The Tampa Bay Storm were a professional arena football team based in Tampa , Florida , US. It played in the Arena Football League (AFL). Originally the team was located in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , and operated as the Pittsburgh Gladiators . The franchise was one of the original four that launched the Arena Football League for its inaugural season in 1987. The club was relocated to the Tampa Bay area for the 1991 season, being the last of the original teams to either fold or leave its market. After 26 years in the Tampa market, the team ceased operations in December 2017.
106-612: The team actually played outside Tampa in nearby St. Petersburg from 1991 to 1996, then in Tampa until 2008, after which point the AFL suspended operations and did not return until the 2010 season following the league's restructuring. It had been in the same city for longer than any other AFL team. During its tenure the franchise won five ArenaBowl championships. With 241 wins, the Storm had won far more games than any other team in AFL history. After
212-497: A humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ) with some characteristics of a tropical monsoon climate ( Am ), with a defined rainy season from June through September. Many portions of St. Petersburg, especially along the bay and in south St. Petersburg, have tropical microclimates due to the maritime influence of the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay . As a result, tropical flora like coconut palms and royal palms can be found throughout
318-409: A $ 3.75 million quarterly licensing payment to Authentic Brands Group. Two weeks later, on January 19, Authentic Brands Group terminated its licensing agreement. As a result, The Arena Group fought back by announcing that it would lay off the entire Sports Illustrated staff. In March 2024, Authentic Brands Group licensed the publishing rights to Minute Media in a 10-year deal, jointly announcing that
424-582: A citywide election during the summer of 2013. Following this, the "Pier Park" was chosen out of the 16 new design teams that submitted work in late 2014 and in 2015 the Pier Park was set for construction in early 2017. The new Pier District opened on July 6, 2020, and contains green space, the Marketplace, playground, splash pad, and several public art installations, including Janet Echelman 's aerial net sculpture, Bending Art . Downtown also contains
530-517: A franchise in a single market area. It was also the last of the original four franchises (the Chicago Bruisers , Denver Dynamite and Washington Commandos were the other three) to have operated in continuous existence from the formation of the league in 1987 until the present decade before ceasing operations. When arena football was first announced in 1986, Jim Foster targeted Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for an inaugural franchise due to
636-611: A full-scale flying replica of the Benoist XIV flying boat was constructed by Florida Aviation Historical Society for the 70th anniversary of the flight. This aircraft is now on loan to the St. Petersburg Museum of History in St. Petersburg, Florida. Development of the first Major League Baseball team to be located in the Tampa Bay area began in St. Petersburg throughout the 1970s. The city tried to encourage numerous teams through
742-537: A mile, the first-ever time a mile had been run under four minutes. Both men and women have won the award, originally called "Sportsman of the Year" and renamed "Sportswoman of the Year" or "Sportswomen of the Year" when applicable; it is currently known as "Sportsperson of the Year." The 2017 winners of the award are Houston Texans defensive end J. J. Watt and Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve . Both athletes were recognized for their efforts in helping rebuild
848-567: A native of Newport, North Carolina , established his wholesale fish business at the end of the railroad pier, which extended out to the shipping channel. Within a year, Hibbs Fish Company was shipping more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg) of fish each day. St. Petersburg was incorporated as a city in June 1903. With this transition, the development of the downtown waterfront had dredging of a deeper shipping channel from 1906 to 1908 which opened St. Petersburg to larger shipping. Further dredging improved
954-499: A similar partnership with Morning Read for golf coverage, with its website being merged into that of Sports Illustrated . It also partnered with iHeartMedia to distribute and co-produce podcasts . In September 2021, Maven, now known as The Arena Group, acquired the New Jersey–based sports news website The Spun , which would integrate into Sports Illustrated . In 2022, ABG announced several non-editorial ventures involving
1060-414: A title insurance company, according to media reports. On December 23, 2004, Sports Illustrated reported that the AFL's players' union filed a grievance against the Storm. The reason was that seven of the Storm's players claimed that some of the diamonds in their 2003 AFL championship rings were fake. Six of the seven players had left the team after the 2003 season. The Storm acknowledged that some of
1166-463: A weekly magazine, especially during the winter. A number of advisers to Luce, including Life magazine's Ernest Havemann, tried to kill the idea, but Luce, who was not a sports fan, decided the time was right. Luce and editors of the planned magazine met in 1954 at Pine Lakes Country Club , the oldest golf course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina . The course's pro shop has a plaque mentioning
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#17327799962701272-541: Is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel , it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twice. It is also known for its annual swimsuit issue , which has been published since 1964, and has spawned other complementary media works and products. Owned until 2018 by Time Inc. , it
