THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE TAMPA BAY SUPER BOWL LV HOST COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 2020
IN THIS EDITION
Features 3 Meet The Krewe
Get to know Michael Farrant, Multimedia Manager for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee.
5 GET READY TO EAT!
The Super Bowl LV Business Connect Program announces “Road to Gameday” Restaurant Week! Learn more about this initiative and how you can help fight food insecurity.
6 Getting involved
Registration to be a Community Ambassador is NOW LIVE! Don’t miss out on your chance to be involved with #TampaBayLV.
7 NFL GREEN Teams Up with The Military Tampa Bay veterans and active military assist to create a pollinator garden!
11 Team Tampa Bay’s Take - Destination: Tampa Bay Santiago Corrada, President & CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, writes a letter welcoming our community’s fifth Super Bowl to Tampa Bay with pride!
13 Tampa Bay 55 Podcast
See the new guests that have made virtual appearances on the Tampa Bay 55 podcast.
14 In the media
Discover what people are saying on social media about #TampaBayLV!
TAMPABAYLV.COM 2
Our team is a passionate group of MVPs who are ready to propel the #TampaBayLV movement forward forever. “Together, we will focus on raising the bar for the fan experience in the region, implementing lasting legacy initiatives, showcasing the destination’s recent progress and exciting future, all while delivering a fifth worldclass Super Bowl.” - Rob Higgins
Michael Farrant
Multimedia Manager
Michael Farrant is the Multimedia Manager for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee. In this role, he assists the Host Committee marketing team with day-to-day planning and execution of all multimedia initiatives, including public relations/communications, website, video creation, media buys as well as other new and traditional media. Michael joined the Tampa Bay Sports Commission (TBSC) on December 15, 2012 as the organization’s Multimedia Specialist and in 2019, he was promoted to Multimedia Manager. A content curator for the Sports Commission, Farrant is responsible for showcasing the Sports Commission’s ever-growing story, both regionally and nationally, via multiple creative outlets including design, digital, social, public relations and other traditional and new media. Michael joined the Sports Commission after spending five years as the Manager of Athletic Communications at Saint Leo University, and played a marketing role in a plethora of major Tampa Bay sporting events including, two NCAA Women’s Final Four’s, the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship, Frozen Four, NHL All-Star Game, WrestleMania 36 and Super Bowl LV. Michael graduated from Saint Leo University in 2007 with a degree in Sport Management. He currently resides in Tampa, FL, with his wife, Jen, and his son, Lucas.
Before your role with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, you spent five years in sports information with Saint Leo University’s Athletic Department. How did working in college athletics ignite your passion and dedication to the sports industry? When I first arrived at Saint Leo as a student in 2003, it was my dream to work in a college athletics department. I was incredibly blessed to have a strong support system that nudged me in the right direction, introducing me to the right people as a freshman. My student years allowed me to discover a series of opportunities in athletics, from coaching, game operations, to statistician. All of those individual moments led to me earning a position within the sports information department after graduation. Sports information at the Division II level offers a surplus of growth opportunities, and that is where I was able to hone my work ethic as well as my digital capabilities. Becoming a content curator was not my original goal, but with the expansion of social media and video marketing, I saw a need that I was able to take
advantage of. After my first video project, a men’s soccer season preview, I knew I found my niche and I never looked back. I cannot thank Saint Leo enough for allowing me the opportunity to find my passion and help build the foundation I would need to perform at the highest level. When you reflect on the last eight years with the Sports Commission, what are you most proud of? Eight years…Wow! What an unforgettable experience! Working together with so many remarkable organizations, meeting the most extraordinary people, and experiencing some of sports most memorable moments are just the tip of the iceberg. The Tampa Bay Sports Commission has become a trendsetter organization in many areas. Still, I am especially proud of the strides and leadership role our organization has taken on in the digital and social spaces. We have built an in-house digital marketing firm, that now allows us to showcase our story in unique, entertaining, and effective ways, while also building the largest social media following of any sports commission in the country. Ultimately though, I get to work in a field I am ultra-passionate about, alongside the best and brightest in the business. Whether it is telling the story of a local youth athlete overcoming an obstacle at our annual Sneaker Soiree, talking to the all-stars walking the red carpet or catching the reaction of the fans and guests experiencing all that Tampa Bay has to offer, every moment makes me proud. No one has a better understanding of “behind the scenes.” What is life like behind the camera? The “behind the scenes” life is certainly memorable and entertaining. You get to see, hear and experience so much more than what the final product may show when you hit play and that is my favorite part. Those are the moments I connect with and are the instances that make it all worthwhile. Most of the time, those moments are “laugh until you cry” situations, but I have seen and experienced the full spectrum of emotions. It’s also my chance to collaborate with others and articulate a personal vision of creativity. Whether they are collective or personal, watching ideas come to life on camera is one of the best feelings. You are primarily responsible for telling Team Tampa Bay’s story. What is it about this community that makes it a “best seller”? There is no other community like #TeamTampaBay. The comradery between individuals, companies, organizations, and franchises alike is something to see. The area’s never-ending support and partnership with one another helps tie the community together. I will always be able to lean back on this Super Bowl planning experience as the primary example of how we push and pull as one. Despite the current climate, each entity from the largest organization to local small business realizes the importance of Super Bowl week. To watch so many put the community’s greater good ahead of themselves is what Team Tampa Bay is all about. I’m just fortunate to have the opportunity to help shine a light on a part of this incredible team’s story.
