Five biggest sports questions in Orlando for 2016

2016 brings with it a lot of promise for the City of Orlando in sports. But also a lot of questions as Orlando looks to find on-court success with its teams

A New Year brings in new questions around the City Beautiful in sports for 2016.

This past year has been quite an eventful one for the city and there seems to be plenty in store as the calendar turns to 2016.

With that in mind, here are five big questions we have for Orlando as 2016 gets set to begin.

5. What does Orlando City Have in store For an Encore?

Orlando City was the biggest story in Orlando in 2015, making the team’s first season in MLS a memorable one in Orlando.

In 2016, Orlando City is scheduled to have its own soccer stadium debut in the summer.

Can Orlando City continue the momemtum of interest of support it gained in 2015? The support Orlando gave to Orlando City suprised some media locally and nationally, like ESPN’s Taylor Twellman. He admitted the growth and support of the team shocked him to Sports Talk Florida 1080 AM’s Jerry O’Neill and Carson Ingle on the May 15 edition of Tuck and O’Neill radio show.

The biggest question is can Orlando City do the one thing that they did not do in 2015 which is make the MLS playoffs?

Further, even with season tickets sold out for the second season, can Orlando City duplicate the success of that first year both in the feeling around town and in the stands?

4.  What will be the impact of Florida State football in Orlando?

The Florida State Seminoles will hold their annual spring game at the Orlando Citrus Bowl on April 9 at 5 p.m. due to renovations to Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.

The Seminoles will also open the 2016 season at the Orlando Citrus Bowl on Labor Day night against Ole Miss in a primetime Monday night game to open the college football season.

Florida State partnered with Florida Citrus Sports to have the spring game in Orlando and obviously partnered with them to jumpstart Orlando’s new Kickoff Classic game.

How successful the spring game is could impact other college football programs perhaps moving their spring games to other markets where they have a big booster clubs.

The Seminoles figure to be a top five team and national title contender. Florida Citrus Sports hopes the Seminoles’ game against the Rebeles gets them off to a great start as they begin to attract marquee games to kick off the college football seasons like they do in Atlanta and Arlington.

The last time Florida State played in Orlando was the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl against Notre Dame.

3. How will the Orlando Pride do in Orlando?

In 2016 Orlando will have a professional women’s soccer team from the NWSL, the Orlando Pride.

The pro league has had its issues in the United States. Orlando has been successful in women’s college soccer with UCF women’s soccer program. The U.S. Women’s National Team has drawn big numbers when they have played in friendlies against Brazil at the Citrus Bowl like they did in 2015 and drawn local viewers in television sets in Orlando.

One thing that will help the Pride is they will have arguably the face of U.S. Women’s Soccer as the Pride traded for star forward Alex Morgan.

Like with the men’s team in Orlando City, there is still some trepidation that the community will fully embrace the team. There is plenty of evidence to suggest they will.

But with anything new, Orlando Pride have to get off to a good start to attract some attention.

2. How successful can UCF football coach Scott Frost and his offense be in 2016?

Scott Frost takes over a UCF football program that went 0-12 in 2015.

Frost will attempt to bring the Oregon Ducks’ spread offense to Central Florida in an experiment that brings excitement but also a ton of uncertainty.

Frost is the first coach really to try to duplicate the Oregon offense to another program. Frost will have a tough 2016 schedule as the Knights will play at Michigan as well as host Maryland that will highlight the non-conference schedule. In the American Conference, UCF will have to travel to American Conference Champions Houston as well as travel to Tampa to play South Florida.

It will not be easy for Frost to rebuild the program in his first year, but showing signs of progress would be big moving forward as college football still moves he needle within Orlando.

1. Will the Orlando Magic Make the NBA Playoffs?

https://youtu.be/twP9Q8ZZTds

The Orlando Magic have not made the NBA playoffs since Dwight Howard left town after the 2012 season.

This season under new coach Scott Skiles, the Magic look like a playoff contender with a 19-13 record at the end of the 2015 calendar year.

The Magic have tough competition as the Eastern Conference is much more improved then it has been in years.

One thing that is for sure is Magic fans and the city of Orlando will be watching to see if the Magic can make a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2012.