Sunrise, Florida - Just a few minutes of looking around the arena, noticing groups making the drive and speaking with fans from all around, it is quickly evident that the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic is offering more than just a game for the county.
In Broward County's only NCAA Division 1 basketball game all year, with Florida Atlantic in Palm Beach County and the University of Miami in Miami-Dade, today's double-header is offering fans in Broward a unique opportunity to see the highest level of college basketball.
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| Photo: Aaron Baru |
But it's more than just fans from in the county. A quick glance around the 19,250-seat Amerant Bank Arena shows groups all over, and from all over. Groups of fans from the University of Florida, and others from Florida St., two of the teams in this year's Classic. It's students, team staff, event officials, media, and of course the teams themselves. So much goes into making a Division 1 basketball game happen, and all those involved bring money right back into the local economy itself. From hotels, to restaurants, to any dollar spent while visiting here, Broward County's only Division 1 game of the year is an important spot on the county's events calendar.
Year-after-year, the Orange Bowl Committee hosts this game, creating another opportunity for the Orange Bowl to contribute to South Florida in more than just one football game a year. The Orange Bowl Basketball Classic gets youth groups involved, noticed all throughout the arena's three levels, and creates another opportunity during the year to engage with the region. The Orange Bowl is now much more than just football, and today the focus is all on basketball.
As thousands contribute to the region's local economy, it is important to remember that events like these are the lifeblood of a local economy. A region cannot just focus on conventions, not just on tourism, but on all types of events. Between today and last night, with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra having performed on top of where the basketball court is just 12 hours ago, over 15,000 fans will have passed through this arena, many of which making the trip from out of the county. It is a win for Broward, as today's Classic is yet another example of how events play a big part in boosting the region's economy.
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