TAMPABAYLV.COM 4
December 4 - 13, 2020
In celebration of Super Bowl LV, the Business Connect program is hosting a one-of-a-kind restaurant week. Calling on all friends and foodies, “Road to Gameday” Restaurant Week will highlight 40 diverse-owned restaurants in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco County. “Road to Gameday” Restaurant Week is our commitment to supporting the needs of our community. A portion of the proceeds from “Road to Gameday” Restaurant Week ($1 per meal) will be donated to Feeding Tampa Bay in support of the fight against hunger in Tampa Bay.
For more information, visit
roadtogamedayeats.com
Getting involved COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
LAST CHANCE TO VOLUNTEER FOR SUPER BOWL LV! We are looking for individuals who are friendly, reliable, passionate, team-oriented, and eager to show off Tampa Bay during Super Bowl LV week! There is still time to join our Community Ambassador Team for Super Bowl LV. Community Ambassadors will be needed in various critical locations throughout the Tampa Bay area. In addition to having a front-row seat to the events and festivities related to Super Bowl LV, you will also receive official Community Ambassador Apparel. To quality you must be customer service oriented and willing to assist with a variety of tasks while showcasing our beautiful Tampa Bay destination. Ambassadors must be 18 years of age by January 1, 2021 in order to complete an application and be willing to submit to a background check. During Super Bowl LV week, Ambassadors will be asked to work a minimum of three shifts, which are 4-6 hours in length. There will also be mandatory training completed virtually in late 2020 or early 2021. The application deadline is November 22!
REGISTER TODAY!
FAQ’S
Tampa Bay Veterans and Active Military Assist to Create Pollinator Garden NFL GREEN TEAMS UP WITH LOCAL PARTNERS AND MILITARY VETERANS FOR BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT AND CLEAN UP AT VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK In honor of military veterans and Veterans Day, a pollinator garden was created at Veterans Memorial Park in Tampa with the help of active duty military from MacDill Air Force Base and local veterans who assisted with the project. The planting and cleanup of the park is one of numerous Super Bowl community greening projects being implemented in the Tampa Bay area by NFL Green in partnership with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation, NFL partners Verizon, Oikos Triple Zero, CastrolÂŽ, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Super Bowl Host Committee Sustainability Program presented by Tampa Electric. On Thursday, November 5th, military volunteers helped to plant nearly 150 flowering plants and bushes to attract butterflies and other important pollinators to the garden located in front of the Veterans Resource Center on the grounds of the Veterans Memorial Park and LeRoy Collins, Jr. Veterans Museum in Tampa. Garden designers David Crawley and Jessica Soleyn were on hand to assist with the planting. In addition to beautifying the area, the pollinator garden will provide food to pollinators in the form of pollen and nectar, helping to ensure their survival as they play the critical role of pollinating crops for continued fruit and vegetable production.
7 TAMPABAYLV.COM
Hillsborough County leads the state of Florida in military veteran population and Florida is number two in the nation for number of veterans. Veterans Memorial Park is a popular gathering spot for veterans and their families and the site of ceremonies honoring veterans of all eras. The Veterans Resource Center onsite connects veterans and their dependents to earned VA benefits and programs free of charge. NFL Green, the National Football League’s sustainability program, is working with partners to create a green legacy in the Super Bowl host community of Tampa Bay. Projects have already been implemented to create and plant sand dunes to help prevent erosion and protect against storm damage at Picnic Island, plant trees at the Boys & Girls Club in Wimauma, remove invasive species and plant native plants and trees at Lowry Park and McKay Bay Nature Park. Additional “greening” projects are planned in the months leading up to Super Bowl to restore mangroves, create community gardens and plant trees. NFL Green and its partners are also working with Force Blue, a group of retired special ops veterans, on an innovative Super Bowl environmental project to continue restoration of a Florida coral reef. For Super Bowl LIV 100 corals were planted to restore a reef off Miami’s coast in honor of the NFL’s 100th season and in honor of America’s military veterans. Under the direction of Force Blue, the reef restoration project is being expanded for Super Bowl LV to become 100 Yards of Hope as a football field sized coral restoration project is created with corals grown at The Florida Aquarium in Tampa and the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School. Force Blue divers were in the water planting additional corals in October. The coral restoration project also includes the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School and Rescue a Reef Program, Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, Tervis and others as government, public and private partners work together to restore the national treasure that is Florida’s coral reef.
Click here for the full photo album from Veterans memorial park!
