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Local Living
A community podcast for Palm Beach to Parkland.
Local Living
Bringing Pro Basketball Home: Roy Smiley and the Florida Tropics
Forget what you know about traditional basketball—the ABA is back in South Florida with a fresh take on America's favorite indoor sport. Roy Smiley, owner of the Florida Tropics, joins us to unveil his vision for bringing high-octane professional basketball to Broward County.
The Florida Tropics will call Nova Southeastern University home when their season kicks off on October 18th, 2025. Unlike conventional basketball, the ABA features game-changing elements like the 3D clock that transforms three-pointers into four-point shots and rewards half-court bombs with five points. This creates a lightning-fast pace where no lead is safe and comebacks happen in the blink of an eye.
Beyond the excitement on the hardwood, Smiley's mission resonates on a deeper level. As a Broward native whose parents served as educators and coaches in the community, he's building the Tropics as both entertainment and opportunity. The franchise creates a vital pathway for overlooked talent—players who missed Division I opportunities due to grades, suffered injuries, or simply need another route to professional basketball abroad or in the G League. With playground legend Duke Skywalker already signed and several Big Three players in negotiations, the caliber of play promises to be exceptional.
The Tropics experience extends well beyond basketball, featuring pre-game networking tailgates, performances from classic and contemporary artists, and family-friendly pricing that makes professional sports accessible again. At just $75 for a family package and kids under five free, it's affordable entertainment with maximum community impact. As Smiley puts it, "This is something that we can now call our own and cheer about and be proud about, because it's ours."
Ready to witness basketball history? Visit www.floridatropicsaba.com for tickets and follow the team's journey on Instagram to catch glimpses of their upcoming documentary release.
Local Living is a community podcast for Palm Beach to Parkland. Are You A Local Business, Resident, Leader or Non-Profit? If so, we would love to have you on the podcast!
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Welcome, welcome everyone to Local Living. We are a community podcast for Palm Beach to Parkland. I'm David Conway, your host for today's episode, and we are doing something a little different today, a little more exciting than usual, I got to say. With us we have the owner of the new ABA Florida franchise, the Florida Tropics. It's Roy Smiley. Roy, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2:Hey how you doing. Thank you for having us.
Speaker 1:Doing great. I was looking forward to having you. I'm dating myself a little bit, but the ABA has a proud story tradition in this country. I can remember going early to a game to watch Dr J Mr Julius Irving himself to warm up. That was after the merger of the ABA and the NBA in the NBA. But we've got a new time, a new generation, a reiteration of the ABA, and you're the proud owner of the Florida Tropics, roy, tell us a little bit more about the ABA and the Florida Tropics and everything you're doing down there.
Speaker 2:Well, it's a good thing, a good time to be in South Florida. The ABA is back. We're in South Florida. Originally we had teams in Miami, but we are the first team in Fort Lauderdale. We'll be located at Nova Southeastern University for our first year, capacity 4,500. We are back in a special way with more action, more improvement, different dynamics to the game. We have a strong history. We influenced the NBA, so we are definitely here to add a little bit of change to the game, a little bit from entertainment to, you know, bonding with our community as well as, you know, introducing new players.
Speaker 1:So I've got a lot to go over with you. Let's start out by um telling our listeners when does the season start. When are we starting?
Speaker 2:our season will start uh october 18th, uh 2025, and we'll go to february 28th and we're.
Speaker 1:And where are those home games going to be played, roy?
Speaker 2:our home games will be at Nova Southeastern University, located in Davie, Florida.
Speaker 1:That's a very nice facility and you mentioned so. It's 5-on-5 basketball, just like we're all used to. Actually, I know you're going to have some local names that a lot of us know that are going to be on the team. You're going to be doing some tryouts, but you mentioned a couple little nuances to the game that you're going to be playing down there. What, what are you talking about with that? What? What can we look out for?
Speaker 2:uh, well, our game is a little bit faster. Uh, there are a couple different rules. That a little bit. If you watch the uh, the big three, the big three is implemented some of our, uh, our rules as far as four pointers. But there's something called a 3d clock. So when this 3d clock comes on, it uh, ignites I'm sorry the ball in the backcourt then the news go for three, threes go for four, half court goes for five.
Speaker 1:So this is totally changing the dynamic of the game. It's making it a little more fast-paced. You got a team that may be a little bit behind. They're still in the game, right? Yes, exactly so like if you watch the playoffs this season paced. You got a team that may be a little bit behind. They're still in the game right, yes, exactly so.
Speaker 2:Like if you watch the playoffs this season, when the indiana pacers went on a run and it was like I don't know, maybe 15, 20 points, and that's the type of pace we are constantly at that's great, I tell you, and that's the kind of basketball that people want to see.
Speaker 1:No offense to our current slow-moving Miami Heat team. So you said October 15th, I think you said right October 18th. Sorry about that, october 18th, so do you have some players already that are solidified and on the team?