1378-401: Is also credited with the conception and creation of the annual Swimsuit Issue , which quickly became, and remains, the most popular issue each year. In 1986, co-owned property HBO/Cannon Video had inked a pact to produce video versions of the magazine for $ 20 on the sell-through market, running just 30–45 minutes on the tape. In 1990, Time Inc. merged with Warner Communications to form
1484-508: Is headquartered in the downtown area. The Poynter Institute , which owns the paper, is located on 3rd Street South. The Mahaffey Theater complex, the Morean Arts Center , dozens of other art galleries, The Coliseum, Palladium Theatre , and Jannus Live are among the galleries and cultural venues featured downtown. Several prominent museums are located in the perimeter. Many of them have received notable accolades, including
1590-480: Is home to more than 100 neighborhoods, with most of the historic districts located near the bay. On the central Eastern edge of the city is Downtown St. Petersburg , which includes the city's residential and commercial skyscrapers, art galleries, museums, and parks. The downtown area is home to the central business district and to many start-up companies , corporate branches, banks, law firms, and restaurants. Apart from downtown's business and cultural offerings,
1696-477: Is located on the Pinellas peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico , and is connected to mainland Florida to the north. Locals often refer to the city as St. Pete . Neighboring St. Pete Beach formally shortened its name in 1994 after a vote by its residents. St. Petersburg is governed by a mayor and city council. With an average of 361 days of sunshine annually, and a Guinness World Record for
1802-497: Is rapidly growing as development spreads down Central Avenue. North of downtown lie the Historic Old Northeast and Snell Isle , which both have Mediterranean style historic and waterfront homes, parks, and recreational areas. Old Northeast is home to a shopping district , city landmarks, beaches, and small shops as well as small residential high rises. Snell Isle was founded by C. Perry Snell who bought up
1908-539: The Silver Meteor ). Travel time from across the bay was cut due to the Gandy Bridge 's opening in 1924, allowing direct access to Tampa and the rest of central Florida. The city took on a Mediterranean flair, with Old Spanish Trail style architecture promoted by Snell Isle founder Perry Snell, whose new country club island homes adopted many elements of Moorish design. Those same elements were echoed in
2014-477: The Army Air Force chose the city as their technical service training station. The hotels filled for the first time in years, as up to 100,000 troops came to St. Petersburg. After the war, many of those troops who were stationed in St. Petersburg returned as residents or tourists. In the 1950s, St. Petersburg experienced another population boom, with the return of retiree resettlement to the city. In 1954
2120-772: The Chihuly Collection presented by the Morean Arts Center, the Museum of Fine Arts , the Salvador Dalí Museum , the now-closed Florida International Museum , the St. Petersburg Museum of History , Florida Holocaust Museum , and the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art . The city hosts many outdoor festivals throughout the year. St. Petersburg's downtown has been rated among the best in
2226-731: The Philadelphia Soul by a score of 44–40. In December 2017, the Storm announced it was ceasing operations due to increasing operating costs combined with decreasing team revenue. Ownership did not rule out future participation in a "stronger, reinvented AFL." The Storm was the last of the original four AFL teams to cease operations. Fullbacks Wide receivers Defensive linemen Defensive backs Kickers Inactive reserve League suspension Other league exempt Inactive reserve Refuse to report Recallable reassignment Rookies in itlatics Roster Archived 2016-07-13 at
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#17327799962702332-629: The Sports Illustrated brand, including an apparel line for JCPenney "inspired by iconic moments in sports" (it was not the brand's first foray into clothing, as it launched a branded swimsuit line in conjunction with its Swimsuit Issue in 2018), and resort hotels in Orlando and Punta Cana . In September 2023, it delved deeper into the resort world through a new partnership with Travel + Leisure . On November 27, 2023, Futurism published an article alleging that Sports Illustrated
2438-599: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 137.6 square miles (356.4 km ). 61.7 square miles (159.9 km ) of it is land, and 75.9 square miles (196.5 km ) of it (55.13%) is water. St. Petersburg is bordered by Tampa Bay's three sections, Old, Middle and Lower Tampa Bay. Downtown St. Petersburg is the Central Business District, containing high rises for office use. The Tampa Bay Times newspaper
2544-673: The University of Colorado Boulder . In 1999, Sports Illustrated named Muhammad Ali the Sportsman of the Century at the Sports Illustrated ' s 20th Century Sports Awards in New York City 's Madison Square Garden . In 2015, the magazine renamed its Sportsman Legacy Award to the Sports Illustrated' s Muhammad Ali Legacy Award. The annual award was originally created in 2008 and honors former "sports figures who embody
2650-512: The University of South Florida St. Petersburg and a downtown branch of St. Petersburg College . The downtown perimeter includes several parks, most of which are waterfront or lakefront. Straub Park is nearly a half mile long, boasts a waterfront location, and is home of the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts. Because of the number of parks in the downtown area, The Trust for Public Land ranks St. Petersburg 1st in Florida and 15th out of 100 of
