Sports

Team USA Takes Rio Olympics Medal Race With Ease

Published

10 years ago

August 21, 2016

FNN NEWS

RIO DE JANEIRO (FNN SPORTS) By Associated Press – The U.S. Olympic Team made itself right at home in Rio.

The British, they had a Games to savor as well.

The host Brazilians got soccer gold that they craved, the Russians struggled on the heels of the exposure of a state-sponsored doping program, and the Chinese finished well below expectations.

So went the medal race at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where the Americans – with women leading the way – dominated both the gold and overall totals. The U.S. finished with 46 gold medals and 121 medals overall, its 51-total-medal margin over second-place China the largest in a non-boycotted Olympics in nearly a century.

“This experience has been the dream of a lifetime for me,” said U.S. gymnast and closing ceremony flagbearer Simone Biles, who won five medals, four of them gold, in her first Olympics.

For the fourth consecutive games, U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps left with more medals than anyone else. He won six in Rio, while Biles and U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky each won five to lead to lead a big haul from American women.

U.S. women left Rio with 27 golds – by far the most among any team of female Olympians at these games – and 61 medals total. U.S. track star Allyson Felix, now a six-time gold medalist and a winner of nine medals in all, was particularly delighted to learn that women are bringing more medals home to American than the men.

“Got ’em,” Felix said, smiling.

By now, the Americans winning the medal race is almost commonplace. But the significance in Rio were the sheer amounts of hardware.

The previous record for U.S. medals at a fully attended Olympics was 110, set at Beijing eight years ago. And the margin between first and second in the overall medals race this year tops all others (the boycotted games of 1980 and 1984 excluded) since the Americans won 67 more medals than Italy did at the 1932 Los Angeles Games.

“We weren’t sure we were going to have that kind of success coming in,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun, noting the track and swimming teams had plenty of first-time Olympians.

But Blackmun was thrilled by the results, and he wasn’t the only one leaving Rio happy.

Even with far fewer athletes competing in Rio than it had in London four years ago – and no home-field advantage this time, either – Britain got more medals than ever in the modern games. The British won 67 medals in Rio, 27 of them gold.

“The atmosphere at the GB house has been amazing in the village,” said Mo Farah, who won gold for Britain in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races to match the feat he pulled off at London in 2012. “Winning medals and just one after the other. Gold, silver, bronze. The atmosphere has been brilliant. To be able to go even further than London, I think as a nation we should be proud.”

The Russians and the Chinese probably didn’t feel the same.

China won 26 golds, just over half as many as it won in Beijing in 2008. Russia – with its track team told to stay home because of the doping probe and a cloud hovering over its athletes who were in Rio, some of whom got publicly called out by competitors – finished with 19 golds and 56 medals overall, both well below its normal showings.

U.S. swimmer Lilly King beat Russia’s Yulia Efimova for the 100-meter breaststroke gold, doing so after saying the games should have no room for dopers. Efimova has twice been banned.

“I stand by what I said,” King said.

“It was not positive,” Efimova told the BBC. “It was like war.”

There were plenty of positives for others, however.

Usain Bolt finished off his triple-triple – three Olympics, three sprint golds in each – for Jamaica, in what he said was his last games. Neymar’s game-winning penalty kick decided a shootout and clinched the men’s soccer gold medal for Brazil, a host that wasn’t a factor in the medal standings but got the gold that it probably wanted most.

And 10 teams – including the independent team – won their first golds, including Monica Puig in women’s tennis for Puerto Rico.

“That island has given me so much,” Puig said. “So much love and support throughout my career and I just wanted this one for them.”

Central Florida News

Orlando Magic Earn NBA Team International Strategy Award for Second Consecutive Year

Published

4 days ago

August 1, 2026

FNN SPORTS

NEW YORK (FNN SPORTS) — The Orlando Magic have been named the recipient of the NBA Team International Strategy Award for the second consecutive year, recognizing the organization’s innovative global marketing efforts as part of the NBA’s 2025-26 Team Partnership and Ticket Sales & Service Awards.

The award honors NBA teams that develop data-driven international marketing strategies that strengthen brand recognition, create meaningful partnerships and expand fan engagement outside the United States.

Germany Strategy Drives Award-Winning Campaign

Building on last year’s success, the Magic expanded their presence in Germany through a year-long strategy surrounding The NBA Berlin Game 2026.

Rather than focusing solely on the international exhibition, Orlando created a comprehensive campaign that included:

A summer promotional tour across Germany
Magic Kiez, an immersive fan experience hub
Youth basketball clinics
Business networking summits
Community watch parties
Interactive fan activations
Corporate partnership events

The organization said the strategy helped establish a sustained presence before, during and after the Berlin game while strengthening relationships with German basketball fans and business leaders.

