The biggest sporting event of the year just wrapped up in Miami when the Kansas City Chiefs edged out the San Francisco 49ers for Super Bowl LIV.
If you weren’t able to make it to this year’s Super Bowl, you will be excited to hear that next year’s game will be happening even closer to us at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa!
But that’s not even close to being the only major sporting event taking place in Florida this year.
The best part is that some of the remaining major Florida sporting events of 2020 are an easy drive from the Villages of Citrus Hills.
Let’s jump in and take a closer look at some of the major sporting events coming to Florida in 2020.
Daytona 500 - Daytona Beach
Known to many as “the Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing,” the Daytona 500 is the annual kickoff to the new NASCAR season.
It also happens to be one of the biggest spectacles of the entire year.
With a history that dates all the way back to 1959, this legendary race has evolved into a week-long event that transforms the entire Daytona Beach community into one massive party.
This year, the Daytona 500 is set to happen on Sunday, February 16.
Grapefruit League Spring Training Baseball
Shortly after someone takes the checkered flag at this year’s Daytona 500, we will see pitchers and catchers begin reporting to spring training destinations at various locations around the state of Florida.
Half of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams make their springtime homes here in Florida, and our residents can catch spring training games happening in nearby Dunedin (Blue Jays), Clearwater (Phillies), Tampa (Yankees), and other places down the west coast and around the state throughout late February and early March each year.
Arnold Palmer Invitational - Orlando
Some of the best golfers in the world make their way to Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando during the month of March each year to compete in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Winners of this tournament on the legendary Bay Hill course receive a red cardigan sweater in memory of Arnold Palmer, as well as a three-year exemption, which is one more than standard tournaments.
The 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational is scheduled to tee off the week of March 2-8.
The Players Championship - Ponte Vedra Beach
Another iconic golf tournament that comes to Florida every March is The Players Championship. This tournament takes place on the TPC Sawgrass course, which features that legendary par-3 17th hole with the island green.
While it is not one of the four official major tournaments, The Players is often referred to as “the fifth major,” and it offers one of the largest prize pools of any tournament.
The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass will take place March 10-15.
Valspar Championship - Palm Harbor
The following weekend the PGA Tour stops a little closer to home at the Valspar Championships in Palm Harbor.
This is set to take place March 16-22.
March Madness – Tampa
Talk about a busy week in Tampa!
The same week the Valspar Championship is taking place, the Road to the Final Four comes through Tampa for the first time since 2011.
With First Round action taking place on March 19 and Second Round games being played on March 21, both at Amalie Arena.
Tampa is very easy to get to from Citrus Hills, but if you do plan to stay the night and partake in all the March Madness festivities, we encourage you to get your reservations (and your tickets!) early.
Miami Open - Miami Gardens
The best tennis players in the world are usually in Miami during the last week of March and the first week of April for the Miami Open.
This event was just moved to Hard Rock Stadium in 2019, and it is now one of the largest tennis tournaments of the year outside of the four Grand Slams.
In 2020, this 12-day tennis tournament will start on Monday, March 23 with a final match scheduled for Sunday, April 5.
Coke Zero Sugar 400 - Daytona Beach
After more than 50 years of being held around Independence Day, the Coke Zero Sugar 400 will be making the move to late August this year where it will serve as the final race of NASCAR’s regular season.
This second race at Daytona International Speedway will take place on August 29 this year, and it will be the last chance for any drivers on the bubble to qualify for the NASCAR playoffs.
Nearby Football, Basketball, and Hockey Action
As the 2020 calendar rolls into late summer and fall, local residents will have the pleasure of watching a wide range of local college football and NFL teams take the field starting in late August and early September.
Then, during the month of October, we will see our local NBA and NHL teams get back to work with their new seasons starting.
No matter what sport you are passionate about, there are huge events happening in Florida throughout the entire year, many of which are just a short drive from the Villages of Citrus Hills.