2756-482: The Wayback Machine updated August 14, 2017 24 Active, 21 Inactive The following Gladiators/Storm players were named to All-Arena Teams: The following Gladiators/Storm players were named to All-Ironman Teams: The following Gladiators/Storm players were named to All-Rookie Teams: Coaches The Storm created an official cheerleading squad called
2862-478: The "Storm Cheerleaders." The Tampa Bay Storm games were broadcast on Storm Radio, which was on 1250-AM WHNZ . The final radio play-by-play announcer was Darek Sharp , who was also a producer and broadcaster for AM 620 WDAE, and the radio color commentator was Ian Beckles . St. Petersburg, Florida St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida , United States. As of the 2020 census,
2968-519: The "bonus piece". These well-written, in-depth articles helped to distinguish Sports Illustrated from other sports publications, and helped launch the careers of such legendary writers as Frank Deford , who in March 2010 wrote of Laguerre, "He smoked cigars and drank Scotch and made the sun move across the heavens ... His genius as an editor was that he made you want to please him, but he wanted you to do that by writing in your own distinct way." Laguerre
3074-419: The 1920s. Lang eventually became mayor and ambassador for the city, and helped its permanent population grow tenfold in just a decade. In 1914 an airplane service across Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg to Tampa and back was initiated, generally considered the first scheduled commercial airline flight. The flight took former mayor Abe Pheil to Tampa. The company name was the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line , and
3180-439: The 1940s, these magazines were monthly, which prevented them from cover current events. There was no large-base, general, weekly sports magazine with a national following on actual active events. It was then that Time patriarch Henry Luce began considering whether his company should attempt to fill that gap. At the time, many believed sports was beneath the attention of serious journalism and did not think sports news could fill
3286-576: The 1960s with the completion of the Howard Frankland Bridge in 1960, creating another connection between St. Petersburg and Tampa. St. Petersburg also received its first stadium named the Bayfront Center which hosted the first professional hockey league in Tampa Bay. A new municipal marina and the Museum of Fine Arts were also built downtown. St. Petersburg is home to one of the world's largest reclaimed water systems that
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3392-483: The 1980 census. Racial tensions persisted, and the city was rocked by the 1996 riots , sparked by the shooting of a black teenager by a white St. Pete police officer. Growth stagnated in the subsequent decade and a half, but since the Great Recession , renewed interest in urban living by family aged residents and the expansion of the downtown university and related services has renewed its growth. According to
3498-475: The ArenaBowl in its first season in Tampa Bay ( V ) and has won four subsequent championships ( VII , IX , X , and XVII ). Up to the 2006 season, the Storm had qualified for the playoffs in every season but one during their time in Tampa Bay. The team played in the former ThunderDome in St. Petersburg (now called Tropicana Field ) from 1991– 1996 , becoming its first regular team sports tenant. Since 1997 ,
3604-567: The Grand Central District. South of downtown is Historic Roser Park , which houses historic Mediterranean and Eclectic style housing, parks, and museums. The neighborhood is divided by Booker Creek which flows into Bayboro Harbor. In far western St. Petersburg, north of the separate city of South Pasadena, Florida , is the neighborhood of Pasadena, which includes the intersection of State Road 693 (Pasadena Avenue) and County Road 150 (Central Avenue). St. Petersburg has
3710-748: The North and the Midwest by automobile, yacht, and railroad. The city was the principal Gulf Coast destination for long-distance trains of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad 's Southland (from Chicago and Cincinnati) and Gulf Coast Limited (from New York, succeeded by the West Coast Champion ), and Seaboard Air Line Railroad trains such as the Southern States Special (from New York, succeeded by
3816-525: The Pier Hotel (formally Hotel Cordova), built in 1921, and The Exchange Hotel (formally The Heritage Hotel), built in 1926. The first major newspaper to debut in Tampa Bay was the St. Petersburg Times which established in 1884. Philadelphia publisher F. A. Davis turned on St. Petersburg's first electrical service in 1897. The city's first major industry was born in 1899 when Henry W. Hibbs (1862–1942),
3922-699: The South, with many waterfront parks and attractions. The area's gulf beaches are a 10-mile (16 km) drive from downtown, and are connected with downtown by the SunRunner Bus Rapid Transit line. Jutting a half mile into the bay is the St. Petersburg Pier , a major tourist attraction that offers various activities. "The Lens" design which was chosen by the International Design Competition Jury and accepted by City Council later had its contract terminated by
4028-515: The Storm organization, using his work email address. In April 2011, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks became a part owner and the team president for the Storm. After a 7–4 start to the 2013 season, the Storm lost the final seven games of the season, but still qualified for the postseason. The Storm played well in their playoff game, but came up just short against the Jacksonville Sharks . The team's collapse lead to
4134-578: The Storm to Robert Nucci for just over $ 9.6 million, while still maintaining control of the other 49%. The Storm followed a 9–7 season and first-round playoff exit in 2007 with an 8–8 finish in 2008 . The team salvaged the .500 record by defeating the Los Angeles Avengers 72–47 in Tampa. There was no 2009 Arena Football League season due to the league's ongoing financial difficulties, which resulted in its filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy , later converted to Chapter 11 , leaving it uncertain if
