ORLANDO – Orlando City are aiming to arrive in MLS in headline-grabbing style with an opening-day attendance of 65,000 when they kick off their inaugural season at home to fellow newcomers New York City FC on March 8 (5 pm ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes).
Under the hashtag banner #FillTheBowl, the Lions on Thursday launched an ambitious plan to sell out the newly-remodeled Citrus Bowl, which will be their temporary home in 2015 while their purpose-built soccer stadium is under construction.
And team president Phil Rawlins revealed they are already more than a third of the way to their target – even before single-game tickets go on sale this Saturday.
The league’s highest opening-day crowd 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 bullish campaign was unveiled Thursday at the Citrus Bowl in front of a distinguished panel of league and city dignitaries, including city Mayor Buddy Dyer, county Mayor Teresa Jacobs, star player Kaka and MLS Commissioner Don Garber, who admitted he would not be surprised if the Lions achieve their lofty aim.
“Orlando has exceeded our expectations all the way down the line already, and this is a club that is punching way above its weight," Garber said. "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.”
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OCSC has sold just 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 the new 20,000-seat stadium in 2016. Regular games at the Citrus Bowl will also be capped at around 20,000, but the historic opener will be subject to a massive promotional effort.
“When we get here on opening night in front of 60,000-plus fans, we aim to do everyone proud," Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath said. "We’re well aware of the history-making nature of this game, and it’s a great focus not just for us but for MLS in general.”
