
Early indications are that Orlando will be just fine when it comes to attendance.
Orlando Pride owner Phil Rawlins told media on Monday that the Pride, the National Women’s Soccer League’s 10th and newest franchise, has already sold over 1,500 season tickets. Orlando’s franchise was announced last Tuesday and the sales came as part of the pre-sale phase.
“If you track that alongside the MLS pre-sales, it’s actually tracking ahead of where the MLS pre-sales were in the first week,” Rawlins said Saturday.
Rawlins told the Orlando Sentinel he expects about 10,000 fans per game for the Pride’s matches, which would put the club second to only Portland Thorns FC, which averaged 15,639 fans per game in 2015, over tripling seven of the eight other clubs.
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On Monday, the Pride unveiled their first three players — Alex Morgan, Sarah Hagen and Kaylyn Kyle.
“It was a horrible secret,” Morgan said at Monday’s press conference. “I’m just really happy I’m able to finally come out in purple.”
Sky Blue FC is the only team of the 10 NWSL clubs which does not appear to be selling 2016 season tickets.
