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Orlando City SC

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This article is about the Major League Soccer team. For the USL Pro team, see Orlando City SC (2010–14).

Orlando City SC
Full nameOrlando City Soccer Club
Nickname(s)The Lions
Founded2013
GroundCitrus Bowl
Orlando, Florida
Capacity61,348
OwnerFlavio Augusto da Silva (majority)
Phil Rawlins (minority)
ManagerAdrian Heath
LeagueMajor League Soccer
Websitehttp://orlandocitysc.com/
Current season

Orlando City Soccer Club is an upcoming American professional soccer team based in Orlando, Florida that will compete in Major League Soccer (MLS). Orlando City SC was announced as the league's twenty-first franchise on November 19, 2013.[1][2] The team's expansion rights were purchased by Brazilian businessman Flavio Augusto da Silva and Phil Rawlins, owners of the USL Pro Orlando City Soccer Club.[3] The club intends to begin playing in the 2015 MLS season alongside the twentieth franchise New York City FC. Orlando City SC will be the first MLS franchise located in the state of Florida since the Miami Fusion F.C. and Tampa Bay Mutiny were folded by the MLS following the 2001 Major League Soccer season.[4]

History

See also: Orlando City Soccer Club (2010–14)

On October 25, 2010, Phil Rawlins and his investor group of Orlando City Soccer Club, announced their intentions of joining Major League Soccer within the next 3 to 5 years.[5] On February 28, 2011, Orlando City announced it met with commissioner Don Garber and league officials concerning expansion. Topics covered included the demographics of the Orlando marketplace, the local corporate and fan support for soccer, and developing a roadmap for a future MLS franchise in Orlando.[6] Orlando City team officials met with Commissioner Don Garber again on November 10, 2011 for further discussions about joining the MLS as its 20th club - which ultimately went to New York City - in 2013.[7]

On March 1, 2012. Garber visited Orlando to meet with city and county officials. He stated, "It's not a matter of if, but when," when addressing Orlando's chances of joining MLS.[8] On August 31, 2012, Rawlins told the Orlando Business Journal the team could get the Major League Soccer approval as early as fall 2013, and be ready to play in the league by 2014 or 2015. Rawlins said to make that happen, the league had asked the team to explore building a 22,000-seat soccer-specific stadium. "They didn't say we had to have a stadium built before we could join, but they at least would like a plan that it's happening."[9]

On November 19, 2013, Orlando City SC was announced as the league's twenty-first franchise.[1] On May 13, 2014, the team unveiled its new logo.[10][11] On June 9, 2014, Orlando City SC announced a partnership with Benfica.[12] As part of that partnership, Orlando City signed two players from the S.L. Benfica Juniors U-19 developmental team - Estrela and Rafael Ramos - to MLS contracts on August 7, 2014.[13]

On November 21, 2014, Adrian Heath signed a contract extension committing him to the club through to the end of the 2017 MLS season.[14]

Stadium

Main article: Orlando City Stadium
Orlando City will play at the Citrus Bowl (pictured) in their first season, before moving to the Orlando City Stadium in 2016

In April 2013, the City of Orlando purchased downtown land for $8.2 million to be used towards the construction of a $110 million MLS soccer stadium.[15] However, in May, the Florida House of Representatives failed to vote on a bill that had passed the Senate that would have provided up to $30 million in state funds towards the stadium project. Rawlins responded by expressing his intent to find alternative funding and keep seeking MLS expansion.[16] The mechanism to allow for the sales tax rebate for the MLS team was ultimately passed on April 25, 2014.[17]

The Orlando downtown soccer stadium moved closer to securing funding on August 8, 2013, when Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer reached an agreement on a deal to provide financial support for a variety of Orlando projects including the new MLS soccer stadium.[18] The last piece in stadium funding was an October 2013 vote on using an existing tourism tax to fund the final quarter of the $80 million stadium project.[19] On October 22, 2013, the Orange County Board of Commissioners voted 5-2 to approve the use of $20 million in tourist development tax funds to build an $84 million multi-purpose soccer stadium in downtown Orlando.[20]

Developmental system

From the advent of Orlando Pro Soccer, the team allied with the Central Florida Kraze of the USL Premier Development League to assist player development. Following their successful first season, Orlando City acquired controlling interest in the Kraze, and renamed them Orlando City U-23. The team has a legacy that includes several current and past MLS players, and won the PDL Championship in 2004.

Also after their 2011 season, Orlando City acquired controlling interest in the Florida Soccer Alliance youth soccer club, renaming them Orlando City Youth Soccer Club. That club has several teams competing in the USL Super Y-League.

Club culture

The club has two major active supporters groups:

  • The Ruckus is the oldest of these groups, whose basis was formed in 2009 as the "Orlando Soccer Supporters Club" without an affiliation to any particular soccer team. They occupy section 120.
  • The Iron Lion Firm, which separated from The Ruckus prior to the start of City's first season. Another group, The 407, was merged into the Iron Lion Firm prior to the start of the 2014 season.[citation needed]

On January 26th, 2015, the two groups announced they would combine forces on gamedays to create "The Wall."

