JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Why is a blimp circling Jacksonville? Am I missing something?
If you spotted the giant blimp hovering over Jacksonville Tuesday, you may have been immediately overwhelmed with FOMO (the Fear of Missing Out), as blimps are usually reserved for big events.
The blimp was spotted over Springfield and then the Downtown Jacksonville area Tuesday morning. It features a DICK'S House of Sport logo on the side.
According to Toby Page, managing director at Skyship Services, the blimp is an advertising strategy by DICK'S Sporting Goods to promote their new megastores.
Skyship Services is a blimp company that owns "pretty much every blimp you see in the United States outside of the Goodyear ones," Page told First Coast News.
Page said the blimp was on its way down to Tampa for a House of Sport grand opening next week when it got stalled by weather. Instead of parking it, Page said they're getting some advertising in.
The blimp will be headed to Oklahoma City after its stop in Tampa.
Skyship Services released the following statement in April about the partnership with DICK'S Sporting Goods:
As it traverses the skies, the DICK'S House of Sport blimp, a magnificent Skyship Services A170 Lightship, commands attention with its imposing dimensions— stretching 178 feet in length, towering 55 feet above the ground, and boasting a width of 46 feet. Its huge size, with a volume of 170,000 cubic feet of helium, and two Lycoming engines which propel it gracefully through the air, make it one of only five blimps currently gracing the American skies.
Owned and operated by Skyship Services Inc. (SSI), the world's foremost authority in Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) technology platforms, this majestic airship represents the pinnacle of aeronautical engineering. SSI's illustrious pedigree spans decades, offering a comprehensive suite of fully certified airships, aerostats, and cutting-edge airborne radar systems for both lease and purchase.
With an array of offerings, ranging from the nimble A60 Lightships, the majestic Skyship Series 500 and 600 airships and the formidable Sentinel Series airships, alongside complete Aerostat systems varying from 56,000 to 660,000 cubic feet, SSI caters to a diverse spectrum of clientele worldwide.