4240-428: The Storm, arguably the most successful team in the history of any form of indoor football , would ever play another game. A new arena football league, originally called Arena Football 1, formed in 2009. The Storm was not one of the initial 16 teams announced. However, Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings owner Dan Newman mentioned that the Storm were one of at least two former AFL franchises that were being negotiated with,
4346-683: The Time-Life news bureaux in Paris and London (for a time he ran both simultaneously), Laguerre attracted Henry Luce's attention in 1956 with his singular coverage of the Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo , Italy, which became the core of SI' s coverage of those games. In May 1956, Luce brought Laguerre to New York to become the assistant managing editor of the magazine. He was named managing editor in 1960, and he more than doubled
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4452-596: The United States to make St. Petersburg their new home. Designs for a ballpark were first presented in 1983 and construction for a permanent dome stadium began in 1986. This process controversially required the demolition of the mostly-Black Gas Plant neighborhood. The stadium opened in 1990 as the Florida Suncoast Dome, renamed the Thunderdome in 1993. After many attempts to attract tenants to
4558-428: The age of 18 living in them, 37,847 (34.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 16,425 (15.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4,849 (4.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 9,453 (3.9%) unmarried partnerships. 39,397 households (36.2%) were made up of individuals, and 28,267 (26.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
4664-610: The area also includes a branch of St. Petersburg College and the campus of the University of South Florida-St. Petersburg. The downtown district is home to two professional sports teams, the Tampa Bay Rays, which play in the western part of downtown at Tropicana Field, and the Tampa Bay Rowdies, which play along the downtown waterfront at Al Lang Stadium. The emerging Edge district on the western edge of downtown
4770-651: The area of Tampa Bay, they encountered people of the Safety Harbor culture . About 20 sites with temple mounds have been found around Tampa Bay, with several in Pinellas County. Best known of the Safety Harbor people was the chiefdom of Tocobaga , which was likely located at the Safety Harbor site in Philippe Park in northern Pinellas County. The Pánfilo de Narváez expedition landed on
4876-503: The beach repeatedly and arresting protesters. This continued up to & after the Alsup v. St. Petersburg ruling in April 1957 that St. Petersburg could not segregate the beach or pool. After continued pressure from residents through swim-in's, on January 6, 1959, the government officially reopened them as an integrated beach and pool. The development of major transportation continued into
4982-429: The circulation by instituting a system of departmental editors, redesigning the internal format, and inaugurating the unprecedented use in a news magazine of full-color photographic coverage of the week's sports events. He was also one of the first to sense the rise of national interest in professional football . Laguerre also instituted the innovative concept of one long story at the end of every issue, which he called
5088-530: The city of Houston following Hurricane Harvey in addition to Altuve being a part of the Astros team that won the franchise's first World Series in 2017. The 2018 winners are the Golden State Warriors as a team for winning their third NBA Title in four years. The 2021 winner is Tom Brady for his Super Bowl 55 win. The 2023 winner is Deion Sanders for his coaching of the football team at
5194-536: The city's new Vinoy, Jungle Country Club, Don Cesar and other fine hotels, as well as in Snell's new skyscraper office building downtown. The 1926 opening of the Million Dollar Pier marked the peak of the boom, adding an attraction that brought both tourists and townspeople together to enjoy fishing, amusements, trolley access and even a local radio station. The St. Petersburg flag was created in 1927 and
5300-508: The city, 5,272 (2.2%) were Puerto Rican , 2,855 (1.2%) were Mexican , 2,835 (1.2%) were Cuban , and other Hispanic or Latino residents made up 5,252 (2.1%) of the population. According to the 2010 census , the city population density was 3,964.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,530.7/km ). 84.1% of households were occupied while 15.9% were not occupied. 3,888 (1.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group-quarters and 2,719 (1.1%) were institutionalized. As of 2010, 23,304 (21.4%) had children under
5406-578: The city, and the city is home to the Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum, a 2-acre (0.81 ha) park which houses over 500 palms and cycads, including a pair of large Jamaican Tall coconut palms which predate the freeze of 1989. St. Petersburg, like the rest of the Tampa Bay area, is occasionally affected by tropical storms and hurricanes . There were 2 hurricanes in 2024 that hit St. Petersburg within 2 weeks of each other: Hurricane Helene followed by Hurricane Milton. Prior to this,
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#17327799962705512-409: The company's license. Arena, in turn, laid off the publication's editorial staff. In March 2024, ABG licensed the publishing rights to Minute Media in a 10-year deal, jointly announcing that the print and digital editions would be revived by rehiring some of the editorial staff. In May 2024, Sports Illustrated failed to deliver a print copy of the publication for the month to its subscribers for
