Tampa Bay Sports

Hey there sports fans! It's is Josh&Weston delivering the play-by-play action and  keeping you all updated on what is going on in the sports world around the Tampa Bay area.  Here you will see the latest updates of what we are planning and even ways for you to get involved in the excitement!  Be sure to subscribe to my RSS feed (link to the top right) and be notified of my latest blog posts.

Feel free to provide feedback to the topics covered in this blog so that we can continue to make Tampa Bay the premier sports destination in the country!  Also check out our website www.TampaBaySports.org!

Until next time, have a great day and check back for more updates!

Hey Guys! Once again we have another awesome event coming here to the Tampa Bay area!

Red Bull Art of Motion will arrive in Ybor City this weekend bringing 20 professional athletes to Tampa Bay. Art of Motion is a free, outdoor running competition event, which will be held at Centro Ybor this Saturday, Sept. 11 from 3pm-7:30pm.

This is the first time this event will be held in the United States. Established as the first free running competition in the world in 2007, Red Bull Art of Motion will captivate the eye with an amazing blend of artistry from the disciplines of free running, parkour, martial arts and gymnastics.

Parkour is the physical discipline of training to overcome obstacles within one's path by adapting movements to their surroundings, while Free Running is a form of urban acrobatics where individuals utilize the city landscape to perform movements throughout the natural features and terrain.

Art of Motion is free and open to the public. To accommodate this event, 8th Avenue in Ybor City will be closed from 15th Street to 17th Street starting at 1:30pm and will be reopened at approximately 9pm. For more information, visit www.redbullusa.com/artofmotiontampa.

That's all for now, but be sure to stay tuned in for more updates on cool high flying Tampa Bay area events! Check out the video below to see just how cool this is gonna be!

Hello there sports folk! Jerm here with another Tampa Bay Sports and event update for ya! The 2009 NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament, held in Tampa last year, has been nominated by the readers of SportsTravel magazine as one of the World's best sporting events. Each year, SportsTravel presents awards for the World's best sporting events, which is based on votes by readers.

Criteria for nomination and voting include superior organization of and attendance at the event, a superior experience for the competitors and/or spectators at the event, and how the site or venue served to enhance the event.

Voting is open now through Sept. 13, 2010, and those who wish to vote can go to www.SportsTravelMagazine.com and click on the "SportsTravel Awards" button. It takes less than two minutes to cast your vote for Tampa Bay to have one of the world's best sporting events. The winners of the SportsTravel Awards will be presented at the TEAMS '10 Conference & Expo, Oct. 18-22, in Charlotte, N.C.

That's all for now, but be sure keep checking back for updates on past present and future sports related Tampa Bay area events, and don't forget to log on and cast your vote for Tampa Bay!

Hey all, Jerm here with some news on a great event happening this Labor Day Weekend! The Tampa Bay Sports Commission (TBSC) is proud to announce that two major soccer tournaments will be coming to Hillsborough County this September:

The 14th Annual Fusion FC Labor Day Tournament is Sept. 4-6, 2010. This tournament features competitive Boys and Girls teams in age groups U10-U19 from throughout the Southeast U.S. More than 125 youth soccer teams are expected to participate in this year's tournament. For more information on this event, please visit www.fusionfutbol.com/Tournaments.

The following weekend, U.S. Club Soccer's brings its Florida Cup State Championships to Hillsborough County for the first time. The 3rd Annual Florida Cup State Championships will take place at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex in Plant City. This tournament projects to draw approximately 90 teams in the U11-U14 age divisions from throughout the state of Florida. Visit http://floridacup.clubspaces.com for all tournament information.

For more information on the TBSC, please visit www.TampaBaySports.org, and stay tuned in for updates on Tampa Bay area events!

Hey sports fans, it's Lauren here with some upcoming events that are heating up this summer. Tampa will host multiple sports tournaments and competitions, and here are three that are coming up soon. From basketball to baseball to bodybuilding, Tampa continues to be a hot spot for Tampa Bay sports!

