On Oct. 2, 2017, Rock-and-Roll Hall of Famer and Gainesville native Tom Petty passed away due to cardiac arrest. He was 66 years old.
On Oct. 7, 2017, the Florida Gators lost a close matchup against LSU 17-16. While the game didn’t cause celebration, the Tom Petty tribute between the third and fourth quarters did. In remembrance of Petty, The Swamp sang “Won’t Back Down” after “We Are The Boys” in a tribute to Gainesville’s finest. What originated as a one-time thing, instantly turned into Florida’s newest tradition.
Saturday, the University of Florida Athletic Association will celebrate the first-ever “Tom Petty Day” to honor Petty’s contributions to the City of Gainesville and the University of Florida. Petty once worked as a groundkeeper for the University of Florida before he made it big in the music industry.
The university has also announced that it will award Petty an honorary posthumous Doctor of Music in May 2023.
Florida Collection has partnered with The Tom Petty Estate to create apparel licensed by Original Retro Brand and other gear available for purchase online at the Gator Sportshop and the UF Bookstore. They are also available at TomPetty.com.
The Tom Petty Estate is donating its full proceeds from the sales of Tom Petty Day X Florida Collection merchandise to give back to underserved communities in Gainesville. Kids Count and Family Promise will be the recipients this year.
Here is a full schedule of events for Tom Petty Day, beginning on Friday, Oct. 14, per the Florida Gators’ official website.