5618-581: The current magazine was launched on August 9, 1954. In 1936, Stuart Scheftel created Sports Illustrated with a target market of sportsmen. He published the magazine monthly from 1936 to 1942. The magazine focused on golf, tennis, and skiing with articles on the major sports. He then sold the name to Dell Publications, which released Sports Illustrated in 1949 and this version lasted six issues before closing. Dell's version focused on major sports (baseball, basketball, boxing) and competed on magazine racks against Sports and other monthly sports magazines. During
5724-705: The digital media company theMaven, Inc. under a 10-year contract, with Ross Levinsohn as CEO. The company had backed a bid by Junior Bridgeman to acquire SI . In preparation for the closure of the sale to ABG and Maven, The Wall Street Journal reported that there would be Sports Illustrated employee layoffs, which was confirmed after the acquisition had closed. In October 2019, editor-in-chief Chris Stone stepped down. Later that month, Sports Illustrated announced its hiring of veteran college sports writer Pat Forde . In January 2020, it announced an editorial partnership with The Hockey News , focusing on syndication of NHL-related coverage. In 2021, it announced
5830-475: The editors to merge the best color with the latest news. By 1967, the magazine was printing 200 pages of "fast color" a year; in 1983, SI became the first American full-color newsweekly. An intense rivalry developed between photographers , particularly Walter Iooss and Neil Leifer , to get a decisive cover shot that would be on newsstands and in mailboxes only a few days later. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, during Gilbert Rogin 's term as Managing Editor,
5936-516: The feature stories of Frank Deford became the magazine's anchor. "Bonus pieces" on Pete Rozelle , Woody Hayes , Bear Bryant , Howard Cosell and others became some of the most quoted sources about these figures, and Deford established a reputation as one of the best writers of the time. After more than a decade of steady losses, the magazine's fortunes finally turned around in the 1960s when Andre Laguerre became its managing editor. A European correspondent for Time, Inc., who later became chief of
6042-411: The firing of Ewart. One month later, the team announced they had promoted offensive coordinator , and Storm legend Lawrence Samuels to the team's head coach. Samuels and the Storm mutually agreed to part ways in August 2016. On October 25, 2016, Ron James was named the head coach. In 2017, the Storm finished the regular season with a 10–4 record and later advanced to ArenaBowl XXX , where they lost to
6148-572: The first all-women winning group in 1958. Maya Moore of the WNBA 's Minnesota Lynx was the inaugural winner of the award in 2017. Since 1954, Sports Illustrated has annually presented the Sportsperson of the Year award to "the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement." Roger Bannister won the first-ever Sportsman of the Year award thanks to his record-breaking time of 3:59.4 for
6254-519: The first ever AFL regular season game. The Gladiators participated in ArenaBowls I and III , losing both. The team moved to St. Petersburg, Florida in 1991 , with the team taking on the "Storm" moniker. A Cleveland Arena Football League franchise later bore the Gladiators name; however, other than the coincidental names the two organizations shared no link in histories. The Storm won
6360-558: The first time in the magazine's 70-year history, according to the New York Post ’s Josh Kosman (May 17, 2024). As of November 2024, Sports Illustrated has not mailed any print issues to its subscribers for seven months (the last magazine delivered being the April 2024 issue), because its former publisher refuses to turn over the subscriber list to the new publisher, according to Sports Business Journal (May 20, 2024). There were two previous magazines named Sports Illustrated before
6466-761: The great football tradition of the area. The franchise was originally known as the Pittsburgh Gladiators , and was one of the original four AFL teams formed in 1987 . The team was named by Robert Ninehouser whose entry for the team name was selected in 1987. They originally played their home games at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. On June 19, 1987, the Gladiators defeated the Washington Commandos 48–46 in
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#17327799962706572-401: The honor of naming the city. When Demens won the coin toss, the city was named after Saint Petersburg, Russia , where Peter Demens had spent half of his youth, while John C. Williams named the first hotel after his birthplace, Detroit (a hotel built by Demens). The Detroit Hotel still exists downtown on Central Ave, but has been turned into a condominium . The oldest operating hotels are
6678-552: The ideals of sportsmanship, leadership and philanthropy as vehicles for changing the world." Ali first appeared on the magazine's cover in 1963 and went on to be featured on numerous covers during his storied career. His widow, Lonnie Ali, is consulted when choosing a recipient. In 2017, football quarterback Colin Kaepernick was honored with the Award, which was presented by Beyoncé . In 2018, WWE professional wrestler John Cena
6784-524: The land to develop upscale properties in the 1900s, and helped create some of St. Petersburg's resorts such as the Vinoy Park Hotel and the St. Petersburg Woman's Club , both of which are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The far north consists of the Gateway area which overlaps part of Pinellas Park, home to major employers such as Home Shopping Network and currently
6890-751: The largest cities in the U.S. The Vinoy Park Hotel has a bayfront location, a spot on the National Register of Historic Places , and an AAA Four-Diamond rating. It fronts Vinoy Park , which holds music festivals, including the Warped Tour . Nearby is the historic Tramor Cafeteria building, now part of the Tampa Bay Times . The city is connected via the Looper Trolley. Many dining and nightlife locations can be found downtown on or near Central Avenue extending to 34th Street in