USSSA Best of the South Summer Showcase Attracts Top Basketball Players

College coaches will descend upon Tampa Bay to scout the top high school basketball players from the southeast at the second annual USSSA Best of the South Summer Showcase. This NCAA-certified tournament will be played at various gymnasiums throughout the Tampa Bay area July 13-15.

This marks the sixth event USSSA has hosted in Tampa in 2010. Last month, USSSA held its Boys State Championship, which drew 144 teams of athletes in grades three-eight. Other tournaments include the boys and girls Division I Elite Open, girls Division I Tournament of Champions and boys Division I and II Tournament of Champions.

Florida Travel Ball Global World Series

The Florida Travel Ball Global World Series is coming to Plant City’s Randy L. Larson Four-Plex this summer, bringing 50 baseball teams from throughout the southeast. The 9U age group will play from July 14-18 and 11U will compete from July 21-25.

Tampa previously held the Florida Travel Ball Memorial Day weekend tournament in which teams competed to advance to the Florida Travel Ball Global World Series. This qualifier attracted teams from Jacksonville, Gainesville, Ocala, Clermont, West Palm Beach and Wellington, among others.

IFBB Bodybuilding Weekly Championships and NPC Tim Gardner Extravaganza

About 200 male and female bodybuilders from over 30 different countries will bare their brawn at the IFBB Bodybuilding Weekly Championships and National Physique Committee Tim Gardner Extravaganza July 16-17 at the David A. Straz, Jr. Center of the Performing Arts’ Carol Morsani Hall. These professional and amateur athletes will be competing in various components of the sport, including bodybuilding, fitness, figure and bikini. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Warrick Dunn Foundation.

Hey guys, its jerm here with another Tampa Bay sports update for ya! The 19th annual Bay Area Youth Track and Field (BAYTAF) Classic will be held this weekend, May 28-30 in Tampa Bay. The annual event is one of the largest track events in the country and will welcome teams from across the Southeast United States, as well as the Bahamas, Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico.

The action will take place all weekend at Jefferson High School. The 19th BAYTAF Classic will welcome 5,000 attendees to Tampa Bay, along with 1,500 competitors. Last year's event generated nearly 1,600 room nights over Memorial Day weekend.

Founded in 1991 by Samuel "Nate" Johnson, Bay Area Youth Track and Field, Inc. was created out of a need to unify efforts in promoting the sport of youth track and field throughout the Tampa Bay area. For more information, log on to www.baytaf.org.

That's it for now, but stay tuned in for future updates on Tampa Bay area events!

Score at the Shore, one of the nation's most prestigious soccer showcases, will return to Tampa Bay in 2011. After considering 61 potential cities and counties, Score at the Shore awarded both the Boys and the Girls event to the Greater Tampa Bay and Pasco County area for the sixth consecutive year.

The Winter Invitational is scheduled to be played at various venues in both Pasco and Hillsborough Counties.

Since its creation in 1999, the annual Score at the Shore Winter Invitational continually attracts top teams and hundreds of college soccer coaches and scouts from across the country.

The Tampa Bay Sports Commission and Tampa Bay & Company have partnered with the Pasco County Sports Commission and Tourist Development Council to host the Winter Invitational over Presidents Day weekend in February 2011.

Tampa Bay hosted the 2010 Winter Invitational from February 13-15 and set a record with 288 teams competing in the U13 through U19 age groups. The tournament utilized of total of 42 hotel properties and generated approximately 7,000 hotel room nights.

For more information on the 2011 Score at the Shore Winter Invitational, visit www.TheScoreTournaments.com. To learn about existing partnership opportunities, contact Shannon Duke at 336-307-2053 or Shannon@TheScoreTournaments.com.

Let's not make this the only great soccer event to come to Tampa Bay! Be sure to show your support for Tampa Bay's FIFA World Cup Bid in 2018/2022 by signing the petition at www.GoUSABid.com.com/TampaBay

The annual Tampa Bay Sports Commission (TBSC) University Challenge Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, June 7 at Old Memorial Golf Club, 13600 National Golf Drive in Tampa.

Back by popular demand, attendees will enjoy the first-class course, delectable food, a customized Callaway shopping spree for every participant, an Under Armour product, and much more. Additionally, there will be a post-even raffle and silent auction.