Players

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Squad correct as of January 30, 2015.[21]

No. Pos. Player Nation
1 GK Donovan Ricketts  Jamaica
2 DF Tyler Turner  United States
3 DF Gustavo  Brazil
5 MF Amobi Okugo  United States
6 MF Tony Cascio  United States
7 MF Cristian Higuita  Colombia
8 MF Harrison Heath  England
9 FW Martin Paterson (on loan from Huddersfield Town)  Northern Ireland
10 MF Kaká (DP)  Brazil
11 FW Carlos Rivas  Colombia
14 DF Luke Boden  England
15 MF Pedro Ribeiro  Brazil
17 MF Darwin Cerén  El Salvador
18 MF Kevin Molino  Trinidad and Tobago
19 FW Danny Mwanga  DR Congo
20 MF Brek Shea  United States
21 FW Cyle Larin (GA)  Canada
22 GK Tally Hall  United States
23 DF Conor Donovan (GA)  United States
24 MF Lewis Neal  England
25 FW Akeil Barrett  Jamaica
26 FW Sidney Rivera  United States
27 DF Rafael Ramos  Portugal
29 DF Tommy Redding (HGP)  United States
35 FW Bryan Róchez (DP)  Honduras
36 GK Earl Edwards Jr.  United States
42 GK Josh Ford  United States
55 MF Estrela  Portugal
78 DF Aurélien Collin  France
— MF Eric Avila (on loan from Santos Laguna)  United States

Staff

Coaching staff

[22][23][24]

Board of directors

  • Brazil Flavio Augusto da Silva - Owner and chairman
  • England Phil Rawlins - Owner and president
  • England John Bonner - Owner
  • Brazil Alex Leitão - Board member
  • United States Brett Lashbrook - Chief operating officer

[25]

Team records

Year MLS Regular season Position MLS Cup
Playoffs 		Open Cup Champions
League 		Top Scorer
P W L D GF GA Pts Conf. Overall Player Goals
2015 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TBD TBD TBD TBD 0

Head coaches

  • Includes MLS regular Season, MLS Playoffs, CONCACAF Champions League, and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
  • Ties count as half a win for win percentage.
As of January 2015
All Time Orlando City SC Coaching Stats
Coach Start End Games Win Loss Draw Win %
Adrian Heath England 2015 Present 0 0 0 0 0

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Major League Soccer names Orlando City SC as 21st franchise, set for 2015 debut". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  2. ^ "Orange County Approves Funding for Orlando Soccer Stadium". orlandocitysoccer.com. Orlando City Soccer Club. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  3. ^ "It's official: Next MLS expansion city is Orlando!". NBCsports.com. November 19, 2013.
  4. ^ "MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER AWARDS EXPANSION TEAM TO ORLANDO". orlandocitysoccer.com. Orlando City Soccer Club. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  5. ^ Borg, Simon (October 25, 2010). "Investors targeting MLS club for Orlando". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  6. ^ "Orlando City Meets with Major League Soccer to Discuss Expansion Plans – OurSports Central – Independent and Minor League Sports News". OurSports Central. February 28, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  7. ^ Wiebe, Andrew (November 10, 2011). "Garber: League still focused on expansion team in NYC". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  8. ^ "Orlando City put MLS ambitions on show for Commissioner". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. March 1, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  9. ^ "Orlando City Lions may score MLS dream with stadium - Orlando Business Journal". Bizjournals.com. August 31, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  10. ^ Tenorio, Paul. "Orlando City Soccer Club reveals new MLS logo". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  11. ^ "Paint it purple: Orlando City SC roll out streamlined new crest as MLS debut approaches". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  12. ^ "BENFICA AND ORLANDO CITY SC ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC COOPERATION AGREEMENT". orlandocitysoccer.com. Orlando City Soccer Club. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  13. ^ http://www.orlandocitysc.com/news/pronews/?article_id=1989
  14. ^ "Orlando City SC Extends Head Coach Adrian Heath's Contract Through 2017". Orlando City Soccer Club. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  15. ^ "Dyer opens up about land purchase for new MLS stadium". wftv.com. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  16. ^ "Orlando City determined to join MLS despite legislation impasse in Florida House". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. May 6, 2013.
  17. ^ Orlando Sentinel (April 25, 2014). "House passes stadium-subsidy bill which would aid Orlando, Miami MLS dreams". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  18. ^ Kennedy, Paul (August 9, 2013). "Mayors line up behind Orlando stadium deal 08/09/2013". SoccerAmerica. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  19. ^ "MLS expansion team likely heading Atlanta's way". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  20. ^ "'We are going MLS!' Pro soccer stadium is coming to Orlando". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  21. ^ "Orlando City SC Official Roster". orlandocitysc.com. Orlando City SC. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  22. ^ "Coaching Staff". Orlando City Soccer Club. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  23. ^ "News". Orlando City Soccer Club. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  24. ^ "A Conversation With U-18 Head Coach Paul Shaw". The Mane Land. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  25. ^ "Board of Directors". Orlando City Soccer Club. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
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