Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Professional sports, property management |
Founded | 1991 |
Headquarters | , U.S. |
Area served | Orange County, Florida |
Key people | Chairman: Dan DeVos CEO: Alex Martins Senior vice-President: Pat Williams |
Services | Professional Sports Teams & Organizations |
Subsidiaries | Orlando Magic Orlando Solar Bears RDV Sportsplex |
RDV Sports, Inc. is a Michigan based corporation set up by Richard DeVos to purchase the NBA franchise, the Orlando Magic. Established in 1991, its assets have included the Orlando Miracle WNBA team, Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL and the RDV Sportsplex. [1] [2]
In May 2017, RDV Sports agreed to purchase the Solar Bears when the Orlando Pro Hockey Operations, L.P. ownership group informed them that they could no longer sustain the team. The DeVos family were the owners of the IHL Solar Bears from 1995 through 2001. [3]
Today the company owns the Magic, Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL and the RDV Sportsplex.
The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The franchise was established in 1989 as an expansion franchise, and such notable NBA stars as Shaquille O'Neal, Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu and Nikola Vučević have played for the club throughout its history. As of 2024, the franchise has played in the NBA playoffs 17 times in 35 seasons, and twice went to the NBA Finals, in 1995 and 2009, losing to the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.
Amway Arena was an indoor arena located in Orlando, Florida. It was part of the Orlando Centroplex, a sports and entertainment complex located in Downtown Orlando. The arena was the former home of the Orlando Magic of the NBA and the Orlando Titans of the NLL. It was also the home of the Orlando Solar Bears of the International Hockey League, and the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League. It also hosted many other minor league sports teams, as well as various concerts and other events such as the PlayStation Pro event on the Dew Action Sports Tour and the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus annually.
Richard Marvin DeVos Sr. was an American billionaire businessman, co-founder of Amway with Jay Van Andel, and owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team. In 2012, Forbes magazine listed him as the 60th wealthiest person in the United States, and the 205th richest in the world, with an estimated net worth of $5.1 billion.
John Weisbrod is an American former professional ice hockey player, who previously served as assistant general manager for the Vancouver Canucks until December 5, 2021.
The Orlando Solar Bears were a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Orlando, Florida. The Solar Bears played in the International Hockey League's Eastern Conference. They played their home games at the Orlando Arena.
The Kansas City Blades were a professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League (IHL) from 1990 until 2001, when the league folded. The Blades were based in Kansas City, Missouri, at Kemper Arena.
Donald Douglas Waddell is an American professional ice hockey executive and former player. He most recently served as the president and general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, and previously served in the same roles with the Atlanta Thrashers.
Kia Center is an indoor arena located in the downtown core of Orlando, Florida. The arena is home to the Orlando Magic of the NBA, the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, and the Orlando Predators of the National Arena League.
The 2007–08 Orlando Magic season was their 19th season in the National Basketball Association. Led by 22-year-old center Dwight Howard, the Magic finished the season with a 52–30 record, finishing first-place in the Southeast Division and advancing to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals where they were eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in 5 games. The Magic had the fourth best team offensive rating in the NBA.
Orlando, Florida has a history of major events in sports. It has had a considerable measure of success in minor league sports as well, with teams winning several minor league championships.
The 2012–13 ECHL season was the 25th season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 12, 2012 to March 30, 2013, with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. The All-Star Game, not held in 2011-12, was brought back and held on January 23, 2013 at Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado, home of the Colorado Eagles.
The Orlando Solar Bears are a professional ice hockey team that plays their home games at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. They play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference and are affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League and Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League.
Parker Milner is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the American Hockey League (AHL).
David Rutherford is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who last played for Diables Rouges de Briançon in the Ligue Magnus. Rutherford was previously with the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).
Taylor Doherty is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing for Eispiraten Crimmitschau of the DEL2.
The 2013–14 ECHL season was the 26th season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 18, 2013, to April 13, 2014, followed by the Kelly Cup playoffs. The league began the season with 22 teams scheduled to play 72 regular season games each, but one team folded during the season, which required the league to reschedule games in order to provide the remaining teams with full schedules.
Austin Block is an American professional ice hockey center and forward. He is currently an unrestricted free agent, having last played for the Manchester Monarchs in the ECHL.
Daniel G. DeVos is an American businessman and sports executive. He is the son of Helen June and Amway co-founder Richard DeVos.
The 2014–15 ECHL season was the 27th season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 17, 2014, to April 11, 2015, with the Kelly Cup playoffs following. Twenty-eight teams in 20 states and one Canadian province each played a 72-game schedule. Ten days prior to the start of the season, the league was significantly expanded on October 7, 2014, after the ECHL had accepted the Central Hockey League's remaining seven teams as members for the 2014–15 season.