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride

Around The Horn.

• Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride have a new sponsor for their 25,500-seat stadium located in Downtown Orlando. Inter&Co Inc. is a Brazilian finance and digital commerce company that will take over the naming rights of the home pitch, which was previously named Exploria Stadium since the 2019 season. The new Inter&Co Stadium name is under contract for the next 10 years, and as part of the deal the company will help the club invest in stadium renovations like a new video board, new LED lights, over 200 new TVs, and a new premium seating area.
• Although they suffered a close loss yesterday to the Atlanta Hawks, the Orlando Magic are finally getting a healthy roster again and handled business on Monday night against the Knicks in New York. The Magic (22-19) are preparing for a playoff race in the second half of the season as they currently sit in the eighth seed but are only three games outside of fourth place.
• Orlando City's high scoring forward Facundo Torres has agreed to a three-year contract with the club and is guaranteed through 2026 with team options in '27 and '28. Torres said that he plans to change his jersey number this upcoming season from No. 17 to No. 10, joining former captains Mauricio Pereyra and Kaká.
• The Orlando Magic announced they will retire Shaquille O'Neal's #32 jersey this year in celebration of their 35th anniversary as a franchise. O'Neal will become the first player in franchise history to have his jersey retired, and the ceremony will take place on Feb. 13 following the Magic's home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After being selected with the first overall pick by Orlando, O'Neal was named an NBA All-Star four times (1992-96), named to the All-NBA Second Team once ('94-95), and All-NBA Third Team twice ('93-94, '95-96). He also won the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 1992-93 and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
• The Orlando Solar Bears are hosting Pink Whitney night at their upcoming home matchup against the Atlanta Gladiators at AdventHealth Rink in the Kia Center. The Solar Bears will be celebrating by wearing special Pink Whitney-themed jerseys which will be auctioned off online following the game. The date is set for Jan. 23 and puck-drop is scheduled for 7pm. Purchase your tickets for the game here.
• UCF Men's basketball rallied from a 15-point deficit to upset Texas last night 77-71 and earn their second Big-12 victory this year. The Knights trailed 59-46 with just 12 minutes remaining, but quickly turned it around and finished the game on a 24-9 run. This marks UCF's second upset win in their previous three games, and they will look to continue this streak as they face No. 5 Houston on Saturday.
• The Orlando Valkyries are hosting a "Select your Seat" open-house event to kick off the start of their inaugural season. The event will take place on Jan. 20 from 11am-3pm at the UCF Addition Financial Arena. Fans will be able to meet the team, watch an open practice, get a first-hand look at the new volleyball floor, and of course choose their season or game-day seats to kick off the new season.
• Basketball phenom Mikey Williams recently announced his commitment to play for the UCF Knights men's basketball team. Originally committed to Memphis, Williams never played a game for the Tigers after dealing with some personal issues throughout the year. Williams is currently ranked 34th on the ESPN Top-100 list and stated he looks forward to being a part of the home environment he feels on campus.
• UCF football gained a likely candidate for starting quarterback this upcoming season as former Arkansas QB K.J. Jefferson announced he will be transferring and playing for the Knights. Jefferson is a dual-threat player who is coming off a good season after throwing for 2,107 yards and rushing for an additional 447 yards.
• The first round of the NFL playoffs has come to a close with a few blowout games and some unlikely victors. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off the upset against the Philadelphia Eagles, while the Miami Dolphins could not quite get it done in Kansas City.

Be a part of the magic of Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by CORKCICLE.^®! As a volunteer, you’d be supporting the runDisney® athletes and the presence of Starlight™ Children’s Foundation at Walt Disney World® Resort.

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In The News.

