Sports

The University of South Florida has selected Rob Higgins, longtime executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, as its first chief executive officer of Athletics. Higgins, a USF graduate and former athletics staff member, will return to his alma mater after leading the sports commission since 2004, where he helped bring two Super Bowls,

The PGA of America has named Bruce Cassidy Sr., president of The Concession Golf Club, as general chair of the 2026 Senior PGA Championship, scheduled for April 16–19 at the Bradenton course. Cassidy will lead a host committee of more than 50 division and committee chairs and more than 1,000 volunteers, while also assisting with

Area coaches, parents and high school students are invited to take part in a free safety event aimed at making youth sports safer. AdventHealth and the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl will co-host the 2025 Youth Sports Safety Summit on August 17, from 1 to 5 p.m., at Raymond James Stadium, in Tampa. The event

Michael Kelly, who has led the University of South Florida Athletics since 2018, is stepping down to become the athletic director at the United States Naval Academy. During his seven years at USF, Kelly expanded the program to 21 varsity sports and led the Bulls to 21 American Athletic Conference team championships. Under his leadership,

Sports are not just entertainment or a shared pastime. They have profoundly changed lives and families. Justin Papadakis, deputy chief executive officer and chief real estate officer of the United Soccer League, knows this firsthand.   Born the son of a Greek immigrant, Papadakis grew up with a love of soccer. Papadakis’ father and uncle,

The PGA of America announced that The Concession Golf Club, in Bradenton, will host the Senior PGA Championship from 2026 through 2028, beginning with the 86th edition of the event, scheduled for April 16 to 19, 2026. It marks the first time the Championship will be played at The Concession and the first time the

A groundbreaking force in women’s sports has been quietly rewriting the rulebook in Tampa Bay.  The Tampa Bay Inferno, a professional women’s tackle football team, isn’t just about hard hits and fierce competition,, it’s a story of relentless passion, resilience and the power of community support. Founded in 2012, by former player Jen Moody, the

The Tampa Bay Bowl Association has named Glenn Fasani as chair of the board of directors for the 2025-26 ReliaQuest Bowl. Fasani, a financial advisor at North South Wealth Management, has served on the board for 24 years and was previously vice chair. “I am absolutely thrilled to serve in this leadership position with the

The University of South Florida’s long-planned on-campus stadium is entering a new phase as trustees approved a revised $348.5 million project plan, paving the way for full-scale construction to begin this summer. The cost increase reflects upgrades added since the original 2023 plan including space for potential future expansion, enhanced locker rooms, academic buildouts and

The United Soccer League has entered a multi-year naming rights agreement with Gainbridge, a Group 1001 company, marking the first time a professional soccer league in the United States has secured an entitlement partner. Beginning with the 2025-26 season, the USL Super League will be known as the Gainbridge Super League. The league, designated Division

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has released a limited-edition bobblehead collection to commemorate the University of Florida men’s basketball team’s 2025 national championship. The officially licensed series features bobbleheads of Gators’ mascots Albert and Alberta celebrating the championship win, along with a bobble version of the 2025 National Champions logo. Each bobblehead

More than 400 students at Ferrell Girls Preparatory Academy participated in a soccer celebration that marked the launch of the Tampa Bay Sun Foundation, a new nonprofit aiming to expand access to youth sports in underserved communities. The event included soccer drills led by players from Tampa Bay Sun FC, the region’s first women’s professional