Orlando City SC Launches #FillTheBowl Campaign To Draw 65,000 Fans For Opening Game
Orlando City Soccer Club has always set its standards high. First they entered USLPRO and won the Championship in their first year. They also declared at that time that they wanted to be an Major League Soccer (MLS) club within four to five years. To do that, a number of goals needed to be accomplished; build a new soccer specific stadium, to prove they were a viable commercial enterprise and to convince the footballing world they would be a competitive force. It’s fair to say that the club has ticked all those boxes in some style.
Yesterday, at the Orlando Citrus Bowl, the club announced it’s intent to grab the MLS headlines on opening day by filling the stadium with 65,000 fans. The game sees the Lions up against fellow MLS newcomers New York City FC in a match that kicks off at 5pm on March 8th, 2015.
Under the hashtag banner #FillTheBowl, Orlando City SC Founder and President Phil Rawlins welcomed MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orlando City SC Head Coach Adrian Heath and Orlando City SC star player Kaká to send out the message that everyone is welcome to come along and make history as the club plays its first ever MLS game.
MLS’s highest opening-day crowd ever was 69,255 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for the debut season opener between Los Angeles Galaxy and NY/NJ MetroStars in April 1996, but Orlando firmly believes it can come a close second to that number.
“With season ticket sales, private sales to season-ticket holders and group events, we have already gone past 23,000 in sales for the opening game,” Rawlins explained, “and there’s no doubt in my mind we will fill the bowl for this big day.”
The Lions have now sold more than 11,000 season tickets to date and will cap season sales at 14,000 to enable them to transfer all ticket-holders to their brand new 20,000-seat stadium in 2016. Head Coach Adrian Heath commented: “When we get here on opening night in front of 60,000-plus fans, we aim to do everyone proud.”
MLS Commissioner Don Garber also admitted he would not be surprised if the Lions achieve their lofty aim as he remarked: “Orlando has exceeded our expectations all the way down the line already, and this is a club that is punching way above its weight. I think this will show fans throughout the world what the city of Orlando is capable of and support the continued rise of Soccer Nation in our country.”
To get your tickets for the game visit www.OrlandoCitySC.com
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