On April 22nd, Orlando Pride will play their home opener against the Washington Spirit in Orlando City Stadium. The Pride are thrilled to get to spend their season in the new stadium, and Head Coach Tom Sermanni thinks the facility could have a huge impact on the team.
“That will have a huge positive impact on the team,” Sermanni said. “I think, for us, it’s the stadium and the crowd, and how loud this crowd is gonna be and how passionate this crowd is gonna be that’s gonna give us an edge.”
Sermanni also noted it would be a place other teams would want to play. Only three NWSL teams play in soccer-specific stadiums of this caliber-- the Houston Dash, the Portland Thorns, and the Pride. To be playing in one of the best soccer facilities in the country impacts not only the Pride-- it impacts the whole league.
Pride Ready to Prove a Point From Day One
Dani Weatherholt, who is now entering her second year in the NWSL, said that the stadium shows Orlando City Soccer Club’s dedication to equality. This stadium is not only for the MLS squad-- it is for everyone.
“It’s so exciting. I think it shows the professionalism of Orlando and the club, being that we’re women and we get to play in that stadium,” Weatherholt said. “The first thing that someone asked me was, ‘Well, do you guys get to play in it?’ And I was like ‘Yeah, Orlando’s all about equality, and management is all about what the men get, you guys get.’ So, it’s very special. We’re really thankful we get to be a part of it.”
The stadium has already proven its potential impact for the men’s team. Orlando City’s 1-0 victory over New York City FC in Week One was certainly a testament to the talent and hard work on the men’s squad, but it also showed the role that the crowd can play in a match. The new stadium-- and the support that pours out of it-- could be just the boost the Pride needs to go for it all in Year Two.
