Orlando

Orlando City SC CEO Alex Leitão Steps Down from Post

Published

4 years ago

July 28, 2021

Alex Leitão resigned as Orlando City SC CEO, but will remain on as a temporary advisor for Club’s soccer operations. Photo: Twitter (@alexleitao).

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — Source: Orlando City SC // Alex Leitão has resigned from his position as Chief Executive Officer for Orlando City SC, it was announced today. Leitão, who joined the organization in 2015, will remain involved as a soccer operations advisor to the organization.

“On behalf of the entire organization, I’d like to thank Alex for everything he has given to Orlando City and the Orlando Pride during his time with the Club,” Orlando City SC Chairman Mark Wilf said. “We are respectful of his decision to step away and appreciate him for the support he has provided, especially during our acquisition period. We are pleased he will be staying involved with the Club in an important role, as we aim to continue the successes both teams have shown on the field this season.”

“Being the leader of this organization has been one of the greatest honors of my career. I am incredibly proud of everything that we have been able to accomplish over the previous seven seasons, from our first-ever Orlando City match to last year’s incredible playoff run, to bringing the Pride to Orlando and all of the successes we have achieved in our front office,” Leitão said. “I’d like to thank everyone who has dedicated their efforts to the Club and who have helped build Orlando City to the globally-recognized franchise that it is. While my decision to step away was not easy, it is one I do with the belief that the Club is in great hands with the Wilf family, and I am happy to help assist in providing a smooth transition for this new era for Orlando City SC.”

Appointed as the Club’s first CEO of the Major League Soccer era, Leitão has led both the business and soccer departments over the previous seven seasons, building the front office from just a few to one of the largest in the league.

The Brazil native has pushed the Club to reach new heights, notably starting with the Lions’ record-breaking debut at the Florida Citrus Bowl in front of a crowd of 62,510 fans. From that point on, Leitão oversaw the project that brought Exploria Stadium to life, the Club’s privately-funded soccer-specific venue in downtown Orlando, as well as the introduction of the Orlando Pride as the National Women’s Soccer League’s second-ever expansion side.

On the field, Leitão helped bring some of the game’s biggest stars to the City Beautiful, including Kaká, Nani, Marta and U.S Women’s National Team standouts Alex Morgan, Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger and Sydney Leroux.

Most recently, Leitão was integral in bringing the highly-successful MLS is Back Tournament to life in Orlando, working with Major League Soccer, Disney and local officials to safely return to play at ESPN Wide World of Sports. Following the MLS is Back tournament, Leitão’s leadership guided the Club through the COVID-19 pandemic, not only maintaining all jobs for the Club’s staff, but safely returning both matches and fans to Exploria Stadium for the remainder of the 2020 season and beyond.

Under Leitão’s tenure, Exploria Stadium has established itself as the premier destination for some of the game’s greatest competitions, hosting events such as FIFA World Cup qualifying, Concacaf Champions League and Gold Cup, the SheBelieves Cup, the NCAA College Cup as well as numerous friendly matches for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams.

Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

7 days 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

5 months 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

1 year 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.