Orlando is only an hour from me but I don't see it supporting an MLS team. I don't know that much about Orlando sports wise, I'd love a team though, but I see Miami or Tampa in front of the queue.... but miracles happen...well in the movies.
Re: Florida Superthread [Part 2] you can include me...i hope they get a team so i can root against them when Atlanta gets one too
well i've decided to post again, so hopefully next time i will be mentioned as "someone who posts regularly". How many posts is that 10? Only 8 more to go!
I'm personally blown away that orlando doesnt already have an MLS team. The reasons are way too many to count but i'll throw a few out to you. 1. The citrus bowl is so unused it's not even funny. they use that darn thing maybe MAYBE a hand full of times a year for bowl games. Honestly if an MLS team took it over, it would be majority for soccer and for a month out of the year it would be needed for bowl games. The mayor is already in the works to renovate it, and when that happens it's going to look like a million bucks. 2. ORL has so many links to other portions of central florida, that anyone from Sanford,Oviedo,Winterpark,Casselberry,deltona,daytona,melbourne,cocoa beach,oviedo,clermont,kissimmee (the list could go on and on) and downtown orlando could come to the games within under an hours drive (mostly 20-30 minutes drive) 3. Do you realize the hispanic demographic in that area? We all know garber needs to decide on what market he's going for in mention to new fans, the converted fan of sports or the converted fan of soccer. if it's the ladder? you'll have such a large following there, it wouldn't even by funny. It just baffles me beyond belief why orlando doesnt have a team yet. and dear god it would be so easy to pick up young talent there.
Pepin Stadium is the soccer stadium for the Unv. of Tampa Spartans soccer teams. It is located in the heart of downtown Tampa. Unfortunately, when it was remodeled 4-5 years ago they decreased the size to seat only 1,500. It seated almost 5,000 before. It also hosts WPSL team (TB Elite) and the annual preseason MLS memorial game for former coach Tom Fitzgerald between RSL and Crew. Read more here: http://tampaspartans.athleticsite.com/page.asp?articleID=7
Problem with Tampa vs. Orlando is that Tampa has a larger population, previous major league pro teams and (most importantly IMHO) has a larger base of corporate sponsorship to pull from. But if we were to start a list of possible corporate sponsors in Orlando, Dardens (owners of Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Longhorn etc) is one of the first ones I would think. And the idea of Disney being involved is not realistic. Even for this discussion.
I admit I'm in Daytona not Orlando and don't know that much about that area but I don't think Orlando is ready for MLS I could be wrong but it seems like most people around here don't know much about pro soccer. Tampa had some good crowds but never what it should have been either on times. Also in the past people have mentioned that tourists could end up going to a game if there was a stadium near say Disney....as a British person I feel that they wouldn'nt be interested in that and they come here for other stuff unless maybe US tourist would. I could be totally wrong but if they were going to build a stadium I guess I think Tampa....even though it's a total of 160 miles further than an Orlando trip back and forth for me. Hopefully Orlando will get more pro soccer games in the future in some form...although didn't i read the citrus bowl was not going to be renovated with soccer in mind...it would be a dream having a team only 50 miles away.
I read this thread often and will begin to post regularly to it. I'm up in Gainesville which is about 2 hours from either Tampa or Orlando; so I'm good with either one; although I expect to be moving to the Orlando metro area within 3-4 years. Here's to the return of the Rowdies, the Mutiny, MLS to the Central Florida region.