April 22nd. That’s the day that the Orlando Pride will open their second season in the NWSL. It will be their first match in the new stadium, and they will be facing off against Ali Krieger’s former team, the Washington Spirit.
Orlando City have already sold out the season for their home opener, and the Orlando Pride want to do the same for theirs. A sell-out crowd of 25,000 would break the NWSL attendance record, which was set at 23,403 by the Pride for last season’s home opener. It’s implications for the NWSL and for the growth of the women’s game as a whole are unimaginable.
Last season, the Orlando Pride helped grow the NWSL tremendously. At the start of the last season, some were unsure about the league’s sustainability. This year, the league fielded numerous expansion requests. The bar is being raised for player treatment and stadium quality, and bigger and bigger crowds are coming out the matches.
A sellout crowd for the Orlando Pride would help continue that momentum. Selling out an MLS stadium would prove that, similar to Portland, the women’s team in Orlando is just as important and just as marketable as the men’s team. It would help to even what continues to be an evolving playing field.
It’s going to be an exciting season, and an exciting first match. The Orlando Pride have made some impressive offseason acquisitions, including former Washington Spirit Defender Ali Krieger. They have also brought in Brazilian Defender Camila, Australian Defender Alanna Kennedy, and former Houston Dash Forward Chioma Ubogagu. They have also maintained some core players from last season, including Goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, Midfielder Kristen Edmonds, and Forward Jasmyne Spencer.
How will that talent showcase itself in 2017? You’ll have to go to find out.
