Orlando City Soccer To Host Brazilian Powerhouse Fluminense Football Club!

Orlando City Soccer

Orlando To Host Brazilian Powerhouse Fluminense FC

Game to be played on June 22 at the Florida Citrus Bowl against 2012 Brazilian Champions

Orlando, Fla.—Orlando City SC, in cooperation with Fluminense Football Club, is proud to announce an international friendly between the two teams on Saturday, June 22, at the Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl. The announcement comes off the heels of new Brazilian Owner Flavio Augusto da Silva making a significant investment in Orlando City last week, exhibiting the Lion’s strong new ties with the country of Brazil.

“We are delighted to be hosting the reigning Brazilian Champions, Fluminense,” said Orlando City President Phil Rawlins. “They are one of the very best teams in all of Brazil and have a host of world-class players in their squad. I’m sure it will be a great spectacle for our fans.”

Fluminense FC competes in Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, the top level of Brazilian soccer.  This year they are also one of the sides representing Brazil in the prestigious Libertadores of American Cup Led by Head Coach Abel Braga, who began his professional career with the club, Fluminense boasts some of the top talent from the country of Brazil and beyond. Midfielder Deco and forward Fred headline the club’s players coming to Orlando for the friendly.

We are honored to have been invited to participate in this international friendly match and, most importantly, of the new relationship being built with Orlando City,” said Fluminense’s president Peter Siemsen.

The match adds to the list of top-level clubs Orlando has played in the Central Florida area, which includes: English Premier League clubs Newcastle United, Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers and A.S. Roma of Serie A. The ability to draw major franchises from top-level leagues is something Rawlins says is an important factor in Major League Soccer’s considerations of who gains entry into the league.

“Arranging this took a lot of work and several meetings with Fluminense but it once again shows our commitment to bringing the very best in club soccer to Orlando,” Rawlins added.

The Lions announced last Monday that the Rio de Janeiro native Silva invested in Orlando City, funding the club’s share of a private/publicly funded multi-purpose soccer stadium in downtown Orlando and future acquisition of a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise.  The new owner also told those in attendance that his Brazilian contacts with major companies and soccer franchises will be important moving forward, with the Fluminense release displaying just that.

Fans can buy their tickets to the friendly beginning Tuesday, February 26, at 12 p.m. Tickets start at just $15 and can be bought online by going to Ticketmaster.com. Fans can also buy Orlando City 2013 season tickets, which start at just $125. The Lions kick off the regular season at home on Sunday, April 14, at the Florida Citrus Bowl against the Rochester Rhinos. For more information on tickets, fans can call 855-ORL-CITY.

About Orlando City Soccer Club:

Orlando City Soccer Club (OCSC) is a premier professional soccer sports franchise in the United States and is a member of the USL PRO. The Lion’s pro team has won two regular season titles and one postseason championship during their short time in Orlando. Outside of the pro squad, OCSC also has their own youth club, Orlando City Youth Soccer (OCYS) and a U23s team that participates in the PDL. For more information on the pro and youth clubs, visit www.orlandocitysoccer.com and www.orlandocityyouth.org.

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Match Report: Orlando City Falls To A.S. Roma

OrlandoCitySocerOrlando City

January 2, 2013

Team                          1          2          Final

Orlando City             0          0          0

A.S. Roma                  4          1          5

Scoring Summary:

(ASR) 2rd, Erik Manuel Lamela (Miralem Pjanic)

(ASR) 13th, Erik Manuel Lamela (Alessandro Florenzi)

(ASR) 31st, Miralem Pjanic (unassisted)

(ASR) 45th, Mattia Destro (unassisted)

(ASR) 66th, Alessandro Florienzi (unassisted)

Lineups:

Orlando City: Miguel Gallardo, Jerome Mechack, Alex DeJon, Kieron Bernard, Luke Boden, James O’Connor (Jordan LeBlanc 68’), Jean Alexandre (Ian Fuller 74’), Chris Harmon (Brian Fekete 46’), Jamie Watson (Jonathan Mendoza 57’), Dennis Chin (Christian Eissele 74’), Adama Mcengue

