Sporting Events Along the First Coast
When it comes to sports, Florida’s First Coast is not only a golfing capital — it also draws national attention for its professional sports venues and events, including Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005.
THE PLAYERS Championship
Time of Year: May 7th - 13th, 2007
Since Jack Nicklaus’ victory in the 1970s, THE PLAYERS Championship has been one of the PGA TOUR’s most coveted titles. Fred Couples, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods are among the great names who have won at the Stadium Course at The TPC Sawgrass over the years. Golf fans, media and dignitaries from around the world are drawn to this PGA TOUR flagship event, which has moved from its usual March slot to May each year, allowing more daylight hours for play and more temperate weather.
The NFL Jacksonville Jaguars
Time of Year: September 10th to December 31st
In 1993, Jacksonville was awarded the 30th franchise in the National Football League. When the Jacksonville Jaguars took the field for their first game in front of 70,000 fans in Alltel Stadium, it marked the first time in sports history that an expansion team had played its first home game in its first season in a new stadium or arena. In just its second season, Jacksonville qualified for the playoffs, the first of our straight post-season appearances, and advanced to the AFC championship game.
Gator Bowl Classic
Time of Year: Monday, Jan 1st, 2007
This annual college football game is one of the oldest non-BCS bowls, held continuously since 1946. Traditionally, the Gator Bowl hosts the second-place ACC team and second-place Big East team. Named for the former Gator Bowl Stadium, the game is now played in ALLTEL Stadium, home of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.
ACC Football Championship Game
Time of Year: Saturday, December 2nd, 2006
The Dr Pepper ACC Road Tour, a season-long promotional tour through the Atlantic Coast Conference, culminates at the Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, named as the first host city for this event.
Georgia-Florida Game
Time of Year: Saturday, October 28th, 2006
One of college football’s greatest rivalries plays out each year in Jacksonville, usually on the last Saturday in October. The official name alternates each year from Georgia-Florida to Florida Georgia, with the designated “home” team alternating as well. More than 100,000 fans congregate in downtown Jacksonville to be part of this 80-year-plus tradition of the University of Florida Gators and University of Georgia Bulldogs.
The BellSouth Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament
Time of Year:July 17th - 22nd, 2006
Held each July, the BellSouth Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament is the largest kingfish tournament in the nation. This week-long event includes an exclusive VIP Tournament, Junior Angler Tournament, KidZone, food festival and live entertainment. Participants are eligible for more than $500,000 in cash and prizes.
The Bausch & Lomb Championship
Time of Year: April 2nd - 8th, 2007
A premier women’s professional tennis tournament, the Bausch & Lomb Championship is held at the Amelia Island Plantation resort in April. The tournament features the top players in the game each year and is one of the most anticipated stops on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour for both fans and the players, who compete for $600,00 in prize money.
The Jacksonville Suns
Time of Year: April 6th to September 4th, 2007
The Southern League’s Jacksonville Suns professional baseball club is the Class AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team plays at the $34 million Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, which opened in 2003. The facility housed a franchise-record 359,979 fans in its inaugural season and surpassed that mark in year two, drawing more than 420,000 through its gates.