ORLANDO — The Orlando City Football Club unveiled their 2015 Home Kits kicking off the club’s Major League Soccer campaign.
The Club’s new kit commemorates the club’s promotion to Major League Soccer while preserving their past after a successful 4 year campaign in the USL Pro the kit was revealed on Wednesday morning at an event held at the University of Florida Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health.
The jersey, made by Adidas as are all the uniforms in MLS, also features sponsor Orlando Health across the front, three stripes down the sleeve, a gold trim and the phrase “This Is Orlando” on the necktape as a nod to the supporters’ groups.
To recognize the club’s history, the jersey will also feature the old OCSC logo on the inside of the jersey underneath the current MLS logo. In addition, there’s a 3D crown above the words “Orlando City” on the back of the jersey, highlighting the club’s USL championship titles.
“We worked very closely with Adidas during the design process of our first-ever MLS home kit, as we want the jersey to have a simple and classic look that accurately represents our brand and prominently displays our long-time partners Orlando Health,” said Orlando City Founder and President Phil Rawlins. “We are very proud of the end result, and we can’t wait to see our team take the field next year.”
Orlando Health – the official medical team and jersey sponsor of Orlando City – is highly visible with the healthcare leader’s logo centrally located on the front of the new home uniform. Orlando Health has been the Club’s jersey sponsor since the team’s arrival to the City Beautiful.
“Four years ago, we entered into a partnership with Orlando City SC and we haven’t looked back. It has been a wonderful friendship between two organizations that stand for the advancement, well-being, growth, and passion for our community,” says Jamal Hakim, M.D., interim CEO for Orlando Health. “We share the excitement our community has shown for the team and are proud to be the jersey sponsor and official medical team for Orlando City SC.”
In 2013, Orlando Health extended their partnership with Orlando City, becoming the first jersey partner in MLS history to commit to an expansion club prior to admittance into the league.
Key things to look for in Orlando’s 2015 Home Kit:
• Adidas adizero engineering – the lightest soccer kit in history, allowing players to remain fast, cool and comfortable on the pitch;
• Jacquard engineered banding on the front of the jersey, representing Orlando City’s transition to a new era;
• “This is Orlando” sublimated on the inside of the neck tape – laying claim to the City Beautiful;
• “Orlando City” and a gold crown 3D heat transferred onto the neckline, highlighting City’s championship success prior to MLS entry;
• Placement of the Club’s previous logo on the inside of the jersey – underneath the Lions’ new MLS crest – keeping the team’s foundation and history close to the heart.
OCSC also unveiled the first of dozens of new ads and billboards that will canvas the City Beautiful over the next five months leading up to the team’s highly anticipated MLS debut. A 16′ x 80′ banner was installed on the UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health facing Orange Avenue. This banner highlights the partnership between Orlando City and Orlando Health, with the headline, “Part of Something Major,” and four of the Club’s players: Kaká, Kevin Molino, Tyler Turner and Tommy Redding.
The marketing campaign will span outdoor, print, radio and digital – prominently featuring Orlando City players Kaká, Darwin Cerén, Molino, Rafael Ramos, Estrela, Redding, Turner, Harrison Heath and Luke Boden.
Orlando will come into the 2015 Season joining expansion sister club, New York City Football Club in the Eastern Conference. The two clubs will be able to see their first action against each other in the Carolina Challenge Cup Tournament prior to the beginning of the MLS Regular Season. NYCFC and OCSC along with the Houston Dynamo, will be featured in the 12th annual Carolina Challenge Cup, the event’s first edition in partnership with MLS.
The three teams, along with host club Charleston Battery of USL PRO, will play six matches at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. from Feb. 21-28, and feature some of the league’s newest stars in Orlando’s Kaká and NYCFC’s Frank Lampard and David Villa.