New International Partnerships

The campaign also expanded the Magic’s International Team Marketing Program (ITMP) through collaborations with several new international and global partners, including:

AIDA Cruises
Domino’s
Kellogg’s
Telekom
ThreatLocker
Visit Orlando

The partnerships supported both fan engagement initiatives and business development opportunities throughout Germany.

NBA Recognizes Innovation Across the League

The NBA’s annual Team Partnership and Ticket Sales & Service Awards celebrate organizations that demonstrate excellence in fan engagement, sponsorship activation, innovation, community impact and ticket sales.

This year’s major award winners included:

Award	Winner
International Strategy Award	Orlando Magic
Partnership of the Year	Cleveland Cavaliers
Partnership Innovation Award	LA Clippers
Social Impact & Inclusion Award	Philadelphia 76ers
New Sales Campaign	Detroit Pistons
Membership Program of the Year	Charlotte Hornets
Premium Experience of the Year	Cleveland Cavaliers

The Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans also received recognition through the NBA’s AI Studio program for innovative applications of artificial intelligence to improve fan experiences.

NBA Executive Applauds Team Innovation

Jonathan Tillman, the NBA’s Executive Vice President and Head of Team Marketing and Business Operations, praised the league’s clubs for continuing to innovate.

“The innovation, creativity and strategic thinking NBA teams demonstrate every day continue to raise the bar for the sports industry while creating deeper connections with fans in their communities and around the world,” Tillman said.

He added that NBA teams are finding new ways to grow their businesses through strategic partnerships, artificial intelligence, ticket sales innovations and community engagement.

Selection Process

All 30 NBA franchises were invited to submit entries for the Team Partnership and Ticket Sales & Service Awards.

Winners were selected by a committee of NBA league and team executives based on creativity, measurable business results and overall impact.

For the second consecutive season, the Orlando Magic’s international strategy stood out among the league’s entries, highlighting the franchise’s continued commitment to expanding its global brand while strengthening relationships with fans and partners overseas.

Award Highlights

Orlando Magic won the NBA Team International Strategy Award for the second straight year.
The award recognized the franchise’s comprehensive marketing strategy surrounding The NBA Berlin Game 2026.
The campaign featured fan engagement, youth clinics, business summits and year-round activations across Germany.
New international partners included AIDA Cruises, Domino’s, Kellogg’s, Telekom, ThreatLocker and Visit Orlando.
All 30 NBA teams were eligible, with winners selected by NBA and team executives.

Central Florida News

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Announce Training Camp Roster Moves Ahead of 53-Man Cutdown

Published

6 days ago

July 30, 2026

FNN SPORTS

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced a series of roster moves Tuesday as the team continues preparations for the 2026 NFL season.

The Buccaneers waived safety Ja’Qurious Conley with a non-football injury designation.

In addition, Tampa Bay placed cornerback Chase Lucas and defensive lineman Haggai Ndubuisi on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.

Players placed on the Active/PUP List count toward the club’s 90-player offseason roster and remain eligible to return to practice at any point before the NFL’s deadline to reduce rosters to the regular-season 53-player limit.

The moves come as the Buccaneers continue evaluating their roster during training camp in preparation for the upcoming preseason schedule and the start of the regular season.

What the Moves Mean

A player waived with a non-football injury (NFI) designation has sustained an injury or medical condition that did not occur during NFL football activities. If Conley clears waivers, the Buccaneers’ next steps will depend on league rules and his injury status.

The Active/PUP List is reserved for players who are unable to practice because of football-related injuries at the start of training camp. While on the Active/PUP List, Lucas and Ndubuisi may participate in team meetings and receive medical treatment, and they can be activated at any time before the team’s final roster reduction.

Sports

Jaguars Place Two Offensive Linemen on Active/PUP List Ahead of Training Camp

Published

1 week ago

July 27, 2026

FNN SPORTS

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The Jacksonville Jaguars announced Sunday that offensive linemen Garrett DiGiorgio and Cole Van Lanen have been placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list as the team continues preparations for training camp.

Players on the Active/PUP list count against the 90-man offseason roster but are unable to participate in practice until they are medically cleared. Once cleared, they may return to practice at any time during training camp.

The Jaguars did not disclose the nature of the injuries or provide a timetable for either player’s return.

DiGiorgio and Van Lanen are among the offensive line depth pieces competing for roster spots as Jacksonville prepares for the 2026 NFL season. Their availability during training camp could impact competition along the offensive front as coaches evaluate the roster ahead of preseason play.

The Jaguars continue training camp preparations with veterans and rookies working toward the start of the 2026 season.