Speaker 2:Right now we signed, uh, duke skywalker. He's a playground legend, uh pioneer of the new generation. You can catch him on programs like ball is life. He has over 289 000 followers. Uh, wow. A few other people that we've signed in our negotiations with right now I can't disclose, but they are very much in the big three. I have four guys coming from the big three, which is really a big deal. Our team's overall follower is about a little bit over 2.5 million as a collective and we felt that that would be strong as a new franchise to impact our community as well as impact social media.
Speaker 1:Now with the team you have now. I know you've got some guys on the books. You've got some guys you're negotiating with and these are somewhat named players at various levels. A lot of them have followings. How about for a player that you know may have fallen off a little bit or never really got his opportunity? Do you have an opportunity for any local ballers to try out for the team?
Speaker 2:Exactly this is designed for those types of players. I remember when I was in school we had athletes that were top tier. Jermaine Walker was one of the best players I've saw to come out of broward county. He played at ely high school. Unfortunately, he had to go a long way around because of grades or any other things that might have happened. So my platform is for those players that don't get to go d1 uh, they missed the mark, maybe because of grades or they got into some other trouble. Those players that went to college may have got injured and found themselves Well, they can't, they don't, they don't have another, another way. This is for them and all of the people that are in our area to gravitate to and use to go to their next destinations, whether that may be overseas, whether that may be in the NBA G League. We are that door and that portal now for kids in our area, in the South Florida area.
Speaker 1:So it seems like not only are you giving these players another chance to do what they love and give them another chance to go to the next level, but you're also bringing high level talent to the fans.
Speaker 2:Exactly. I felt like, at this stage of the game and what we're trying to create, it would be distasteful to bring anything else to my city, in our area, that wasn't on the same tier. In our area that wasn't on the same tier. We are an area in Broward we have a real high expectation of things. Whether it's education, whether it's sports. We strive to be number one. So I felt like to acquire these players, to partner them with other players that have had experience, some from overseas. Nikolic, one of our players. He's from overseas, actually in Ukraine. It gave a nice chemistry and a nice mixture and also a relatability that our fans could feel confident in.
Speaker 1:Now, do you offer season tickets, or is it just individual game tickets? How does tickets work?
Speaker 2:Like right now. We're offering season tickets to 14 games. You get two tickets for $500. We're offering a special ticket service for our kids at Nova Southeastern. Because we're partnering with Nova and we're cohabiting, we're giving those tickets for them for $12 per game. We also have family packages a family of four for $75. Kids under five get in free. Kids over at seven or five and above get five and above go. They's $7. General admission is 30. We have premium seating that's 60. And we have VIP seating, which is the first three rows on the floor, and that's for 150. And those come with all types of perks if you're a season holder or a VIP.
Speaker 1:So I know the Nova facility. It's a nice facility down there. Is there anything you're doing?
Speaker 2:Is it an interactive experience at all with the fans? Most definitely. You know it's more than a game. It's more about entertainment and networking. So in the beginning of our games we'll have a tailgate which is held for the sponsors and other people to kind of meet and greet the team. Also for them to come and sit down and be a part of an open forum where they're able to talk about their business and what they have going on. And we'll segue to other things as a like our dancers performing. We'll cut back to sponsors and it's more of a eat drink situation where you're able to just network and really get involved with the people that are involved in our area and that are involved with what we have going on. From there we'll have entertainment.
Speaker 2:I'm specializing in having people like the old school artists in the beginning and then more up-to-date artists at halftime, so you'll see a lot of those types of things going on. We're working right now with Rick Case to try to have a car type of program in the beginning when you enter, so that you're able to see different things, from insurance to different things. So those people that are really trying to get their companies out, branded and associated with our community. I want them associated with us. I want them associated with us.
Speaker 1:So it sounds like you're getting sports, you're getting a high level athletic competition, you're getting an opportunity to network, but at the end of it all, you're getting a night out, aren't you?
Speaker 2:You definitely are. You definitely are and we're trying to make it an enjoyment. You know you can come to our games, have fun with your family and have a good time. We really want to cater to our fans. You know we listen to things that they say about other organizations and other platforms and so we're modifying what we're doing to really cater to our community. We know what you like, we know what you're into and we want to make it special for the individual that's on a date or the family that had time to come out and support the team.
Speaker 1:So, Roy, tell us a little bit more about you. I think you grew up in this community. I know you played ball in this community at a high level. I think you went to a state championship at some point. So tell us a little bit more about you.
Speaker 2:I'm born and raised in South Florida. My parents are educators in South Florida. My aunts, my cousins are all educators in South Florida. I went to elementary school at Lotter Hill, paul Turner, and then went to Westminster Academy and then, you know, I moved around from time to time. You know I've spent time in the Midwest during my middle school times North Carolina middle school times and all this is because my parents were in pursuit of higher education. So my mom is a former deputy superintendent of the actual county Broward County. My dad's an actual former basketball coach of Broward County, so I am Broward County.
