Florida has hosted the Super Bowl. This summer, it will host World Cup action. And year after year, it’s one of the epicenters of spring training for Major League Baseball. So what’s the next goal? Well, according to Jason Siegel, president and executive director of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, the biggest event of all: The Summer Olympics.

Baby boomers (and older members of Gen X), recall America’s bicentennial in 1976, as well as all the hype around it. These days, many of those people (who as kids, marched in parades while wearing red, white and blue patches on their Little League uniforms) are senior event owners and are looking to inject some of that energy this year (the 250th).

With popularity comes scrutiny. Take pickleball. It might be the fastest-growing sport in the USA but not everyone is a fan. Carmel-by-the-Sea on the California coast has become the first city in the state to ban (yes, ban) pickleball at public facilities, citing noise complaints. And now there’s also a nonprofit called Pickleball Noise Relief.

Some of this summer’s FIFA World Cup destinations are reporting a bump in interest from those who like to travel for sports. Kansas City, Missouri and Houston, in particular, have seen spikes not only in traveler interest but also in bookings. That means hotels, restaurants, bars and other businesses are bracing for the onslaught of tourists.

Among team sports, basketball has continued to be a leader in participation. Data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s 2025 Participation Report shows 31.9 million U.S. participants ages six and up, which is a one-year jump of 7.5 percent and a whopping 28.2 percent increase since 2019, well ahead of other traditional team sports.

IRONMAN might be one of the largest and most recognizable brands in the event market but that doesn’t mean it’s static. The organization closed out the year with a report showing the number of athletes under 30 grew 35 percent this year. It’s not alone, though; other multisport events have made huge gains as well. What is triathlon doing right?