Orlando City is the first MLS team in Fla. since 2001 when Tampa Bay had the Mutiny, and Fort Lauderdale hosted the Miami Fusion.
While Orlando City is new to Major League Soccer, they have been around for a few years, competing in lower division leagues.
According to the team’s official website, “Orlando City SC was formed in 2010, when Phil Rawlins purchased the USL PRO rights for Central Florida and moved the Austin Aztex organization to Orlando.”
Orlando City’s first official MLS game was Sunday, March 9, against the previously mentioned New York City Football Club, in their temporary home, the Citrus Bowl. Their permanent stadium is currently under construction, and is expected to be completed for the beginning of the 2016 season.
Just because Orlando City is considered an expansion team does not mean that there are not already expectations. Bleacher Report already has predicted that the team will make the postseason this year.
These expectations are due to the roster moves taken by the team, which includes bringing in internationally renowned Brazilian superstar Kaka to play here in Florida, and acquiring recognized young talent such as Bryan Rochez.
For a city that has been much maligned as being a poor sports town, Orlando came out in force. Yahoo! Sports reported that 62,510 fans packed the streets and stadium to support the team in their debut effort, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Orlando City followed that draw up with their first MLS win, with a score of 0-1 against the Huston Dynamo, in Huston, on Friday, March 13. Their next two home games will be Saturday, March 21 against the Vancouver Whitecaps, and Friday, April 3 against D.C. United.
In order to counter the heat and humidity that comes with playing in Central Florida, the Orlando City home games are being scheduled in the evening, generally around 7:00 p.m.
What started as a fringe sport has now become a major attraction in the United States. Major League Soccer has benefited from the US Men’s National Team in their play in the World Cup. In 2013, The Atlantic reported that the average total attendance for MLS game did better than both the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association. While MLS did not come close to touching Major League Baseball or the National Football League’s attendances, finishing third in attendance is quite the feat.
While it is true that part of that attendance bump is due to the cost of tickets, it is still garnering the attention of the fans, which means the league is well on its way to popularity.
