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Florida
Florida Panthers Named ‘Sports Team of the Year’ at 18th Annual Sports Business Journal Sports Business Awards | Florida Panthers
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Sports Business Journal announced tonight that the Florida Panthers have been named ‘Sports Team of the Year’ at the 18th Annual Sports Business Awards in New York City. This award was judged from an eligibility period of March 1, 2024 through Feb. 28, 2025.
The Sports Business Awards celebrate excellence in the business of sports and factor all facets of the team’s operations both on and off the ice. The Panthers were nominated for ‘Team of the Year’ in 2023, with tonight’s recognition marking the first win for the organization. The other nominees for Sports Team of the Year were the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA), Indiana Fever (WNBA), Inter Miami CF (MLS), Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB), USA Gymnastics & Washington Commanders (NFL).
“The Florida Panthers are honored to be named ‘Sports Team of the Year’, a humbling acknowledgement of how far our team has come under the passionate and steadfast leadership of the Viola family,” said Panthers President & CEO Matt Caldwell. “We are grateful to Sports Business Journal for this tremendous recognition that represents the unwavering and unified commitment of our players, coaches, staff members and ownership to success both on and off the ice.”
Off the ice, the Panthers sold out of season tickets for the first time in franchise history and generated a $125+ million impact on the local economy through the last two Stanley Cup Playoff runs. The club secured a new media rightsholder partnership with Scripps Sports increasing access to Panthers hockey to more than 2.6 million households for free, doubling viewership in the first year.
The organization amended and extended the Arena Operating Agreement for the County-owned facility Amerant Bank Arena committing to Broward County long-term, opened their new practice facility Baptist Health IcePlex and reopened a revitalized War Memorial Auditorium concert venue in Fort Lauderdale now operating four venues in Broward County from the Everglades to the beaches.
On the ice led, by President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Bill Zito and Head Coach Paul Maurice, the Panthers won their first-ever Stanley Cup championship in their 30th anniversary season and have made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, including back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances (2023 & 2024). Florida signed several significant players to long-term, cost-effective contract extensions throughout the year including defensemen Gustav Forsling and Dmitry Kulikov, and star forwards Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe and Anton Lundell and are currently competing in their third consecutive conference final.
For a full list of winners from the Sports Business Awards, please visit SportsBusinessJournal.com.
Florida
Rainy stretch continues in South Florida
South Florida is experiencing a prolonged stretch of wet weather as deep tropical moisture combines with a stalled frontal boundary across the region.
The result has been frequent showers, thunderstorms, periods of heavy rainfall, and localized flooding concerns from Broward to Miami-Dade and throughout the Keys.
The atmosphere is loaded with moisture, allowing storms to produce intense downpours in a short amount of time.
Some neighborhoods have already seen several inches of rain, with additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms expected through the end of the week.
Flood-prone streets and poor drainage areas remain especially vulnerable during the heaviest rainfall.
While the rain is helping ease drought conditions, it is also increasing the risk of flash flooding and travel delays.
South Florida is two weeks into its rainy season, when abundant heat and humidity combine to generate daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms.
Heavy rainfall, frequent lightning, and gusty winds are common features of this time of year.
The good news? Drier air will gradually filter into parts of the region heading into the weekend, allowing rain chances to slightly decrease. Until then, keep the umbrella handy and be prepared for sudden tropical downpours.
Florida
Man accused of kidnapping woman at Wawa in Central Florida
NEWS
A man is in custody after deputies said he tried to kidnap a woman at a Wawa near Winter park. Per investigators, Matthew Seaberg approached the victim from behind, picked her up by the waist, and threw her into his truck.
Florida
Jury selection continues in fatal boat crash trial of South Florida real estate mogul George Pino
MIAMI — A new group of prospective jurors was questioned Tuesday in the trial of South Florida real estate mogul George Pino, who is charged in connection with a 2022 boat crash that killed a teenager in Miami-Dade County.
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During jury selection in a Miami-Dade courtroom, Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez asked potential jurors what they already knew about the case and whether they had recently seen or heard anything about it.
Several prospective jurors said they knew only basic details, including that a fatal boating crash occurred and that a teenage girl died. Others said they recalled media reports that alcohol may have been involved.
As questioning continued, some prospective jurors disclosed connections to schools and communities tied to the case.
Passengers aboard Pino’s boat included his wife, his teenage daughter and 11 of her friends, many of whom attended private schools in Miami-Dade County.
One prospective juror said they graduated from a local private school around the time of the crash and were familiar with some of the students involved.
Another said references to schools and witnesses brought back memories of seeing posts and articles about the incident shared on social media.
A third said their child participates in youth sports with students from schools connected to the case.
Investigators said the boat struck a channel marker while returning from an outing on Biscayne Bay. Seventeen-year-old Lourdes Academy student Lucy Fernandez drowned after the crash.
Tinkler Mendez also addressed concerns that a prospective juror had been viewing a news report about the case on a cellphone while waiting outside the courtroom.
Another prospective juror reported hearing the report but said it was not loud enough for everyone in the area to hear.
Tinkler Mendez reminded prospective jurors to avoid news coverage and social media discussions related to the case as jury selection continues.
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