Ben Simmons’ South Florida Sails win SFC Blue Marlin Open
ben-simmons-south-florida-sails-win-sfc-blue-marlin-open
Walker’s Cay, Bahamas — The South Florida Sails, co-owned and crewed by former NBA All-Star Ben Simmons, captured the Sport Fishing Championship (SFC) Blue Marlin Open on Sunday, finishing nearly 1,500 points ahead of the field.
The three-day tournament concluded with South Florida posting 2,925 points, while the New Jersey Sea Birds claimed second place. The victory is the first SFC event title for Simmons since he bought into the franchise in December 2025.
Fast start on Day 1
The Sails seized control early when angler Alex Stanley released the season’s first blue marlin, worth 450 points. A second release by Stanley later that afternoon kept South Florida atop the leaderboard after Day 1.
South Florida expanded its advantage during Saturday’s session and secured the trophy on Day 3, lifting the team to the top of the iconic Walker’s Cay gantry.
Simmons’ shift from hardwood to open water
Simmons, selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA draft, spent seven seasons in the league before entering free agency after the 2024-25 campaign. An avid angler since childhood in Australia, he redirected his focus to offshore competition, becoming the Sails’ controlling owner according to the SFC.
“I have always believed that investing in what you love means you have a responsibility to help move it forward,” Simmons said when his ownership stake was announced. “Sportfishing has given me incredible experiences, and SFC is creating a platform that treats offshore fishing like the elite sport it is.”
The Sails’ triumph adds Simmons to a growing list of high-profile sports figures with SFC success; PGA Tour star Scottie Scheffler’s Texas Lone Stars won last fall’s Zane Grey Championship Playoffs.
Source: ESPN