A.S. Roma: Michael Bradley (Simone Perrota 46), Leandro Castan, Erik Manuel Lamela, Miralem Pjanic, Daniele De Rossi (Panagiotis Tachtsidis 46’), Mattia Destro, Ivan Rodrigo Piris, Maarten Stekelenburg (Bogdan Lobont 46’), Jose Rodolfo Dodo (Marco Antonio De Mattos Filho 59’), Nicolas Andrea Burdisso (Alessio Romagnoli 46’), Alessandro Florenzi

Match Facts:

Time of match: 12:30 p.m.

Weather:  Clear

Attendance: 700+

Orlando City Falls To A.S. Roma

Valuable experience gained for Lions in 5-0 loss to three-time Serie A Champions

Winter Park, Fla. – Orlando City kicked off the new year in style, playing a friendly against three-time Serie A champion A.S. Roma in the 2013 preseason opener. Despite the 5-0 scoreline, the Lions impressed the sellout crowd at Barker Family Stadium in Winter Park, Fla., keeping up with worldwide stars like Michael Bradley, Francesco Totti and Maarten Stekelenburg in a game that the team hopes to be a springboard to a successful 2013 season.

“It’s been a really good experience for everyone,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “It’s a huge eye-opener to what the next level of soccer is for everyone on the team.”

Roma, who trained at the Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney during their winter break, looked sharp against the 2012 USL PRO Regular Season champs.  The Italian squad got started on the board early on, capitalizing on an early breakaway in the 2nd minute to take the 1-0 lead. Forward Erik Manuel Lamela notched a score after a well-directed pass by Miralem Pjanic hit the striker in stride, with the shot going up and over Orlando Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo and into the net.

Lamela wasn’t done with scoring in the first half as the Buenos Aires native gave Roma a two goal advantage in the 13th minute. In a scrum around the box, the forward once again found the back of the net, with help coming this time from Midfielder Alessandro Florenzi. Pjanic, who held the assist on the first goal, netted Roma’s third goal in the 31st minute while Mattia Destro added a fourth in the 45th to give the Italian side a 4-0 lead going into halftime.

The second half brought about many changes for both squads, giving each club a chance to look at players who normally don’t see the pitch. Youngsters Brian Fekete from the University of Tampa and Jonathan Mendoza from the U23 squad came on as substitutes for Orlando, gaining valuable experience for players Heath has an interest in for upcoming 2013 season. The same happened for Roma, who gave playing time to keeper Bogdan Lobont, Marco Antonio De Mattos Filho and Panagiotis Tachtsidis.

Roma continued their impressive style of play, with a score by Alessandro Florenzi in the 66th adding onto their lead. The score, however, was not a concern for Heath as his team played against one of the world’s best, with the experience more valuable than a victory in the friendly.

“The match was great for our younger players to see what top level competition is,” Heath said.

All ticket proceeds of the match went to the Orlando City Soccer Foundation. A 501 (c)(3) non-profit, the Foundation promotes exercise and healthy eating to the children and families in the Central Florida area and has done recent work in the Parramore area at the New Image Youth Center.

Orlando City takes a break from friendlies until early February, when the club participates in its third Disney Pro Soccer Classic. The Lions will play against Major League Soccer clubs like the Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC and the Columbus Crew before seeing their placement on championship day on February 23. All matches will be held at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla. For more information on the games, go to OrlandoCitySoccer.com.