6996-580: The last time a hurricane directly struck the city was in 1946 . As of the 2020 United States census , there were 258,308 people, 111,957 households, and 59,448 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 244,769 people, 106,755 households, and 58,353 families residing in the city. In 2010, of all Asian residents, 0.8% were Vietnamese , 0.5% were Filipino , 0.5% were Indian , 0.3% were Chinese , 0.1% were Korean , 0.1% were Japanese , and 1.0% were other Asians. Also in 2010, of all Hispanic or Latino people within
7102-471: The magazine seemed caught between two opposing views of its audience. Much of the subject matter was directed at upper-class activities such as yachting , polo and safaris , but upscale would-be advertisers were unconvinced that sports fans were a significant part of their market. In 1965, offset printing began. This allowed the color pages of the magazine to be printed overnight, not only producing crisper and brighter images, but also finally enabling
7208-408: The media conglomerate Time Warner . In 2014, Time Inc. was spun off from Time Warner. In 2018, the magazine was sold to Meredith Corporation by means of its acquisition of parent company Time Inc. . Meredith, however, planned to sell Sports Illustrated due to not aligning with its lifestyle properties. Authentic Brands Group announced its intent to acquire Sports Illustrated for $ 110 million
7314-433: The meetings, and the plaque also states that the first issue was given to the course. It is on display there. Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association executive director Tracy Conner credits the magazine with making Myrtle Beach a golf destination. Many at Time-Life scoffed at Luce's idea; in his Pulitzer Prize –winning biography, Luce and His Empire , W. A. Swanberg wrote that the company's intellectuals dubbed
7420-528: The most consecutive days of sunshine (768 days between 1967 and 1969), it is nicknamed "The Sunshine City." Located on the Gulf of Mexico, the average water temperature is typically around 76 °F (24 °C). Due to its good weather, the city has long been a popular retirement destination, although in recent years the population has moved in a much more youthful direction. When the Spanish first arrived in
7526-565: The new league's 2010 season, with some players from the former roster, and once again coached by Tim Marcum and this time owned by Tampa Bay Storm Partners LLC, a group led by Todd Boren, a previous partner with the Orlando Predators and the Arizona Rattlers. The AFL released the schedule for the season on December 31, 2009. The Storm returned during the opening weekend of the season on April 3, 2010. On February 17, 2010, it
7632-437: The new stadium, Major League Baseball gave St. Petersburg a franchise in 1995. In 1996, the dome was renamed a third time to Tropicana Field after naming rights were established with Tropicana Dole Beverages . The Tampa Bay Devil Rays was then established in 1998 after the stadium's renovation and the new team played their first game on March 31, 1998, giving the Tampa Bay area their first professional baseball team. I-275
7738-482: The next year, stating that it would leverage its brand and other assets for new opportunities that "stay close to the DNA and the heritage of the brand." Upon the announcement, Meredith would enter into a licensing agreement to continue as publisher of the Sports Illustrated editorial operations for at least the next two years. In June 2019, the rights to publish the Sports Illustrated editorial operations were licensed to
7844-549: The opportunity to sell the Storm, receiving an offer from Michigan mortgage broker Thom Hopper for what was then a record price of $ 12 million. Hopper submitted two payments totaling $ 1.6 million before Kern regained possession of the team. Later in 2006, Hopper pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges that authorities say resulted from his attempt to buy the Storm. He was sentenced in January to nearly three years in prison and ordered to pay at least $ 1.8 million in restitution to
7950-423: The original Sunshine Skyway Bridge opened its first span to link St. Petersburg with Manatee County , connecting the next year to U.S. Route 19 in the city. With a large influx of car traffic, it was decided to remove the city's streetcar lines. From 1955 to 1959, Black residents led concerted swim-ins of the segregated Spa Beach & Spa pool. The St. Petersburg government continually fought this, closing
8056-575: The other being the San Jose SaberCats . The new organization bought the rights to the intellectual property , including the team names, logos, histories, and patented rules of the old AFL in a bankruptcy auction, which allowed it to function essentially as a full successor; after this action, the name Arena Football 1 was dropped and the group resumed operating as the Arena Football League. The Storm resumed full operations for
8162-497: The other side advocating for a long-term commitment to parks and public access to the waterfront. The public access and park contingent won the debate when, on Christmas Eve 1909, the city announced the acquisition of the waterfront land that is encompassed by the waterfront park system. The city is also becoming one of the largest destinations in Florida for kiteboarding with locations such as Fort De Soto Park , Pass-a-Grille , and Ten-Cent. The St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club
8268-487: The pilot was Tony Jannus flying a Benoist XIV flying boat . The Tony Jannus Award is presented annually for outstanding achievement in the airline industry. St. Petersburg's first library opened on December 1, 1915, which still operates to this day as the Mirror Lake Library . The city and its tourism industry burgeoned in the 1920s, with up to a quarter million visitors annually coming from Canada,
