Sports
Coverage of teams, venues, college athletics, sponsorships and the business of sports across Tampa Bay.
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
Bryan Hodgson has been named head coach of the University of South Florida men’s basketball team. Hodgson joins USF after two seasons as head coach at Arkansas State, where he led the program to back-to-back, 20-win seasons and two post-season appearances, including the school’s first National Invitation Tournament berth in over 30 years. In the … Read more
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden will be at the Hooters Owl’s Nest at the Valspar Championship on Thursday, March 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. Fans attending the tournament will have the opportunity to meet Gruden, while taking in views of the Copperhead Course. The Hooters Owl’s Nest, located near the 12th … Read more
Baseball Hall of Famers Wade Boggs and Gary Sheffield, along with former major leaguer Orestes Destrade, will headline the annual Baseball, Bourbon and Cigars event on March 20, in Ybor City. Hosted by the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, the event will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at JC Newman Cigar Co., the … Read more
Valspar will extend its title sponsorship of the PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship through 2030. The event, held annually on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort since 2000, offers an $8.7 million purse. The winner will receive 500 FedExCup points and $1.72 million. Defending champion Peter Malnack is set to return, after capturing his first PGA … Read more
The Tampa Bay Inferno, a women’s tackle football team, has partnered with Bake More Pies, a Tampa-based digital marketing agency, to produce multimedia content for the team. As part of the partnership, Bake More Pies’ BMP.Studio will develop digital campaigns featuring the Inferno, including a season hype video. The collaboration aims to raise the team’s … Read more
The United Soccer League announced plans to launch a Division One men’s professional league in the 2027-28 season, marking a significant expansion of the U.S. soccer landscape. The new league will represent the highest level of professional soccer within the USL structure, complementing its existing leagues: the USL Championship (Division II) and USL League One … Read more
