Our Mission and Vision
The Orange Bowl Committee was created 
in 1935 with the mission of generating tourism for South Florida through an annual football game and supporting Festival. Since its inception, the not-for-profit, primarily-volunteer organization, which has grown to 343 members, has expanded beyond the Greater Miami area to become a cornerstone of the entire South Florida community. The Committee is aided by approximately one thousand additional "Ambassadors," community volunteers who make us, the Festival, and our community stronger.
The Orange Bowl brand helped put South Florida on the map and build the community into the popular tourist destination it remains today. While our primary mission for more than 75 years has been to bring tourism to South Florida through an annual football game and festival, we also have maintained a legacy of charitable contributions and community outreach.
Bolstering the Economy
The Orange Bowl Committee works to ensure that South Florida remains in the position of being one of just four communities nationwide with a spot in college football’s prestigious Bowl Championship Series and a part of the National Championship rotation, with the next championship scheduled for 2013. Each year our bowl game(s) and affiliated Festival events attract tens of thousands of visitors who fuel the local economy with millions of dollars. This translates into jobs and benefits for local hospitality and service industries and vendors, in line with our mission. It is estimated our 2008-09 bowl games and Festival events generated nearly $200 million in economic impact and media added value for South Florida during an economic downturn, according to Sports Management Research Institute. This figure is over and above the direct support the Committee provides in a variety of areas on an annual basis.
Support of Intercollegiate Athletics and Higher Education
Payments from the Orange Bowl Committee have contributed to the nearly $150 million in overall BCS revenue annually; this overall amount is distributed by the BCS to benefit 194 universities throughout the country. Throughout its 76 years of existence, the Committee’s payouts have led to participating schools and conferences receiving in excess of half a billion dollars before adjusting for inflation.
In 2008-09, the Orange Bowl Committee provided nearly $200,000 in funding for scholarships, both directly to deserving high school students and to institutions of higher education. Through programs such as "Field of Dreams," a celebration that recognizes outstanding high school scholars in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, the ACC Inter-Institutional Scholarship Fund, and other various programs, the Committee has provided more than three quarters of a million dollars in scholarships over the last ten years.
Support of Events, Organizations and Causes
The Committee supports organizations and events both in and outside of South Florida on an annual basis, benefitting numerous charities, funds and groups. In 2008-09, that support totaled approximately $70,000.
In addition to this annual support, the Committee is also there in times of need, providing funding to those impacted by adverse circumstances, and will continue to in the future. The Committee’s donations to institutions, organizations and individuals affected by such things as natural disasters and tragedy over the last four years have totaled $240,000.
Support of Youth Programs
The Committee also benefits thousands of South Florida youth by generating competition and funding an array of grants, donations and community programs to support this competition.
In 2008-09, we provided in excess of three quarters of a million dollars as well as hundreds of volunteer and staff hours to serve more than 16,000 young football players and cheerleaders who participate in the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance. Since the beginning of this program 11 years ago, the Orange Bowl Committee has invested more than $4 million in youth sports in South Florida.
The Committee also contributes to economic development by providing nearly $70,000 annually in support of locally-based festival and events, including those that provide participatory opportunities to youth from all over the world, such as Junior Orange Bowl, Orange Bowl Sailing Regatta Series and the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championship. Over the last 10 years, the Committee’s support in this area has exceeded $500,000.
In 2008-09, in recognition of 75-years of community support, the Committee spearheaded a $5.7 million legacy gift initiative to build a much needed youth football stadium and facilities at Miami’s Moore Park. The Orange Bowl Committee is directly contributing $2.5 million to the project plus design fees, and guaranteed an additional $700,000. The $2.5 million gift will be matched by the City of Miami, which is partnering with the Committee to construct Orange Bowl Field at Moore Park, now in the design phase. Moore Park is the site of the 1933 and 1934 Palm Festivals, the predecessor of the Orange Bowl.
A Bright Future
The Orange Bowl Festival is "owned" by the community and the Committee has taken steps to ensure it mirrors South Florida’s diversity. Three of our last four presidents have included an African-American, a Hispanic and a woman. As we move forward, the Orange Bowl Committee will continue to generate business for local companies, recharge the region’s economic engine, support children…our area’s future leaders, and positively shape the face of our community.