 

About Orlando City Soccer Club:

Orlando City Soccer Club (OCSC) is a premier professional soccer sports franchise in the United States and is a member of the USL PRO. The Lion’s pro team has won two regular season titles and one postseason championship during their short time in Orlando. Outside of the pro squad, OCSC also has their own youth club, Orlando City Youth Soccer (OCYS) and a U23s team that participates in the PDL. For more information on the pro and youth clubs,visit www.orlandocitysoccer.com and www.orlandocityyouth.org.OrlandoCitySoccer OrlandoCitySoccer OrlandoCitySoccer

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Russell Athletic Bowl Kicks Off Tonight

russell athletic bowl

I get to take a step away from the Theme Parks tonight as Orlando Bowl Week kicks off at the Russell Athletic Bowl, played at the Florida Citrus Bowl, where the Virginia Tech Hokies will be facing the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

The Russell Athletic and Capital One Bowls bring thousands of visitors to explore the City Beautiful, and offer local fans a way to watch their favorite team or conference play.

Players from both teams have spent the week practicing, visiting the kids at Give Kids the World Village, exploring Walt Disney World, and getting ready for their final game of 2012 season.

Kick-off for the Scarlet Knights and Hokies is at 5:30 pm, and it is sure to be great game.

While this is the 15th time that Rutgers and Virginia Tech have faced each other, the Hokies lead the series 11-3, they haven’t met since the Hokies left the Big East in 2004.

Beamerball returns to Florida, as the Virginia Tech Hokies make their 10th Bowl appearance in the state and their first in the Russell Athletic Bowl. It has been a disappointing 6-6 season full of injuries, but Virginia Tech looks to win tonight to avoid their first losing season since 1992 and to take the focus off of the coaching staff questions and back on the team.

Meanwhile the Scarlet Knights have had quite a different season than the Hokies. Kyle Flood, in his first season as Head Coach at Rutgers, led them in a successful 9-3 season to their first Big East Championship. A win tonight against the Virginia Tech Hokies would give the Scarlet Knights their best season since 2006 with a 6th straight bowl win.

With both teams having offensive struggles and inconsistencies at times, this game is going to come down to how well the defenses will be able to perform. While the Hokie in me is hoping that they’ll be able to dig down deep to pull out a win, I am realistic about their chances against Rutgers whose defense ranks in the top 25 nationally in four major defensive statistical categories. I am sure that both teams will try to establish a strong running game to offset a weak offense, force turnovers from defenses that are proven scorers, and hope for special teams gold. It is going to be a close game that you won’t want to miss.

If you can’t make it to the Russell Athletic Bowl tonight, make sure you tune at 5:30 pm to ESPN and follow along on our adventure @onthegoinmco!

 

 

 

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SeaWorld Orlando Partners With The Miami Dolphins

SEAWORLD ORLANDO ANNOUNCES MULTI-YEAR MARKETING AGREEMENT WITH MIAMI DOLPHINS

SeaWorld Orlando and the Miami Dolphins have announced a multi-year marketing agreement.“SeaWorld, Where the Dolphins Play!” is the tagline for the integrated campaign involving a season-long sweepstakes and special deals for Florida residents.

The face of the campaign is former linebacker Jason Taylor, who will be inducted into the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll on October 14. Vignettes will feature him and his family enjoying SeaWorld as part of the following elements:

SeaWorld Miami Dolphins
Jason Taylor and his family at Discovery Cove

SeaWorld Football Family of the Year is a sweepstakes that kicked off on September 21 and will continue through December 31. Fans can register at Dolphins.com/SeaWorld to win a grand prize three-day, two-night SeaWorld and Aquatica weekend getaway plus four tickets to all 2013 regular season Miami Dolphins home games.

The Game Day Advantage offers Florida resident deals at SeaWorld for Miami Dolphins fans and will be featured in radio, digital and TV throughout key Florida markets as well as in-stadium.

“Aligning with the Miami Dolphins is a natural fit.  We both share the same commitment to family and tradition and are great places to make lifetime memories,” said Vice President of Marketing Toni Caracciolo. “We’re thrilled to have Jason Taylor involved because he’s devoted to family, a world-class athlete and loved by so many fans”.

