Trackside or courtside- how sports fans help power Tampa Bay's economy

Tampa Bay is a pro sports town. You’ve got the Lightning for Hockey, Buccaneers for Football, and the Rays for baseball. That attracts folks for hundreds of games in the area this year.

But there’s another huge presence: the numbers are in for the first IndyCar Series broadcast of the season for the audience that watched Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden battle  on the streets of St. Petersburg’s waterfront.  1.4 million viewers watched, a steep increase from last year’s race.

And if you were anywhere near downtown St. Pete at the start of March, you probably heard it, as the streets alongside the marina were transformed into a racetrack for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. 

For this episode, Florida Matters takes you to the Grand Prix, where motor racing fans talk about what keeps them coming back. And you'll hear what drivers like Hailie Deegan and Lochie Hughes think about racing in St. Pete.

And- we talk with Chris Steinocher, President and CEO at St Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission's Claire Lessinger, Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Local Organizing Committee hosting the Women’s Final Four. 

They share insights into what it takes to bring marquee events to Tampa Bay, and how they help power the area's economy.