"As we approach the end of 2023 regular season, we are looking to finish with our largest crowd of the year and build even more support heading into the playoffs and the 2024 season."

- Jarrod Dillon

President of Business Operations,

Orlando City SC & Orlando Pride



Around The Horn.

• This Sunday, October 15 at 5 p.m. the Orlando Pride will play its most important match of the season, and they want your help in packing Exploria Stadium! With just one regular season home match remaining, the Pride are putting it all on the line this weekend for spot in the NWSL Playoffs, sitting just a single point out of a postseason spot. Purchase your tickets at a special rate here!
• The Orlando Magic opened the preseason with a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in a high-scoring, fast-paced matchup that saw both sides shoot above 40% from the floor. Wendell Carter Jr., who played 19 minutes, led all scorers with 18 points (4-for-5 from 3) in the 122-105 in the win.
• Sytia Messer spent eight seasons traversing the ins and outs of the Big 12 as an assistant coach at Baylor. If anyone is suited to prepare her UCF team for what it can expect in its new conference home, it’s the second-year Knights women’s basketball coach.
• After twice grabbing a two-goal lead,  Orlando City continued to build momentum heading into the MLS playoffs by defeating the New England Revolution, 3-2 at Exploria Stadium. Orlando scored first in the 31st minute after defender Dagur Dan Thorhallsson delivered an excellent cross that rookie sensation Duncan McGuire headed past New England and former Lions goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr.
• United States Football League and XFL have both announced their intention to merge. This pairing is expected by both leagues to help anchor professional spring football with more resources and a better talent pool to help ensure future growth.
• As an Orlando resident, Magic's Cole Anthony embraces the city, does tons of charity work in the community and has become a huge UCF booster who loves to attend Knights football and basketball games. In fact, Anthony put on a basketball camp recently to help raise money for UCF’s NIL collective — The Kingdom — and has also been used in recruiting videos.
• "Bungalower Buddy" keyholders will unlock a special discount to see Orlando Solar Bears hockey games at the Amway Center again this season. Members can simply show their keychain at the Amway Center box office for a $10 game-day rush ticket.

The Greater Orlando Sports Commission is a proud sponsor of MetaCenter Global Week with Synapse Florida and Immerse Global Summit!

Register now at MetaCenterGlobal.com (use code SYNAPSE for a special offer!) and join us on the Main Stage on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 1:15pm for a fireside chat with our friends from TMRW Sports, the masterminds behind TGL presented by SoFi, the groundbreaking primetime team golf league that's rewriting the playbook.

The question of the hour: How did they manage to convince legends like Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, and Serena Williams to embark on this electrifying journey?

In The News.

• Full Sail University is proud to announce it has been named a 2023 Top Music Business School by Billboard Magazine. Full Sail appears on the list alongside internationally and nationally renowned institutions including New York University, Berklee College of Music, University of Southern California and more. 
• The City of Orlando wants to convert a long-vacant downtown site into a new use.  The new use would bring activity to an otherwise vacant lot, allowing the city to hold events with small business vendors and draw foot traffic to nearby businesses. The city would target the first phase in time for when the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Marathon Trials come to town in 2024.
• From the moment Tavistock Development Co. announced plans for Lake Nona West, the project became one of the most anticipated in the region. With an anticipated groundbreaking in 2024 and opening in fall 2025, attention has turned to what stores, restaurants and other concepts will populate the lifestyle center.
• Gatorland is adding more characters into the Halloween stew that is its Gators, Ghosts and Goblins event. Visitors to the south Orlando attraction’s Monster Midway may meet the “one-man monster menagerie,” a blended creature who encountered a vampire, a mummy and a werewolf.
• Icon Park is introducing its first annual pass, which will allow Florida residents to make unlimited rounds on its Wheel attraction and the Carousel on the Promenade for 12 months. The pass includes discounts at the Wheel’s retail store as well as food and beverage at establishments within the Wheelhouse.
• A new ultra-low-cost airline, Mexico-based Viva Aerobus, will begin flights between Orlando International Airport and two Mexican destinations next spring and summer - Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, and Merida, Yucatan.
• SeaWorld Orlando has unveiled details about its next roller coaster, which will be named Penguin Trek and will open in spring 2024. The indoor-outdoor coaster will top out at 43 mph, feature a 3,020-foot track with two launches and conclude in the theme park’s penguin habitat.

