Orlando

RP Funding Joins Orlando Magic, Amway Center as a Champions of the Community Partner

Published

9 years ago

October 28, 2017

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic and RP Funding announced today its Champions of the Community (COTC) partnership with the team and Amway Center. Through the partnership, RP Funding becomes the official mortgage lending partner of the Magic and Amway Center. The Magic’s G League affiliate, Lakeland Magic, also recently announced RP Funding as the team’s inaugural Founding Partner and the naming rights partner of the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

“The Orlando Magic are thrilled to have RP Funding join our family,” said Magic CEO Alex Martins. “This partnership includes many elements that are very important to all of our entities, including our commitment to the community both in Orlando and Lakeland. We look forward to collaborating on new opportunities for local outreach.”

The community-minded partnership will include continued support of the Central Florida community. A huge success last season, RP Funding hosted a sleepover for local, underserved youth at Amway Center featuring suite tickets to a Magic game, meeting Magic players, shooting on the court, a movie on the videoboard and video games. Beds were donated to the kids along with gift bags for each child. RP Funding will look to build on the success of last year’s philanthropic partnership with a future fundraising opportunity in conjunction with the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF), the Magic’s charitable arm.

RP Funding will also enhance their presence at Amway Center with branding underneath the center-hung videoboard as well as on the pole pads and additional signage around the court.

“We are excited to expand our relationship with the Orlando Magic to include the COTC partnership and other initiatives,” said Robert Palmer, founder and CEO of Robert Palmer Companies. “Our business has expanded significantly in Central Florida and we attribute that growth in part to our involvement in sports ownership and sponsorship including my purchase of the NASL’s Jacksonville Armada and this sponsorship with the Orlando Magic and Lakeland Magic.”

RP Funding is a direct mortgage leader who is dedicated to helping Central Florida residents become homeowners since 2007. RP Funding covers all closing costs and lender fees, offering customers the best deals and a superior level of service.

RP Funding joins Walt Disney World, Florida Hospital, PepsiCo., Harris and FanDuel as Champions of the Community partners. COTC partners represent an elite tier of brands that, combined with the Magic, are committed to the Central Florida community. These partnerships extend beyond the exterior walls of the Amway Center. They encompass what it truly means to be a champion in the community by supporting programming that makes a direct impact on the lives of those that call Orlando home. COTC partners, like the Magic, are committed to delivering legendary moments while becoming world champions both on and off the court. In addition, as a Founding Partner of the Lakeland Magic, RP Funding becomes one of the four inaugural cornerstone partners of the Magic’s G League team.

SOURCE | Orlando Magic

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

2 years 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.