Speaker 1:That's awesome.
Speaker 2:Through and through and the experiences that I've been able to see and watch them do over time has kind of cultivated and made me ready for what I'm about to pursue and achieve for you to become an owner and a founder of an exciting new franchise in the ABA.
Speaker 1:How did that happen? Did someone share it with you? Did you look into it on your own? Tell me about that moment when it all started for you.
Speaker 2:I was actually having a conversation with one of my guys. He's a former NBA player, played for Boston during the Kevin Garnett, paul Pierce era and we were just having just regular conversation and he mentioned something about it and I call it God divine, because my ears perk up on certain things when they're really important. I can, I can, I can hear you. So I got it was a divine message. That's how I take it. And once I heard it, I was researching, while he was on the phone, steady talking about you know, everyday stuff, and I researched it. Some more research, some more.
Speaker 2:So when I got off the phone, I had already written the letter to the owner, which is Joe Newman, because I knew, I felt it in my spirit, I knew it's something about people experiences right over time. They've always said well, you know, god told me to do this and God said this. And God said that I've had a lot of experiences with God over my lifetime, um, and he's really revealed to me certain things, but this one is more, this was more clear. This was like I'm looking at you right now, I can see everything that's about to happen now and I saw it a year ago. So for things to transpire and where we're going. It's really turned into a huge faith walk for me and a lot of my staff.
Speaker 1:You're breaking up a little bit. It sounds like a manifest destiny really.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it's definitely been that for us in growth learning about life, learning about how to not worry, really overcoming obstacles, not trying to be in control, really kind of like locking in. And that's the new thing for us is let's lock in because we want to achieve something great, right? You know the Miami Heat. They're here, the big three is here, and now we're here and I think that's enough room on the block for us to be able to come and give our area, which is Broward, something to own, like the Heat. That's the Miami Heat. No disrespect to them, and I love their franchise, everything they got going on, because we talk periodically on how to make our situation better and I and I appreciate that from them right, also other people that are in the big threes franchise they've also lent a hand in giving us some expertise on how to improve our situation before we start.
Speaker 1:I think the special thing about this is that it's designed You're cutting out one more time, if you can hear me, and you're going to come back. You started out by saying the special thing about this is it's designed you cut out for a little bit there.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, it's designed for us to have something to call our own right. We don't have to drive all the way to the Dolphin Stadium. We don't have to drive all the way to almost South Beach to watch the game. This is something that we can now call our own and cheer about and be proud about, because it's ours.
Speaker 1:Well, I've already mapped it. I got to be honest. It's about 30 minutes for me to get there and I'm excited about the first game. So I won't be trying out, roy, though I think that window actually that window was never open for me. I got to be honest. So, like I said, we're real excited to have you. So tell our listeners if they want to get tickets, if they want to learn more about the Florida Tropics, where do they go? Tell us your website and what they need to do.
Speaker 2:What you can do is you can go onto our website, wwwfloridatropicsabacom. You can get tickets there for season tickets. If you want to learn any more else about us, about how we're structuring and some of our players and where we're kind of going, you can go to our ig. Uh, we've dropped some kind of uh little clips of our documentary that we're recording behind this that we're going to put out after this on on another major platform. Uh, but you can tap into our social media facebook florida tropics aba. Uh. Google Florida Tropics ABA. We have a situation with Sports Illustrated we just did yesterday, so they'll be providing tickets for us to and our fans, because they have a bigger fan base and following so we wanted to.
Speaker 2:We definitely wanted to create an avenue where everybody has access. You know you can come to the game and get tickets. You can go online get tickets. We are accessible.
Speaker 1:And really it sounds like for less than the cost of a movie you get a multifaceted, multidimensional night out on the town and at the same time you get to support the community.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and that's our main thing is now is uplifting our community in a way. That's different. Sports does that a lot. You can tell from our predecessors the Heat and Dolphins, the Panthers, you know we. We're watching how their movements are and it's a South Florida family at the end of the day. So we want to encompass those same things to make people feel attached and prideful to represent the Florida Tropics.
Speaker 1:Roy, give us that website one more time.
Speaker 2:That's wwwfloridatropicsabacom.
Speaker 1:Or you can follow him on IG. That's Instagram for any listeners out there my age and above. You can follow him there too. I know they're posting some exciting stuff. Roy, I think you can tell I'm excited, Really enjoyed having you today and I appreciate you coming on the podcast.
Speaker 2:Oh man, thank you for having us. Anything that you need, you know you're more than welcome. We already have you locked in for season tickets, so you're good to go, and we'll be expecting you and more other people from our community as we embark on this new journey.
Speaker 1:Well, roy, you're going to see me and you're going to see some people with me. Once again, everyone. This is Roy Smiley, the owner of the new ABA franchise, the Florida Tropics, right right here in South Florida. For everyone, I appreciate you joining us. Look forward to having you back next time on Local Living.