OCS Banner outside

In preparation of their inaugural MLS season, Orlando City Soccer has seemingly rebranded the entire Citrus Bowl Stadium.

Ten massive royal purple banners, eight of which proudly display the team’s new MLS designation, hang from the stadium.

The opening match against New York City FC  is scheduled for Sunday, March 8. On Monday the team announced that their #FilltheBowl campaign had succeeded in selling out the stadium six days before the game. Both teams are new to Major League Soccer.

The only tickets remaining for purchase to the inaugural match are part of a limited number of seats reserved for season tickets holders.

Kick-off is set for 5:00 p.m. on ESPN2 for those who weren’t able to secure a seat.

Because of multiple events happening in Downtown Orlando on Sunday, the City of Orlando, Orlando Magic, and Orlando City Soccer are sponsoring free, limited SunRail service on Sunday and released a map of other transportation alternatives to attend the game.

In other transportation news, Orlando City Soccer’s new stadium in Parramore has permanently closed a section of Parramore Ave between Church Street and Central Ave.

An MLS strike was avoided on Wednesday when the League and the union representing its players agreed to a new collective bargaining contract. The MLS season officially kicks off on Friday.

Here’s more from the official press release:

WASHINGTON, D.C.- (Wednesday, March 4, 2015) – Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Major League Soccer Players Union today announced that they have reached agreement in principle on the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) covering five seasons, commencing with the 2015 season and continuing through the 2019 season.

“We are pleased to finalize the framework for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with our players,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “We now enter our 20th season with enormous momentum with our new television partnerships, dynamic star players from the U.S., Canada and abroad, and two new expansion teams in New York City and Orlando that will debut in front of more than 60,000 fans on Sunday in the Citrus Bowl.  This agreement will provide a platform for our players, ownership and management to work together to help build Major League Soccer into one of the great soccer leagues in the world.”

The concluding phase of the negotiations was conducted under the auspices of Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Deputy Director of Mediation Services and Field Operations Scot Beckenbaugh and Mediator Peter Donatello.

“We are pleased to announce that we have reached a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the league,” said Bob Foose, Executive Director of the MLS Players Union. “We are pleased to finally turn our fans attention back to our players and the competition on the field as we get started on the 2015 season.”

OCS branding Citrus bowl

OCS 1

OCS from down the street

OCS Parramore Road closure

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