During these unprecedented times, members of #TeamTampaBay are coming together like never before to help raise up our community. Today, we are launching our virtual #TampaBayLV Game Ball campaign to recognize and honor the selfless individuals and organizations that are putting our community first. Game balls are traditionally given in sports to award MVP’s, great leadership or outstanding performances. Help us SHARE THE LOVE and deliver virtual game balls to deserving recipients by following us on social and by submitting nominations using our hashtag, #SHARETBLV, as we honor our hometown heroes for their generous acts of kindness.
How to nominate community MVP’s 1. Help identify individuals and organizations that are out helping by going above and beyond during these unprecedented times. 2. Share their story on Twitter and tag @TampaBayLV and #SHARETBLV, or... 3. Reply or comment to an already shared story by tagging @TampaBayLV and using #SHARETBLV.
TAMPABAYLV.COM 6
Our Founding Partner, Ashley HomeStore, is celebrating the kickoff of Football season with a sweepstakes for sports fans. Enter for a chance to win a $4,000 Ashley HomeStore shopping spree!
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISIT TAMPA BAY
Team Tampa Bay’s take By: Santiago Corrada President & CEO Visit Tampa Bay @SantiagoCorrada
DESTINATION: TAMPA BAY
A LETTER FROM VISIT TAMPA BAY’S PRESIDENT & CEO, SANTIAGO CORRADA If there is any city that can host a reimagined Super Bowl LV, it’s Tampa Bay. Rooted in centuriesold history with a resilient community and welcoming local businesses, Tampa Bay is the destination everyone needs to celebrate an NFL victory. While this year’s Super Bowl may look a little different, Tampa Bay welcomes it with pride as the destination prepares to safely welcome visitors and sports fans early next year. There has never been a better time to visit Tampa Bay. Brand-new hotels like the luxury J.W. Marriott Tampa Downtown and boutique Hotel Haya await new travelers. A melting pot of flavors is the truest representation of the city at new restaurants like the Sicilian Casa Santo Stefano or the Mexicaninspired, JOTORO. The vibrant, 2.6-mile-long Tampa Riverwalk will be the centerpiece to several outdoor events for the Super Bowl and is anchored by Sparkman Wharf, an outdoor shipping container foodie haven, and Armature Works, Tampa Bay’s elevated waterfront food hall. 11 TAMPABAYLV.COM
Tampa Bay’s brick-lined Latin quarter, Ybor City, is brimming with not only history, but also a glimpse of the city’s future. The city within a city is home to Florida’s oldest restaurant, Columbia Restaurant, and America’s oldest family-owned cigar factory and now museum, J.C. Newman Cigar Company. The iconic Seventh Avenue is the cornerstone of Tampa Bay’s diversity with authentic coffee shops, hand-rolled cigar shops, and the smell of fresh Cuban bread in the air. Tampa Bay is no stranger to large sporting events. While we hosted the last Super Bowl in 2009, we’ve also been home to several NCAA division championships, college football playoffs and an NHL All-Star game since then. And every time we host a major event, our city simply lights up, and we’re not just talking about projection mapping on skyscrapers. We’re talking about the small businesses that light up doors with bright neon “open” signs ready to welcome patrons. We’re talking about the attractions who light up their rides and stay open late while doing special events and extending their hours for their visitors. And more importantly, we’re talking about our community that lights up with pride as their home takes the global stage for the most popular game of the year. We’re ready. Santiago C. Corrada President & CEO Visit Tampa Bay
TAMPABAYLV.COM 12
The Tampa Bay 55 Podcast Long before the teams arrive at Raymond James Stadium, countless hours of work are dedicated to making the big game and the amazing spectacle that accompanies it an overwhelming success! Tampa Bay 55, a new podcast, is YOUR exclusive all-access behind-the-scenes pass, with the deal makers, hand shakers, celebrities, athletes and more. The podcast is hosted by Ryan Bass, anchor at 10 Tampa Bay, WTSP -- the CBS affiliated television station in the Tampa Bay area and Rob Higgins, executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee. They will be joined by special guests weekly as we countdown to the main event in the heart of Florida’s gorgeous west coast! New episodes will be released weekly. Super Bowl LV will be broadcast nationally on CBS. Click the icon to listen!
New on the pod: Episode 40: » LaKendria Robinson, Director of Business Connect and Community Outreach for #TampaBayLV » Claire Lessinger, Chief Operating officer for #TampaBayLV Episode 41: » Erik Neander, General Manager for the Tampa Bay Rays » Eric Hart, Chief Operating Officer of the Tampa Sports Authority Episode 42: » Jason Pierre-Paul, OLB for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Episode 43: » Tony Mulkey, City of Tampa Special Events Superintendent
WE WANT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS! CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOURS.
TOP PLAYS
Check out some of the top moments from the Tampa bay 55 podcast! CLICK HERE TO WATCH!
In the Media
See what people are saying about #TampaBayLV on social media! Tag us and use the hashtag, #TampaBayLV, to show your support for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee. Maybe you could end up being showcased in TOUCHDOWN Tampa Bay, too!
Follow Our Flow @TAMPABAYLV
TAMPABAYLV.COMTAMPABAYLV.COM 10