ORLANDO – AUGUST 3, 2015 – In their 2015 ranking of Best and Worst Cities for Soccer Fans, WalletHub.com ranked Orlando City SC fans as the Most Friendly and Most Engaged out of the 172 most populated cities analyzed in the study.
The article stated, “(Soccer) has been rising in domestic popularity, boosted by the U.S. Women’s National Team’s recent global triumph, MLS’ newest clubs New York City F.C. and Orlando City S.C. and other clubs forming in lower divisions.
“But fans are breaking records themselves,” the article continued. “Both MLS attendance and TV viewership figures… suggest that the sport is heading in the right direction.”
It comes as no surprise to Orlando City Founder and President Phil Rawlins that Lion Nation is ranked at the top of the list. “Our fans are the most passionate and ardent followers of any club, and their loyalty is evident each and every week,” said Rawlins. “They are the reason behind our success on the pitch. They literally helped paint this city purple, and their unwavering support is greatly appreciated by everyone in the front office and especially by every player and coach on our staff. We are Lion Nation.”
To celebrate the recognition, Orlando City has launched the #CityPride campaign, where fans are encouraged to submit photos via Twitter and Instagram of themselves, their friends and family showing support for the Lions.
The full article can be found online here.
Orlando City’s next match will take place against Toronto FC at BMO Field on Wednesday, August 5. Kick-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET. The match will be broadcast on My 65, Sun Sports, Real Radio 104.1 FM and La Grande 1030 AM. The Lions will return to the Orlando Citrus Bowl on a Saturday, August 8, for a match-up against the Philadelphia Union. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
