CHEEZ-IT BOWL: OKLAHOMA VS FLORIDA STATE

December 27, 2022

Steve Hogan

Camping World Stadium

Press Conference

Q. Obviously you guys do this every year, how good does it feel to see these players interact with the kids?

STEVE HOGAN: It feels amazing. This is what it is all about. All the gifts that you could give these football players -- gift cards, backpacks and trips to a fun spot -- are amazing, but, to see them hear the story of the West Lake neighborhood and the connection to Camping World Stadium and get to hang out with these kids for a couple hours, I feel like a lot of them feel like this is the best part of the trip so far. It is a lot of fun and a great day.

Q. In terms of what Orlando and the Arie Sports Organization does, how do you make the experience even better each year for these players?

STEVE HOGAN: I just think you tell the story. You tell the story of how we can impact people positively through sports and athletics and competition. The stage that we have gives you that opportunity to give back. Many of these student athletes, these players, it is in their hearts and their DNA. It feels like they grew up with that mindset.

To actually just lean into that a little bit and just say, we have to create opportunities for the next generation, just spending a little time with these superheroes and seeing that they are just like them and grew up just like them. Continue to invest the way that we are into the mission of Lift Orlando and investing in neighborhoods, so that families can thrive, mixing affordable housing and affordable wellness. New Heart [Health and Wellness] is going to open a little later next year. We have to keep checking boxes. We have to expand that reach. We have to expand that impact. Then, continue to tell that story and invite the many people that we are blessed to host for sports entertainment at Camping World Stadium to be part of that story.

Q. Talk about your relationship with the Arie Sports Organzation.

STEVE HOGAN: The Aries are a blessing, the family owners of Fun Spot. Whether it be here or Kissimmee or Atlanta, the fact that you call them and say, we are trying to help some kids and want them to get a neat experience. Some kids maybe couldn't even afford to come to an attraction like this in their everyday walk of life. Before you can even finish your sentence, the Aries are just like, ‘Tell us what time. We will open the park. It’s theirs.’

We are blessed to have partners like that in communities like this who share their success with the community they live in and work in. I can't be any more appreciative of Fun Spot than I am.

Q. Let our audience know what to expect on Thursday?

STEVE HOGAN: I think what we can expect on Thursday is a heck of a football game. These are two teams that have amazing kids, as I said, men, student athletes and programs. The way everything is ‘yes, sir,’ or ‘no, ma'am.’ They are really, really impressive, and they are great football teams.

You look at Florida State. To have a chance to get 10 wins is a huge accomplishment.

Oklahoma has a chance to go into next season with a win over a highly ranked team.

There is a lot on the line, and a sold out Camping World Stadium. When those happen, you know what it is like. It is going to be a party. It is going to be loud. There are going to be tens of millions watching on TV back home.

These are the moments that you have to sit back sometimes, soak it in and go, this is amazing. It doesn't happen all the time.

Q. What is your favorite Cheez-It flavor?

STEVE HOGAN: My our favorite Cheez-It flavor? I just like Original, honestly. Sometimes like to mix in a little Carmel Corn. Toasted is No. 2, but I like the Original flavor. I woke up the Cheeziest, you know that.

Q. Walking around, seeing the players, what did you get out of that experience?

STEVE HOGAN: Jordan Travis, Dillon Gabriel, the two quarterbacks of these two teams, as great of football players they are, they are even better human beings. You get that when you get to know them.

Seeing some of it on the ground, where these kids live, the affordable housing. We are standing in front of the New Heart Health and Wellness building that is going to open up soon. Right behind us is the Boys & Girls Club, and you just start to get it.

You heard their voices saying, ‘I know a lot of my buddies I played with grew up in neighborhoods like that,’ so getting to hear that from directly from them.

Most importantly, them feeling like they want that out of bowl partners like us in the postseason. If you are going to go to a bowl game and you are participating in college athletics, knowing that you give back in that way is important to them. That was cool to see and hear that.