“SeaWorld and their associated parks are premiere destinations for all ages from South Florida, across the country and internationally. We have the same vision to provide exciting moments for our visitors in a unique environment, while always giving back to the community,” said Jim Rushton, Chief Revenue Officer, Miami Dolphins / Sun Life Stadium. “We are honored to call them a partner as we both continue to grow our respective businesses.”

“From the exciting rides to swimming with the Dolphins, and everything in between, SeaWorld is simply an amazing destination for family entertainment,” said Jason Taylor. “My wife, kids and I had a great time on our most recent visit and we can’t wait to go back!”

SeaWorld Orlando immerses guests in the sea’s mysteries through up-close animal discoveries, amazing attractions, thrilling rides and unforgettable performances. Whether riding Manta, getting drenched by Shamu, or feeding seals and sea lions, vacation adventures become lifelong memories at SeaWorld. All new is TurtleTrek, a unique blend of up-close animal encounters with manatees and turtles and state-of-the art entertainment with the world’s first 3D/360 dome theater film.

Coming to SeaWorld Orlando in spring 2013 is Antarctica – Empire of the Penguin, the biggest and most expansive attraction in SeaWorld’s history. This epic exploration of a mysterious world blends animal encounters with an exhilarating ride for a one-of-a-kind experience the whole family will enjoy.  Be transported to an icy world you’ve never seen before.  Experience the majestic grandeur of the South Pole and see it through the penguins’ eyes on an exhilarating first-of-its kind family ride. Then, step out and explore their colony in an expanse that envelops you in cool extremes: bringing you above and below their icy world.

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Join Us On The Amway Center Fan Tour!

As most people know I am a Twitter fiend, says the girl with 103,880 tweets! Twitter is my drug of choice! I am forever tweeting about lots of things that usually aren’t important but a lot of time those silly things have paid off!

The Amway Center here in Orlando is home to the Orlando Magic, The Orlando Predators and my person favorite the Orlando Solar Bears. They are a huge concert and sporting venue. Beautiful new facility that replaced the old Amway Arena a few years ago. They were running a Twitter and Facebook ReTweet/RePost contest for all their followers for a chance at a behind the scenes tour of the facility! Well, I was one of the lucky ten winners!!! So this past Wednesday me and my favorite +1  Shelley Caran took a trip to see this beautiful facility!

Do you see that 46 foot Jumbo tron???? Yeah Buddy! It is the Biggest in the USA!!!! We learned so much about the facility and what goes into making it from a basketball court, to a hockey arena, into a concert venue and into a Circus Tent!!!! We also learned that the Amway Center is the FIRST NBA facility to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design new construction certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The arena uses 20% less energy and 40% less water than arenas of similar size.

Amway Center “green” features include:

  • Preferred parking for hybrids and other energy-efficient vehicles
  • High-efficiency heating and cooling systems
  • Ultra-low-flow toilets
  • A reflective and insulated roof that reduces cooling costs
  • High-tech monitoring systems that shut off the lights when a room is empty
  • Bicycle racks, showers and changing rooms for workers who bike to work
  • Systems to treat storm runoff before it can pollute nearby lakes
  • Recycling bins for fans and concertgoers
  • Additionally, many of the points toward LEED certification for the Amway Center were earned during construction. For example, of the facility’s building materials, 15 percent are recycled and 20 percent come from local sources. About 83 percent of the wood, concrete and steel construction waste has been recycled rather than sent to a landfill.
This is ONE beautiful facility! They took us on a tour of everything, we got to meet Stuff (Orlando Magic Mascot) and Shades (Orlando Hockey Mascot), we got treated to an amazing dessert spread and they even did a few giveaways and of course, me being Princess Luck won a Orlando Magic Jersey! We also got a swag bag at the end that included tickets to an Orlando Predators game and an Orlando Predators shirt to wear! They treated us like royalty! Big Huge Shout out to Jen at the Amway Center who was the young lady who set up our tour and is the face behind their twitter account! I can not wait to go to a Preds game and I am SO SO SO SO SO SO SO Excited for the upcoming Hockey Season! See you all on the glass!!

 

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