Space is limited so those interested in participating should reserve their space soon. To register for the annual event, or to donate an item for the silent auction, contact Sales and Partnership Manager for the TBSC Blake Guthrie at BGuthrie@VisitTampaBay.com.

That's it for now, but stay tuned in for more sports related updates on Tampa Bay events!

Hi all, just wanted to drop a quick Tampa Bay Sports update on you about a great event coming up! From May 6-9, 2010, Tampa will play host to the 2010 Dixie Games, produced by the Dixie Athletic Association. As a way to significantly increase awareness and support for the local team, Paralympic Sport Tampa Bay, over 150 athletes with various physical impairments will display their talent for families, coaches, and officials from across the US.

Hosted by Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department with the Dixie Athletic Association, the 30th Anniversary Event will take place at the Mondo track at the University of South Florida in Tampa

Olympic-style competitions are held in track & field, swimming, archery, table tennis, fencing and weightlifting. Athletes with such disabilities as cerebral palsy, visual impairments, amputations/limp deficiencies and spinal cord injuries have attended this competition for over 25 years with nearly 600 family members, friends, and volunteers in support.

The mission of the Dixie Athletic Association is to enhance lives of children and adults with physical disabilities through competitive sport. Log on to www.DixieGames.com for more information and a full schedule of events.

That's it for now, but stay tuned in for more Tampa Bay area events updates!

The 2010 Florida Firefighter Games begins this week in Tampa.  For two weeks, 4,100 firefighters from throughout the state will compete in over 50 events at facilities located throughout Hillsborough County.

Volunteers are needed for help with registration, event operations, and other areas of this year's games.  If interested in volunteering for this great event, please contact Cathy Marshall at cathym@usffg.com or (866) 233-4263. 

For more information on the Florida Firefighter Games, please visit the website. Games begin this Friday, April 23rd and run through Saturday, May 8th.

That's all for now, but stay tuned in for more updates on things to do in Tampa Bay and Tampa Bay Sports updates!

For the first time in history, four Florida universities will meet at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa to compete in “The Florida Four” on March 2, 2010.  For this inaugural event, the University of South Florida (USF) and #13 University of Miami (UM) will face each other at 4 p.m., immediately followed by #9 University of Florida (UF) and #5 Florida State University (FSU) going head-to-head in the nightcap. 

The Florida Four event is the latest in a long list of premier sporting events brought to Tampa by us here at the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. Past events include:

• 2007 ACC tournament
• 2008 NCAA first- and second-rounds in men's basketball
• 2008 Women's Final Four.
• 2009 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament
• 2008 & 2009 ACC Football Championship

Individual tickets just went on sale at the Steinbrenner Field Box Office or at Ticketmaster. For more information call the Steinbrenner Field Box Office at (813) 875-7753.

That's it for now folks, but be sure to check back soon for more info on youth and amateur sports related Tampa Bay area events!

Hey there sports fans, Andrew Green here taking over for Josh Jones on the Tampa Bay Sports blog! For the fifth year in a row, the Score at the Shore Winter Invitational will take place in Tampa Bay from February 13 through February 15.

Score at the Shore attracts college coaches from around the country to scout players throughout the weekend.

This year’s invitational has set a new record with 290 teams competing in the U13 through U19 age groups.

Close to 7,000 room nights are expected to be generate from this year’s invitational, which represents an increase of 2,000 room nights compared to last year’s event.

The Invitational will be played at the Ed Radice Sports Complex, Wesley Chapel District Park, Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, Valrico Soccer Complex and RSL’s soccer complex at Monroe Middle School. That’s it for now sports fan!

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stay tuned for more Tampa Bay sports information to come! 

The top-ranked and top-seeded Nittany Lions (37-0), the two-time defending NCAA champions on a 100-match winning streak, lost their first set against Hawaii at the St. Pete Times Forum but won the next three in Thursday night's national semifinals.  Nittany Lions coach Russ Rose was presented with his 1,000th career victory.

They will meet No. 2-ranked and No. 2-seeded Texas (29-1) on Saturday — a finale between the teams that have been Nos. 1 and 2 in the polls all season. The Longhorns overwhelmed Minnesota in the first match of the evening and will face a Penn State looking for an unprecedented third straight national title.

