Rob Higgins

Bio

Executive Director

In June of 2004, the Tampa Bay Sports Commission named Rob Higgins as its Executive Director. Higgins primary responsibility is to promote the development of the Tampa Bay area’s sports scene, as well as leading the Sports Commission as the principal organization that bids on and hosts sports and entertainment events in Tampa Bay.

In the over 21 years that Higgins has held his position, Tampa Bay has successfully hosted and/or been awarded the following events: 2007 ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds, 2008 NCAA Women’s Final Four, 2008 and 2009 ACC Football Championships, 2009 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, 2009 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship, 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball Second and Third Rounds, 2012 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, 2015 NCAA Women’s Final Four, 2016 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship, 2018 NHL All-Star Weekend, the 2019 NCAA Women's Final Four, 2021 NFL Super Bowl LV, 2022 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament, 2022 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, WrestleMania 37, 2023 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, 2023 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship, 2025 NCAA Women’s Final Four, 2026 NHL Stadium Series, 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds and the 2027 Florida-Georgia Football Game.

Higgins served as the President/CEO of the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee in 2021 in addition to serving on the bid and operations committee that successfully landed and hosted Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.

Higgins has an impressive list of personal accolades, including the following honors in 2025 alone:

  • 2025 Tampa Sports Club Hall of Fame Inductee
  • 2025 Tampa Bay Lightning Hall of Fame John Cullen Courage Award
  • 2025 USF Distinguished Community Citizen
  • 2025 Heart of a Champion Citizen of the Year
  • 2025 Tampa Bay Business Journal Power 100 (fifth straight year)

Over the years, Higgins has also been named to the prestigious Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal “Forty Under 40” and Tampa Bay Business Journal’s “30 under 30” list. The Tampa Bay Times named Higgins as one of the top 10 difference makers in the Tampa Bay area.

Higgins his been recognized as one of the most influential sports figureheads in the history of Tampa Bay by CBS Radio, one of the top-10 most influential people in Tampa Bay by WTSP 10 News, and Huffington Post listed Higgins as one of the top-30 sports marketers in the world.

Prior to his time at the sports commission, Higgins worked for the USF Athletics department helping oversee their facilities and event management. In addition to his regular department duties, Higgins served as the tournament manager for the 2003 NCAA Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds.

Higgins is a graduate of the University of South Florida, where he was inducted into their School of Advertising’s Hall of Fame in 2015.

Rob has been married to his wife Casey and they have two children, Laney and Landon.

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