8374-459: The population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the most populous city in the state that is not a county seat (the city of Clearwater is the seat of Pinellas County). It is the second-most populous city in the Tampa Bay area , which is the second-largest metropolitan area in Florida with an estimated population of about 3.29 million in 2022. St. Petersburg
8480-442: The port facilities through the 1910s. By then the city's population had quadrupled to a population of 4,127 citizens. F. A. Davis was instrumental to bringing the first trolley service in 1904. In 1914, Al Lang invited the St. Louis Browns to move their spring training into the city, then worked tirelessly to make Grapefruit League training in and around St. Petersburg the destination for baseball teams and their fans by
8586-423: The position for 15 years. He left as the AFL's all-time winningest head coach with 211 wins. Dave Ewart was named as the team's new head coach the next day. His resignation was sparked by an admission in a deposition related to a lawsuit he had filed against the Storm's previous owner, Robert Nucci. In that deposition, Marcum admitted to forwarding emails that were pornographic and racially tinged to other members of
8692-441: The print and digital editions would be revived by rehiring some of the editorial staff. In 1956, Sports Illustrated began presenting annual awards to fashion or clothing designers who had excelled in the field of sportswear/activewear. The first ASDAs of 1956, presented to Claire McCardell with a separate Designer of the Year award to Rudi Gernreich , were chosen following a vote of 200 American top retailers. The following year,
8798-437: The proposed magazine "Muscle", "Jockstrap", and "Sweat Socks". Launched on August 9, 1954, it was not profitable (and would not be for 12 years) and not particularly well-run at first, but Luce's timing was good. The popularity of spectator sports in the United States was about to explode, and that popularity came to be driven largely by three things: economic prosperity, television, and Sports Illustrated . The early issues of
8904-417: The report, a spokesperson for Sports Illustrated claimed that the affected articles were product reviews written without the involvement of AI by AdVon Commerce, a third-party company who they claimed used pseudonyms to "protect author privacy" and had already severed ties with; meanwhile, writers and editors at the magazine sharply criticized the alleged practices. On January 5, 2024, The Arena Group missed
9010-529: The rings did, in fact, include cubic zirconia instead of diamonds, and that different players received greater amounts of diamonds in their rings based on their contributions that season. The Storm ended the 2006 season with a 7–9 record (4th in their division), ending a 19-year streak of playoff appearances, dating back to their days as the Gladiators and the start of the Arena Football League . In December 2007, Kern sold 51% of his stake in
9116-524: The shores of Boca Ciega Bay at the Jungle Prada Site on April 14, 1528. It was the first inland exploration of North America. Of 300 men on the expedition only four survived. One of the survivors of the expedition, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca , wrote the first book describing the peoples, wildlife, flora and fauna of inland North America in his Relacion , published in Spain in 1542. The city
9222-541: The site of much construction of residential and business buildings and of new toll roads. The central portion of St. Petersburg includes the Grand Central District and Historic Kenwood . The Grand Central District houses many of the city's cafes, art galleries, restaurants, and bars all owing to the Craftsman style architecture. Historic Kenwood is filled with art studios and galleries similarly to
9328-511: The stadium was planned for 2012; however, the proposal was tabled indefinitely while a community-based organization investigates all alternatives for new stadium construction. In 2022, the Rays organization and the city came to an agreement over redevelopment; the Trop will be demolished by 2027, to be replaced by a new stadium and a restored Gas Plant neighborhood surrounding it. St. Petersburg has
9434-590: The team dissolved in 2017, indoor football in the Tampa Bay area was succeeded by the Tampa Bay Tornadoes who began to play in 2021 in the American Arena League . The club was last owned by Jeffrey Vinik , also the owner of the NHL 's Tampa Bay Lightning . Home games were played at Amalie Arena in Tampa. The Storm holds the Arena Football League record for the longest tenure by
9540-527: The team played its home games in the Amalie Arena in Tampa and previously known as the Ice Palace, St. Pete Times Forum, and Tampa Bay Times Forum. After the 1994 season, Greis sold the team to Peter "Woody" Kern for $ 850,000. Kern's first move as the Storm owner was the hiring of coach Tim Marcum , who is widely regarded as the greatest coach in arena football history. On March 14, 2002, Kern had
9646-513: The team played its spring training games at nearby Progress Energy Park . This setup was unique, making St. Petersburg the first city that played host to its baseball team during spring training as well as the regular season since the 1919 Philadelphia Athletics . At the end of 2007, there was a debate over a new stadium to be built on the downtown waterfront at the current Progress Energy Park site. Tropicana Field would be demolished and replaced with prime residential and retail space. Completion of
9752-504: The third-largest dedicated public waterfront park system in North America, with a waterfront park system that stretches 7 miles (11 km) and is used year-round for public events, festivals and other activities. In the early 20th century, citizens and city leaders engaged in a long and boisterous debate over the future of the young city's waterfront space, with one side advocating for commercial, port and industrial development and
