SOURCE: Pop Warner
ORLANDO (January 29, 2021) – Pop Warner Little Scholars, the nation’s oldest and most prominent youth football organization, and Florida Citrus Sports today announced that Orlando will continue to play host to the historic Pop Warner Super Bowl and Cheer & Dance National Championships, which combine to draw 10,000 Pop Warner student athletes and their families from around the country and internationally each December.
Under the new long-term agreement, the 60,000-seat Camping World Stadium, which has hosted the NFL Pro Bowl and major college bowl games, will be the feature field during the Pop Warner Super Bowl. Additional games and practices will be held on fields on the expanded stadium campus in Orlando.
The premier Orlando location for the National Cheer and Dance Championship will be announced soon.
Universal Orlando Resort will be the new host to Pop Warner families staying in Orlando and the award-winning theme park destination will host the spectacular Pop Warner party during championship week.
“We’re excited to ensure Orlando will continue as our home to our championship teams and families each December. We think that’s great news,” said Pop Warner Little Scholars executive director Jon Butler. “Central Florida has been home to the Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer & Dance Championships for 25 years. With the weather, theme parks and access to top-notch athletic facilities, it’s the perfect location for us to come together and celebrate the season as teams compete for national titles.
“In Florida Citrus Sports, we’ve added another partner whose values align perfectly with our own and Pop Warner teams will be playing on the biggest stage the region has to offer. We’re excited and know they will be as well.”
Held in Orlando since 1997, the Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer & Dance Championships generate an estimated 25,000 room nights annually, as competitors and their families visit from across the country for the weeklong competition each year. The national youth sports organization is the largest in the world with approximately 325,000 total athletes ranging from 5 to 16 years old.
“Pop Warner represents the gold standard in the world of youth sports, and we’re humbled to welcome them to the Florida Citrus Sports family,” FCS CEO Steve Hogan said. “With the support of our friends at Disney, Pop Warner has laid an incredible foundation for us to build on, and we can’t wait to see the Pop Warner Super Bowl under lights at Camping World Stadium.”
Florida Citrus Sports’ existing football portfolio includes the Vrbo Citrus Bowl, the Cheez-It Bowl and the Florida Blue Florida Classic — a trio of events with nearly 150 years of combined history at Camping World Stadium. The organization also partnered with the National Football League to bring the NFL Pro Bowl to Central Florida for a successful 4-year run from 2017-20 and has hosted NFL preseason games, major NCAA kickoff events and other NCAA postseason contests at the facility.
“We’re proud of our long history as Orlando’s community quarterback, and we’re excited to take on this new, but familiar challenge,” Hogan said. “Our organization has spent decades building relationships and investing in unique opportunities to drive impact throughout Central Florida, and we’ll continue to be aggressive when it comes to pursuing partnerships that align with our mission.”
About Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.
Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Langhorne, PA, Pop Warner Little Scholars is the nation’s oldest youth football, cheerleading and dance organization and the only youth sports organization that emphasizes academics as a prerequisite for participation. Pop Warner participants enjoy the opportunity to learn and compete in their sports in an atmosphere that emphasizes fun, safety, academics and character. For more information on Pop Warner and its programs visit popwarner.com or follow Pop Warner on Twitter @Pop_Warner, Facebook @PopWarnerLittleScholars, Instagram @popwarnerlittlescholars and Snap @popwarner1929.
About Florida Citrus Sports
Florida Citrus Sports is a not-for-profit event management organization dedicated to positively impacting the Orlando region while enhancing the quality of life in Central Florida through world-class events, including the Vrbo Citrus Bowl, the Cheez-It Bowl, the Florida Blue Florida Classic and the Camping World Kickoff. For more information, visit FloridaCitrusSports.com.