St Pete Times Forum tickets are $30 and can be purchased by clicking click here, calling 813-301-2500 or by logging on to www.sptimesforum.com.
 
More festivities will kick off today in Channelside with Coca-Cola’s Battle By the Bay!  Check below for more fun events the rest of the weekend.
 
Friday
Coca Cola's Battle By the Bay in Channelside
3:00pm-3:00am
Channelside Bay Plaza

Experience the weekend's biggest volleyball party! Channelside Bay Plaza features a unique mix of dining and entertainment. From fine dining to dancing, and bowling to karaoke, Channelside Bay Plaza has it all.

Saturday
AVCA Youth Clinic
9:00am –noon
Tampa Convention Center

FanFest
5:00-7:30pm
St. Pete Times Forum Plaza

AVCA All-American Autograph Session
6:30pm
St. Pete Times Forum

NCAA Division I National Championship
8:00pm
St. Pete Times Forum

Sunday
AVCA Under Armour All-American Game
1:00pm
St. Pete Times Forum

Check out the pics below from last nights second game, and we'll have more coming next week! I'm out for now but check back soon for more info on things to do in Tampa Bay!

Josh Jones here with a quick Tampa Bay Sports update! This was just released from the NCAA, so you heard it here first! 
 
Tickets have JUST been released to sale for individual sessions, priced at $30.

To purchase tickets to this event please click here http://sptimesforum.com/event_details.asp?id=54

Event Dates/Times:
Thursday, December 17, 2009 7:00 PM
#2 Texas (28-1) vs # 11 Minnesota (28-8)

Thursday, December 17, 2009 9:00 PM
#1 Penn State (36-0) vs # 3 Hawaii (32-2)

Saturday, December 19, 2009 8:00 PM
NCAA Division I Women's National Championship match

Stay tuned for more updates on Tampa Bay area events!

The hard-hitting action will be in full force as things kick off tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum.  Things kick off with FanFest, taking place on the St. Pete Times Forum plaza at 4:00pm.

See below for today’s schedule of events.

Thursday, December 17th

FanFest (open to all general public)
4-6:30pm
St. Pete Times Forum Plaza

# 2 Texas (28-1) vs # 11 Minnesota (28-8)
7:00pm
St. Pete Times Forum

# 1 Penn State (36-0) vs # 3 Hawaii (32-2)
9:00pm
St. Pete Times Forum

Still need tickets?  Click here now!

Want to follow every move of the weekend and its surrounding festivities?  Check out the official NCAA volleyball blog here !

Also, be sure to check out Jerm’s Twitter account as he gives you all the in-game coverage from tonight’s action and tells you how amazing those St. Pete Times Forum cookies taste in media dining.

Check back soon for more on Tampa Bay Sports and championship volleyball Tampa Bay area events!

Josh Jones here with a Tampa Bay Sports update so you can stay up with everything going on this week!   There is plenty to do so check it out!

Schedule of Events
December 16th-20th

Wednesday
Practices (open to all general public)
10:00am – 4:25pm
St. Pete Times Forum
*In order: Texas, Minnesota, Penn State, Hawaii

Thursday
FanFest (open to all general public)
4-6:30pm
St. Pete Times Forum Plaza

# 2 Texas (28-1) vs # 11 Minnesota (28-8)
7:00pm
St. Pete Times Forum

# 1 Penn State (36-0) vs # 3 Hawaii (32-2)
9:00pm
St. Pete Times Forum


Friday
Coca Cola's Battle By the Bay in Channelside
3:00pm-3:00am
Channelside Bay Plaza

Experience the weekend's biggest volleyball party! Channelside Bay Plaza features a unique mix of dining and entertainment. From fine dining to dancing, and bowling to karaoke, Channelside Bay Plaza has it all.


Saturday
AVCA Youth Clinic
9:00am –noon
Tampa Convention Center

FanFest
5:00-7:30pm
St. Pete Times Forum Plaza

AVCA All-American Autograph Session
6:30pm
St. Pete Times Forum

NCAA Division I National Championship
8:00pm
St. Pete Times Forum


Sunday
AVCA Under Armour All-American Game
1:00pm
St. Pete Times Forum


GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

Fans can purchase all session tickets to this year's championships for $60.00 by clicking here, calling 813-301-2500 or by logging on to sptimesforum.com.