Stay Engaged.

• Orlando Science Center is hosting a Solar Eclipse viewing party on Saturday, October 14. The eclipse will begin at 11:52 a.m., peak at 1:26 p.m., and end at 3:02 p.m. giving viewers a large window of time to enjoy the celestial event.
• Calling all dog lovers! Join in the fun on Saturday, October 14 from 9am-3pm for Leu Gardens' very first Dog Day. Bring the whole family, including your loveable canine, for a stroll through the 50-acre Gardens. Each dog will receive a special goody bag with their very own Gardens’ bandana, while supplies last.
• Orlando Business Journal is gathering on Thursday, October 19 to recognize Central Florida's top CEO, CFO, CIO, CMO and COO's. The 2023 honorees, including GO Sports Executive VP Jennifer Lastik, have shown accomplishments in community involvement, leadership, product innovation, project management, and overall growth.
• Join the Cure Bowl team on Sunday, October 29 for the 15th Annual Strikeout Breast Cancer bowling event. Support the cause of bringing teams together to find a cure for cancer by purchasing a lane! The event will be hosted at Boardwalk Bowl and feature a fun day of bowling, a pizza lunch, drinks, and silent auction.
• Legoland Florida is introducing a seasonal pass that allows unlimited admission to the Winter Haven theme park through Christmas Day. The Monster-to-Merry Season Ticket is now on sale for $119 per person. It covers a time period that includes Legoland’s Brick or Treat Halloween festivities, which launch Saturday, and its holiday celebration, which begins Nov. 24, the day after Thanksgiving.
• Country Thunder is coming back on October 20-22, 2023! Keith Urban, Hardy and Cody Johnson headline three days of non-stop music and fun! Check out the full lineup here!
• In partnership with AdventHealth, the City District Main Street is launching Orlando’s first adult Downtown Orlando Field Day on Thursday, Nov. 2. This classic event will feature old school competitions with an intentional local flair. The City District Main Street, alongside title sponsor AdventHealth, Red Lobster, City Beverage, Orlando Utilities Commission and community partners including, the Downtown Development Board.
• The Festival of Trees, Nov. 11-19, presented by the Council of 101 kicks off the holiday season with dozens of designer-inspired decorated trees at Orlando Museum of Art. This year’s theme is “Enchanted Holidays,” with special events including breakfast with Santa, an ugly sweater day and a Reindeer Romp party.
• SeaWorld Orlando is again offering an extended Fun Card deal. Buyers now get unlimited visits to the theme park for the rest of 2023 and all of 2024. The price is $131.99. A version also includes admission to the Aquatica water park through the end of 2024, and it sells for $189.99.
• 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 and Senior Director Lindsey McBride attended the opening ceremonies for the 2023 IWWF World Waterski Championships earlier this week, along with Lake County Commissioner Doug Shields, Discover Lake's Ryan Ritchie, GO Sports Board Member Jeff Osterman (Montverde Academy), and IWWF President Jose Antonio Perez Preigo.

GO Sports Board members Adrianna Sekula (Solidarity Partners), Jusin Kinsey (West Lakes District) and Tekoa Pouerie (Erase The Lines LLC) attended the Boys and Girls Club 'Faces of the Future' breakfast in Pine Hills this week.



GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel presented to the Maitland Chamber of Commerce last week, sharing insights into the business of sports tourism within our community.

New Corporate Partner.

For more information, visit their page on LinkedIn

Thank you for supporting sports tourism in Greater Orlando!

Fun & Games.



• Scream! 13 Orlando Halloween haunted houses
• First Look at New Mural Coming to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
• New Disney Springs Mural Celebrates Hispanic & Latin American Heritage Month