Orlando has not always been this way. It always needed a push.
There was a time when Orlando was happy staying in its lane. It was not too long ago either. The bowl games were enough. The Orlando Magic in a run-down arena was enough. The ambition was not present. The city seemingly was happy with where it was at.
The legislation to build the Amway Center, Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center and Citrus Bowl passed in 2008 was truly a transformation of the Orlando sports scene in every single way.
Since then, Orlando’s mentality has changed. Its ambition has grown. And it is reaping the rewards providing Orlando residents ample opportunities to watch live sporting events and bringing in the kind of major events that give a city notice and attention, not mention bring people from all around the country and the world to the city.
Steve Hogan, the president of Florida Citrus Sports, has often been a bit ambitious and overreaching with his dreams. He said after the Orlando Citrus Bowl (now Camping World Stadium) was completed it would be able to host the College Football Playoff and that Orlando would be able to attract not just NFL preseason games, but regular season games.
As improved as Camping World Stadium is over the old Citrus Bowl, it is not quite the NFL stadiums that get those major events. It still needs more to become the big venue it needs to be for these events.
That ambition though spoke to a city wanting more. Wanting to provide and do more. Making good on the investment the city and the county made in these buildings.
The 2016-17 sports season might be the culmination of this ambition. This site would not exist without this ambition, frankly.
Orlando will host three bowl games in December and January. It will host its first of an annual kickoff game — this year featuring Florida State and Ole Miss with Alabama, Florida and Miami coming in future years. The Florida Classic still arrives in town every November.
That is just the appetizer seemingly.
Copa America Centenario cemented Orlando as a soccer city, bringing three games from one of the largest international soccer tournaments to The City Beautiful. WrestleMania, the largest sports entertainment event in the world and an event that draws an international audience for an entire week’s worth of events, is returning to Orlando to play the new stadium. The NFL is arriving in August for a Miami Dolphins preseason game and in January for the Pro Bowl, beginning a multiyear deal at the Citrus Bowl. The NCAA Tournament returns to Orlando for first and second round games in March.
This does not even get into the major concerts — stadium concerts too — Orlando has hosted since the renovated Citrus Bowl. Or even the opportunities given by Orlando City’s move to Orlando and the stadium it is building downtown.
These were all events once thought impossible for the city. Not even dreamed up. Not even sought after.
The whole tenor of Orlando sports has changed since the events package was approved and the stadiums built. The city wants and can achieve more on the sports scene.
There will always be debate about the economic impact of stadiums. Certainly it is usually a bad deal for cities — sinking large amounts of public money from whatever source with little direct benefit. That is usually not what arena deals are about. From a surface standpoint, it is about improving the quality of life for residents in a city, creating a status for the city and give it the opportunity to host these events — for whatever economic impact they bring.
For sports fans in Orlando it has been a smorgasbord of sporting events and major events. Truly something for everyone.
This week’s press conference bringing the Pro Bowl to Orlando, the nation’s biggest sport, brought Orlando’s sports ambition in clearer focus. The city wants bigger and better events in its Downtown core.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and Florida Citrus Sports’ Steve Hogan have taken full advantage of the venuse they have built. And continue to want more.
By reaching big, the city has reaped the rewards.
Orlando TV Ratings: NBA Finals Game One down from last year
By Eric Lopez
While nationally the country was excited and watched Game One of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors more than last year’s Game One, in Central Florida that was not the case.
Orlando still watched Game One of the NBA Finals. Just not in the same numbers they did last year.
The Warriors’ Game One win over the Cavaliers on Thursday garnered a big number of 237,159 viewers, according to Nielsen ratings. It easily doubled the second place show on Thursday night, a repeat of The Big Bang Theory on CBS (117,364 viewers).
Despite the big number, more people in Central Florida watched Game One of Cavaliers-Warriors last year with 246,296 viewers. Keep in mind last year’s Game One went into overtime with the Warriors prevailing while this year’s Game One was won by the Warriors going away by double digits.
Game Two will be Sunday night on ABC.
Rounding out the top five TV shows in Central Florida on Thursday night were ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel pregame special with 87,381 viewers, Fox News’ O’Reilly Factor with 86,836 and the NBA pregame show on ABC with 82,363.
Thursday’s Game One of the NBA Finals averaged 19.197 million viewers across the country on ABC, up eight percent versus the 17.768 million viewers Game One with the same two teams a year ago. The game did a 13.1 overnight rating in the metered markets which was the highest rated game one for any NBA Finals game on ABC.
Frank Vogel says the Magic need tough guys
The Orlando Magic are entering a big offseason where they will need to make some key additions to the roster, supplementing the core the team has built through the draft. Free agency will be a big part of that process as the team has freed up enough cap room to go after a max guy.
Rob Hennigan said he wants to bring in experience first and foremost in free agency. The team needs an infusion of veteran leadership to help it take the next step.
At his introductory press conference a few weeks ago, Frank Vogel had another request: toughness.
“We need some tough guys,” Vogel said during introductory press conference last week. “We need some tough guys that are leaders. I think bringing in a guy who has a presence about him that the younger players will respect both with his presence, his voice, his approach, but also his ability to kick some tail on the court. To deliver on the court, that’s the best way to lead. I think we’ll be looking for that. A guy who has winning experience but can lead in the locker room but with his play as well.”
This seems to narrow down exactly who the Magic might be after in free agency this summer. They will want a player who has experience and can add something to this team it does not have.
Toughness can be defined in a number of different ways. It can be in defensive ability and leadership or a will to win. The Magic seem to be looking at these intangible markers much more closely.
Orlando is beginning to look that way as they make their final preparations for the Draft.