'Tis the season!

As a sponsor of the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championships, AT&T is bringing back its Blocks for Tots program and will donate $25 to Toys For Tots for each block made during the Semi-Finals and Championship.

If you are attending the matches on Dec. 17 or Dec. 19, join in on the giving by bringing an unwrapped toy with you to the match. Tampa-area Marines will be stationed at the St. Pete Times Forum Fan Fest and will collect donations throughout the weekend.

For all information surrounding the NCAA Division I National Championship, click here!

Check back for more things to do in Tampa Bay updates!

Josh Jones here keeping all you volleyball fans up to date with a Tampa Bay Sports update! 
   
For the first time in the history of the tournament, the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship is headed to the Sunshine State December 17 & 19, 2009 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida!
 
Fans can purchase all session tickets to this year’s championships for $60.00 by clicking here, calling 813-301-2500 for group rates or by logging on to www.sptimesforum.com!

Team Information:
Penn State (36-0) won their 100th match in a row defeating California on Saturday and will head to Tampa to defend their national championship crown.  They will take on Hawaii (32-2), who blanked Michigan 3-0 in their Saturday victory.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers (28-8) return to Tampa with a 3-1 win over Florida State on Saturday.  Minnesota kicked off their season in the "Tampa Twice" doubleheader back in September.  They will take on Texas (28-1), who defeated Nebraska 3-1 on Saturday to punch their ticket to Tampa.
Thursday December 17th
Minnesota (28-8) vs Texas (28-1)             7:00pm
Penn State (36-0) vs Hawaii (32-2)           9:00pm

Saturday December 19th
National Championship        8:00pm

Get your tickets now!  The total attendance for the finals site of the 2008 championships was 31,729, the second-highest for the NCAA volleyball championships. Included in the total was a semifinal crowd of 17,430, the highest attendance to watch an NCAA Championships match, and a championship match attendance of 14,299, the second-highest championship match attendance in NCAA Division I Tournament history.  So don’t wait, get yours today!
 

For more information on the tournament, please visit www.NCAA.com/wvb, and sty tuned in for more from your Tampa Bay team with game updates etc...!

Josh Jones here keeping you posted with a busy December for you Tampa Bay sports fans!

For the first time in the history of the tournament, the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship is headed to the Sunshine State December 17 & 19, 2009 at the St. Pete Times Forum.  But first, teams must clinch in Regional play as the tournament continues this weekend!

Here are the Sweet 16 pairings for tonight and Saturday (with Saturday's region finals scheduled for ESPNU telecasts):

Gainesville Regional
No. 1 Penn State (34-0) vs. No. 16 Florida (25-5)
No. 9 California (20-0) vs. Baylor (24-9)
Stanford Regional
No. 5 Illinois (26-5) vs. No. 12 Hawaii (29-2)
No. 4 Stanford (23-7) vs. No. 13 Michigan (26-9)
Minneapolis Regional
No. 3 Florida State (30-2) vs. Kentucky (29-4)
No. 11 Minnesota (26-8) vs. Colorado State (25-5)
Omaha Regional
No. 7 Iowa State (27-4) vs. No. 10 Nebraska (25-6)
No. 2 Texas (26-1) vs. Texas A&M (20-10)

Who will make it to Tampa?  Stay tuned with the most up to date information on the official NCAA Volleyball blog http://www.ncaa.com/blog/2009d1wvb/!

You can get your tickets today!  Fans can purchase all session tickets to this year’s championships for $60.00 by clicking click here, calling 813-301-2500 or by logging on to www.sptimesforum.com.

Stay tuned for a full calendar of Volleyball related Tampa Bay area events next week!

Josh Jones here guys and believe me when I tell you It’s game time!  That’s right, college basketball is back!

Tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum, the No. 10 Florida Gators (8-0) face the No. 7 Syracuse Orange (8-0) in the SEC/Big East Invitational.  Kicking off the event night will be the reigning SEC Tournament Champions Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-2) vs DePaul Blue Demons (5-2). 

