In case you didn’t know, Orlando has a new MLS soccer team, the Orlando City Lions. They’re doing great this year and in light of that fact, we want to share a few fun facts about the team and its inception. 

 

The club’s founding president, Phil Rawlins, started the process of bringing an MLS soccer team to Orlando all the way back in 2010. His goal was to establish a regular attendance of 15,000 people, which is why the hashtag “#mission15k” was born in 2013. On October 16, 2014, the groundbreaking was done for the team’s stadium, which is now located on the west side of town along Church Street. 

 

This stadium is absolutely beautiful, and on March 8, 2015, we filled it to a capacity of 62,510 purple-clad fans cheering on the Lions. We’re proud to say that no city money was used to build the stadium—it was all privately funded. 

The Lions’ emblem can be found plastered on cars, building windows, and many other places all over Orlando. The history behind its design is also quite interesting. Its shape is three-sided, which is derived from the original USLL pro crest. The lion was chosen as the mascot because it’s strong, proud, and the king of the jungle. The sun was chosen because we live in central Florida, where we naturally have tons of sun. There are 21 flares around the lion’s head to symbolize that we’re the 21st team to join the MLS. The name “Orlando City Lions” was chosen by ticket holders in a public vote. The color purple is beautiful and defines us perfectly because we’re unlike any other team out there. 

 

If you’re interested in attending a game, you should know that purses aren’t allowed inside the stadium during games. We recommend bringing a clear ziplock bag or a very small 6x6 clutch purse as a substitute. They also prohibit the use of stadium seat cushions. The reason, I think, is simple—the want everybody to stand up and cheer!

 

If you have any questions about living near the Orlando City Lions’ stadium or you’re thinking about buying or selling a house, please feel to reach out to us. We’d be glad to help.

 

Go Lions!