9858-451: The voting pool had increased to 400 fashion industry experts, including Dorothy Shaver and Stanley Marcus , when Sydney Wragge and Bill Atkinson received the awards. The Italian designer Emilio Pucci was the first non-American to receive the award in 1961. The awards were presented up until at least 1963, when Marc Bohan received the prize. Other winners include Jeanne S. Campbell , Bonnie Cashin , and Rose Marie Reid who formed
9964-481: The west or Beach Drive along the waterfront. Venues include Jannus Live and the State Theatre . The active nightlife scene is credited to recent demographic and regulatory changes. In 2010, the city council voted to extend bar hours until 3 A.M., identical to cross-bay "rival" Tampa. Tropicana Field , home of Major League Baseball 's Tampa Bay Rays , is located in the western part of downtown. Until 2008,
10070-567: The winter months. Tourism declined by the late 1920s and early 1930s due to the Great Depression . The city recovered later in the 1930s with the help of the Public Works Administration , including a $ 10 million investment plan in 1939 which helped build the St. Petersburg City Hall. The second World War brought renewed growth, as the city's Bayboro Harbor became a training base for the U.S. Coast Guard and
10176-477: Was 2.19. In 2010, families made up 54.3% while non-families made up 45.7%; the average family size was 2.88. The median age of the city was 41.6 years. As of 2000, 23.85% of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.295% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no adult living partner present, and 43.8% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who
10282-497: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.865. In 2000, the city's population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.24 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males. Sports Illustrated Sports Illustrated ( SI )
10388-519: Was built in the 1970s which flows 37 million gallons of water per day to provide for customers located throughout the city. From May to August 1968, 211 city's sanitation workers struck in the city for higher wages. The strike began approximately one month after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination in Memphis, Tennessee while supporting that city's sanitation workers strike. In 1984 ,
10494-474: Was co-founded by John C. Williams , formerly of Detroit , who purchased the land in 1875, and by Peter Demens , who was instrumental in bringing the terminus of the Orange Belt Railway there in 1888. St. Petersburg was incorporated as a town on February 29, 1892, when it had a population of 300 people. Local lore claims John C. Williams and Peter Demens flipped a coin to see who would have
10600-462: Was designed by Mayor C.J. Maurer along with a committee of other public officials. It featured an array of colors symbolic of St. Pete's culture including the sunshine, water and land. The idea came after officials called for a new logo which later became the design for the flag. The pelican featured in the center became a symbol for the "Feed the Pelican Fund" which has supported the birds during
10706-499: Was established in 1924 and gained attention as the "World's Largest Shuffleboard Club" with 110 courts and over 5,000 members in the 1950s and 1960s. Northshore Aquatic Complex is a public pool and small water park located downtown on the St. Petersburg waterfront. Northshore contains a 50-meter pool with diving board, 25 meter training pool with zero depth entry, a play pool, and is home to both Saint Petersburg Aquatics swim club and Saint Petersburg Masters swim club. St. Petersburg
10812-416: Was expanded across the bay from Tampa through St. Petersburg in the 1970s. Additional spurs I-175 and I-375 were built afterward, extending from the main highway to the northern and southern edges of the downtown area. The city population continued to multiply during the 20th century, booming through the 1970s as a popular retirement destination for Americans from midwestern cities, reaching 238,647 in
10918-583: Was formally announced that the AF1 had adopted the former Arena Football League name. In the 2010 season the Storm went 11–5, finishing second in the South Division. In the playoffs, they earned a trip to ArenaBowl XXIII , but lost to the Spokane Shock 57–69. On February 17, 2011, Marcum would resign as head coach of the Storm less than a month before the 2011 season was to begin, after having
11024-502: Was honored with the award. For a 2002 list of the top 200 Division I sports colleges in the U.S., see footnote. The following list contains the athletes with most covers. The magazine's cover is the basis of a sports myth known as the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx . Most covers by athlete, 1954–2016 Most covers by team, 1954 – May 2008 Most covers by sport, 1954–2009 Celebrities on
11130-477: Was publishing AI-generated articles credited to authors who were also AI-generated; the latter practice apparently extended to their profile photos, which the website alleged were sourced from online marketplaces selling such photos. After Futurism reached out to The Arena Group, the magazine purportedly removed some of the implicated writers and republished their articles under other AI-generated authors with notes disclaiming its staff's involvement. In response to
11236-426: Was sold to Authentic Brands Group (ABG) following the sale of Time Inc. to Meredith Corporation . The Arena Group (formerly theMaven, Inc.) was subsequently awarded a 10-year license to operate the Sports Illustrated –branded editorial operations, while ABG licenses the brand for other non-editorial ventures and products. In January 2024, The Arena Group missed a quarterly licensing payment, leading ABG to terminate
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