Orlando

New Hope for Kids Announce the Mascots for 26th Annual Mascot Games

Published

7 years ago

May 28, 2019

ORLANDO, Fla. – New Hope for Kids has announced the Mascots that will compete in the 26th Annual Mascot Games Presented by Wawa, taking place at Amway Center on Friday, June 21st, at 12:30 p.m., and Saturday, June 22nd, at 2 p.m. Participating Mascots include STUFF from the Orlando Magic, Knightro from the University of Central Florida, Kingston from Orlando City and fan favorite Sir CC from the Cleveland Cavaliers. The complete list is below.

“We hear each year from those who attend how truly entertaining this event is. They think it is for the kids, but adults enjoy the Mascots just as much,” said Dave Joswick, Executive Director of New Hope for Kids. “Our ambassador, Orlando Magic’s Stuff, has invited top notch talents, all who love to steal the limelight, and who also love knowing they’re helping kids.”

Twenty-four of the best and most popular Mascots from across North America will join STUFF, the event’s host mascot, for the annual competition. Mascots from MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, ECHL, MLS and NCAA will be divided into four teams as they compete against each other in wild and zany games to determine the true champions of the mascot world.

Special halftime acts have been secured for 2019. Friday, June 21 hosts WeFlip Entertainment and on Saturday, June 22 Elevate Studios will perform.

Tickets for the Mascot Games Presented by Wawa are now on sale. General admission tickets start at $12 and can be purchased through amwaycenter.com, the Box Office at Amway Center, Ticketmaster retail locations, charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000, or at Ticketmaster.com. A limited number of VIP “Mascot Huddle” tickets, which include a Mascot meet and greet and reserved seating for Saturday’s performance, are available for $35 in advance and $40 the day of the event. Reserved seating will be available for $20 while supplies last. Group seating for Summer Camps is available by downloading a form from the event website at www.mascotgames.org under the “Camps” tab.

All proceeds from the Mascot Games Presented by Wawa benefit New Hope for Kids, which provides support to children and families grieving the death of a loved one, and grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses in Central Florida. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $550,000 for New Hope for Kids.

26th Annual Mascot Games Presented by Wawa Participating Mascots:

• Benny the Bull – Chicago Bulls
• Blooper – Atlanta Braves
• Captain Fear – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Carlton – Toronto Maple Leafs
• Chomps – Cleveland Browns
• Golazo – Miami FC
• Howler – Arizona Coyotes
• Jazz Bear – Utah Jazz
• KC Wolf – Kansas City Chiefs
• Kingston – Orlando City Soccer Club
• Knightro – University of Central Florida
• Lil’ Red – University of Nebraska

• Louie – St. Louis Blues
• N.J. Devil – New Jersey Devils
• Raymond – Tampa Bay Rays
• Rocky the Bull – University of South Florida
• Rumble – Oklahoma City Thunder
• Sebastian – University of Miami
• Shades – Orlando Solar Bears
• Sir CC– Cleveland Cavaliers
• South Paw – Chicago Whitesox
• Stanley – Florida Panthers
• STUFF – Orlando Magic
• ThunderBug – Tampa Bay Lightning

Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 year ago

March 9, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Russell Henley wins the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Russell Henley wins his first red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. This is Henley’s fifth win on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley is greeted by his family on the 18th green after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Henley finished at 11 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 70 today. Collin Morikawa finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, finished today at 4 under par, tied for 11th place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo Credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

NFL

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Published

1 year ago

October 30, 2024

Mike Brodsky

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Former UCF football players Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant have partnered with GMTM to launch their Search for Greatness Combine at UCF on Saturday, November 9th. They’re giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents and explore new sports opportunities. Griffin will be inducted into the UCF Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2nd, during halftime of the Arizona vs. UCF football game. He is remembered for his tenacity, setting an NFL Combine record with the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker, and playing four seasons in the NFL, overcoming the challenge of only having one hand. He is now training to make the USA Paralympic Track and Field Team and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Joey Grant, the co-founder and CEO of GMTM, is a former UCF team captain, playing mostly Center for the Knights from 2011-2015.

Participation at the upcoming combine is free and invite-only, targeting athletes over the age of 18. To be considered, athletes must submit a highlight video via GMTM’s platform, showcasing their athleticism. GMTM will evaluate submissions and invite the most promising athletes to participate in the combine. The goal for this year’s event is to get 1,000 athletes to submit videos and be part of the combine process. Athletes chosen will receive personalized invites with further instructions, including event time slots and details. The athletes will be evaluated for their key athletic traits, to identify opportunities for them across multiple Olympic sports or professional sports programs. To learn more, or to apply for the combine, visit: https://gmtm.com/articles/the-search-for-greatness-at-ucf-with-shaquem-griffin-what-you-need-to-know.

Florida National News spoke with Shaquem and Joey about the combine, college football in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, and Griffin’s hall of fame induction. You can watch the full interview here:

Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant interview

Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com and www.FloridaSportsChannel.com for more.

Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.