NFL is bringing pro football back to Orlando.
A historic announcement took place at a press conference held on Wednesday at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. The Pro Bowl (NFL all-star game) is coming to the City Beautiful and Camping World Stadium on January 29, 2017. Orlando football fans can expect the big game to be here for at least two years.
There is even more good news for NFL football fans in town.
The Pro Bowl was the major announcement, but the NFL was not done with Orlando. For the first time since 1997, almost 20 years ago, Orlando will host a NFL preseason game. On Thursday, Aug. 25, the Miami Dolphins will play their first ‘home’ preseason game in Orlando at Camping World Stadium, against the Atlanta Falcons.
All of a sudden, Orlando went from a market with no NFL presence to one with quite a big presence.
NFL momentum is picking up steam here in Orlando. That brings up the question, will the NFL eventually expand to Orlando in the future?
They are definitely in the right direction by securing the NFL Pro Bowl for at least the next two years and will have the opportunity to host an NFL preseason game later this summer. Orlando is now the largest television market without a NFL team (the Rams’ move to Los Angeles removed L.A. from the top of the list).
Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan had ambitious goals and high hopes of bringing the NFL to Orlando last month.
It appears that he got his wish and succeeded. And Hogan is not satisfied just yet.
“I promise you, I guarantee you, we will have NFL football in this stadium in 2017 — one way or another,” Hogan promised to the Orlando Sentinel. “We’re absolutely focused on that and we’re going to be back in the (NFL) business.
“I’m not just talking about preseason games. Regular season games are also in play.”
Once Orlando City SC move into their brand new soccer stadium next year in downtown, Camping World Stadium will be available to host many more events starting in 2017, with the NFL on its mind.
Orlando, known as the tourism capital of the world, is also trying to make a name for itself as a football town. The city already has two other levels of football, the UCF Knights (NCAA) and the Orlando Predators (Arena Football). Not to mention, three college football bowl games held in town every year at Camping World Stadium and now a new kickoff game.
“We’ve become the leading destination for major sporting events in America,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer told the Orlando Sentinel. “The more exposure we get, the more people want to bring stuff here. Everybody wants to come to Orlando anyway. Now you have a quality venue.”
Could professional football and the NFL be next?
Hogan and Florida Citrus Sports have stated publicly they want more than just preseason games. they are hoping one of the local teams is willing to move a regular season game to Central Florida some time in the near future.
Orlando’s ambition to growing the sport in town is apparent.
None of this is possible without the city’s financial commitment to Camping World Stadium, formerly known as the Citrus Bowl. The more than 60,000 seat sporting facility just recently in 2014 had a major facelift with a $200 million renovation to the stadium.
In this case, the “If you build it, they will come” mantra could be true. The stadium’s renovations have improved the chances to bring these opportunities to town. The investment is already paying for itself.
Apparently, Orlando residents are ready for a pro football team in the city. Orlando Business Journal recently did a poll asking fans what sport they wanted to come here.
A recent survey from the Orlando Business Journal reported nearly half of the readers surveyed said they would want a NFL team to be the next major sport to come to the city. That is not surprising, the NFL is by far the country’s most popular sport. It seems like the next place the city could grow as a sports town.
With local fans and the community’s support, that could go a long way in convincing NFL officials that Orlando can be the fourth major city in Florida to have a NFL franchise.
The NFL seems interested too. According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, it was the NFL that asked the Miami Dolphins to move their first home preseason game to Orlando, creating sort of a test run for the Pro Bowl in Camping World Stadium.
This is not new to Orlando. The city has hosted a total of five NFL preseason games that have been played in the stadium’s 80-year history, but none since the stadium was upgraded. The last game was in 1997 between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets, which underachieved in attendance with a total of 21,342 fans.
The NFL and the City of Orlando is counting on a much better fan turnout this time around. There are several factors and advantages that point to this happening.
Seeing as it has been more than 20 years since the NFL last hosted a NFL game of any kind and the city’s tremendous growth in that time, there is no reason to think fans will not show up for these events.
Orlando is a NFL town once again.
Something that seemed to be a pipe dream recently, is now becoming more of a reality. Are you ready for some football?
Orlando City to play Jacksonville Armada in U.S. Open Cup
By Philip Rossman-Reich
Orlando City is preparing to enter the U.S. Open Cup and will see some familiar faces — such as former goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo.
Orlando City will play the Jacksonville Armada in Jacksonville on June 15 in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup, the knockout-style tournament featuring teams from leagues across the United States including MLS and USL PRO.
The two teams played in Jacksonville in a preseason game with the Armada edging out the victory. That was with Orlando City making wholesale substitutions as part of its preseason preparations. With something on the line, the Lions are more likely to field a fuller roster.
Orlando City has put some emphasis on U.S. Open Cup play, especially during its USL PRO days as it looked to establish itself as a legitimate force in the American soccer tree.
The Lions may still be without Kaka when this fixture comes up though. Kaka is going to end up missing Copa America with a hamstring injury.
UCF softball recruit named State Player of the Year
By Philip Rossman-Reich
UCF incoming recruit Ryleigh Buck has been named the Gatorade Softball Player of the Year in Kansas.
Buck bat .634 with five home runs and 37 RBIs as her team went 17-6 and qualified for the state tournament for the first time in 20 years. The shortstop was an all-state member the last two years.
She also was a member of the gold medal-winning Pan Am Games team representing the United States last summer.