• Fox 35 news anchor John Brown has co-authored a book along with popular author Joshua Ginsberg titled "Secret Orlando: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure." The book goes in-depth about attractions and points of interest that are off-the-beaten-path and much lesser known in the Greater Orlando area. For more information or to purchase your own copy, click here.
• Just over one month after SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. made its initial splash in the hotel game with plans for a 504-room hotel on one of its SeaWorld Orlando properties, the theme park operator has doubled down with plans for a second big move in the lodging space — this time at Discovery Cove.
• The City of Orlando is considering the purchase of a new office building located on Parramore Avenue. The city will announce their decision on Jan. 22 as to whether or not they will go through with the $1.85 million purchase, and the space would be used to house their municipal public works department. If the purchase is approved, the city would close on the office deal in the span of two months, and the space would be able to accommodate 25-30 employees.
• A recently released arts impact report shows the strong influence the local cultural sector has on the Central Florida economy. The report indicates the cultural sector supports nearly 5,000 jobs, and an estimated 2,795,352 in-person cultural experiences took place in the previous fiscal year, with 41.5% of attendees being outside of the Orange County area.
• A “Shark Tank”-style event is headed to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, February 1 from 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m. The Storytelling Showcase is an annual event that’s hosted by the Victory Cup Initiative, a Winter Park-based organization led by Ashley Vann that promotes the work of nonprofits in Central Florida.
• Diamond Sports, who own 18 networks under the Bally Sports banner, are looking to partner with Amazon as part of a restructuring agreement. Bally channels have access to a numerous amount of Florida sports teams including the Orlando Magic, and they have broadcasting rights for over 35 professional teams nationwide. The minority investment from Amazon, stated to be around $115 million, will allow access to Bally Sports content via Prime Video.

Stay Engaged.

• Track Shack is hosting a 5k run through Winter Park's famed Park Avenue this weekend on Jan. 20. The race will begin at 7:30am and will be followed by a free AdventHealth for Children Kids' Run. After the completion of the 5k, food and beverage will be available by local favorites Black Bean Deli, Pig Floyd's, Lazy Moon, and more. Registration for the race costs $44 in advance or $49 on race day, you can purchase your tickets by clicking here.
• Keep Orlando Beautiful’s annual fundraiser and fashion show, Trash 2 Trends, is set to return on Wednesday, April 17, at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The event features a runway of unique, up-cycled designs made from recycled and discarded materials, created by local artists and makers.
• The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando will once again host its annual pet festival and parade Paws in the Park event in Lake Eola Park on Saturday, February 10 from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Celebrating their 30th anniversary, visitors can enjoy their signature pet costume contest featuring "celebrity" judges and cash prizes.
• Florida kids aged 5 and younger can visit Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for all of 2024 for free through the attraction’s Junior Space Explorer Pass. The attraction also features Space Shuttle Atlantis, astronaut training simulators, bus tours, outer space relics, Rocket Garden, IMAX films, Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex attraction and more.
• Legoland Florida has released more details about their upcoming Ferrari-themed attraction which they announced in November of last year. The official name for the new feature is the Lego Ferrari Build & Race, and it will feature a life-size Lego version of the new Ferrari 296 GTS Hybrid. Visitors of the park will be able to sit inside of the Lego-brick vehicle, and the attraction will also have a build zone, a test zone with obstacles, and a virtual race zone for digital testing.
• Sterling Elliot, a popular cello player and recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, made his return to the Orlando Philharmonic this past weekend in what was described as an "otherworldly experience." Elliot will also be playing in the upcoming performance on Jan. 20 titled 'Prohibition' which is a salute to the music and culture from the Roaring 20's. The concerts will take place at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center and will feature a 3pm and 7pm showing. You can purchase your tickets ahead of time by clicking here.
• SeaWorld Orlando is again offering their Fun Card pass for unlimited entry into their park until December 31, 2024, for $134.99. SeaWorld also has additional options that include entry into the Aquatica waterpark, and a silver or gold pass that comes with free parking, two free guest tickets, and no blackout dates.
• 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 President & CEO Jason Siegel met with Inter&Co CEO João Vitor Menin after the naming rights announcement of the new Inter&Co Stadium name for Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel stopped by popular radio station 96.9 for an interview about the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon being hosted in Orlando, pictured with Jon Hughes (Track Shack), Mike Tuck (96.9 The Game), and April Ernst (Orlando Health).

Jarrod Dillon (Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride) and João Vitor Menin (Inter&CO) spoke at the press conference for the unveiling of the new stadium naming rights.

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel attended Orlando Economic Partnership's Annual Dinner this weekend, pictured with Knightro, Commissioner Bob Dallari, and Crystal Sircy (Orlando Economic Partnership).

GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel caught up with U.S. Men's National Team Head Coach Gregg Berhalter during the team's spring training camp in Orlando.

GO Sports hosted board members and corporate partners at the UCF-Kansas game last week to cheer on the Knights in their first Big XII Conference victory!

Corporate Partner Spotlight.

For more information, visit MasseyServices.com.

Thank you for supporting sports tourism in Greater Orlando!

Fun & Games.

• What’s New for Florida Cruises in 2024
• New Kennedy Space Center "Under the Stars" After-Hours Event
• Disney Theme Park Wintertime 2-day Ticket Deal for Florida Residents