But headlining the night will be the first top 10 vs. top 10 regular-season men's basketball game ever played in the Tampa Bay area!

If you go:

What:                    DirectTV SEC/Big East Invitational
Where:                  St. Pete Times Forum (Tampa, Florida)
Time:                     Mississippi State Bulldogs vs DePaul Blue Demons 6:30 pm
# 10 Florida Gators vs # 7 Syracuse Orange 9:00 pm

Tickets are $40, $25 and $15. For more information, log onto www.ticketmaster.com or www.secbigeastinvitational.com. Stay tuned in for more Tampa Bay area events from your Sports Commission Tampa Bay team!

Josh Jones here with a recap of the 2009 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship weekend!
The atmosphere at Raymond James Stadium was electric as 57,227 tickets were sold and distributed in Saturday night's ACC championship game.

Jonathan Dwyer's 15-yard touchdown run with 1:20 remaining gave the 12th-ranked Yellow Jackets a 39-34 victory over No. 25 Clemson in the prime-time match-up between the two division champions.

Josh Nesbitt threw a 70-yard TD pass to DeMaryius Thomas and Scott Blair kicked a title game-record four field goals to help the Yellow Jackets (11-2) win the crown - Tech's first since sharing it with Florida State in 1998 - in their second season under coach Paul Johnson.

ACC player of the year C.J. Spiller rushed for 233 yards and four touchdowns for Clemson (8-5).  Spiller’s performance was good enough to earn him the game’s MVP Award. Spiller is the first person from the losing team to win the championship game’s MVP Award.
Now, if you thought the game brought the excitement, take a minute to rewind the weekend!

Kicking off the 48-hour celebration of ACC Football were Friday’s events that showcased many of the conference’s past, present, and future champions and helped preface the exciting atmosphere that would follow the next day.

The Coaches and Awards Luncheon presented by Tampa Bay & Company, that took place at the Tampa Convention Center highlighted the two participating coaches discussing their seasons as well as the 2009 ACC Football Awards being presented.  Here is a quick run down of the award recipients from this year’s event.

•    C. J. Spiller, Clemson: ACC Offensive and Player of the Year
•    Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech: ACC Defensive Player of the Year
•    Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech: ACC Rookie and Offensive Rookie of the Year
•    Luke Kuechly, Boston College: ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year
•    Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech:  ACC Coach of the Year
•    Riley Skinner, Wake Forest: ACC Jim Tatum Award
•    Toney Baker, NC State:  ACC Brian Piccolo Award
•    Rodney Hudson: ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy

Friday night’s festivities had something for everyone.  At the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay was the exclusive ACC Night of Legends reception presented by the Florida Sports Foundation, that honored 12 outstanding legends from the 12 ACC schools.  This year’s legends class was highlighted by two state standouts and former Heisman trophy winners in Chris Weinke (Florida State) and Vinny Testaverde (Miami), and one of the ACC’s winningest coaches in Danny Ford (Clemson).

Taking place across town was the biggest downtown party for the weekend in Channelside’s Toast to the Atlantic Coast.  The event saw a Pep Rally from each participating institution’s marching band, and all 12 ACC school mascots.  Splitsville and Stump’s Supper Club served as fan central with food and drink specials for all ACC fans.

On Saturday afternoon, ACC FanFest set the stage for the day with over 200,000 square feet of interactive games, team mascots, pep rallies, food and beverage, autograph signings, game merchandise, jumbotrons, and general family fun.  CMA Award Winning country music artist James Otto helped energize the crowd in his pre-game concert performance.

The Atlantic Coast Conference was pleased with Tampa Bay’s performance. "I saw a lot of orange (Clemson colors) and a lot of gold (Georgia Tech colors),'' ACC associate commissioner for football operations Michael Kelly said. "It showed well on TV and things went well in the community. It was a good matchup and the fan base was energized.”

That's it for now, but be sure to stay up to date for news on Tampa Bay Sports and Tampa Bay area events here in the next few days! Stayed tuned in for more from me and your Tampa Bay team!