United Soccer Leagues (USL)

Q & A with Orlando's Steve Donner

USLsoccer.com explores what is next for the new Orlando team

Thursday, March 11, 2010

ORLANDO, FL -- Last week what seemed like the entire Central Florida soccer community came out to welcome its newest member with the addition of an Orlando franchise to the USL professional family. Orlando’s USL team, scheduled to begin play in 2011, will be owned by the Orlando Titans professional lacrosse team. Steve Donner, President of the Titans, took the time to talk to USLSoccer.com about the announcement and what will be happening between now and 2011.

USLSoccer.com: First of all, what were your feelings when you stepped up to the podium last week to make the announcement?

Steve Donner: I was overwhelmed by the turnout of media and fans at the press conference. It was exciting to be able to announce that we are bringing soccer to Orlando and it was even more exciting to see the passion for soccer in the room.

USLSoccer.com: Why do you think professional soccer will work in Central Florida?

SD: I think the time is right for soccer to work in Central Florida. Soccer has continued to grow in the absence of a pro team here and there is a very large group of people interested in soccer who have no outlet to support the sport on a pro level. Based on the success the World Cup had in Orlando in 1994 and the crowds that international friendlies have drawn at the Citrus Bowl, it’s obvious to me that this market is ready for professional soccer. I also think having an experienced management team in place with a successful history in professional soccer is a plus. We can market the sport in a much more high-profile way than past groups may have had the resources to do.

USLSoccer.com: What will the team be called and where will it play?

SD: We will be working on team name and colors immediately. I would like to involve the community by having a “name the team” contest. A playing venue is also one of the highest priorities. There is not a perfect stadium for a USL Division One team in Orlando at the moment. We want to sit down with City of Orlando officials and discuss the best venue that will be great for the team and help drive the most economic benefit to the City and County. Any venue we select will have to involve some creativity and retro-fitting to create a vibrant soccer atmosphere.

USLSoccer.com: How much of an economic benefit could this have on the area?

SD: The team will definitely be an economic plus for Central Florida. We will employ more than 35 people between staff, coaches, and players. We will also create jobs in the hundreds for game nights and special events. We hope to promote a couple of large scale international friendlies that could have bowl game-type of economic impact each year. USL has also assured us that if we have the right partnership with the City of Orlando, that they will schedule one or two of their annual league events which can bring hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of people and hotel room nights to the area. The annual impact, if all done properly, should add millions to the local economy on an annual basis.

USLSoccer.com: Why is the partnership with the USL Premier Development League’s Central Florida Kraze important to your plans?

SD: Our top priority is to build a fully-integrated club system. The success of the Kraze over the last decade as a PDL team in USL is well documented and they would become one of our direct links to the youth soccer market in Central Florida. For lack of a better word, the Kraze would be the first building block in our overall soccer development plan. Our goal is a unified vision of building alliances with the Kraze and the other top youth clubs in the area.

USLSoccer.com: What will your next few steps be in the building of the franchise?

SD: Our first step will be developing a corporate structure for the organization. It’s something we will do quickly because there is an immediate need for us to develop our name, logo and brand; as well as selecting a facility.

USLSoccer.com: You mentioned possible international partnerships. What types of events are you hoping to bring to Central Florida?

SD: Just as the Kraze would be considered our first building block, identifying and securing an equity partner with a high-level English or overseas club would be our final building block. Once that partnership is secured, it would allow us to bring world-class soccer events to Central Florida, whether that be in the form of international friendlies, tournaments or special competitions. That would only be a few of the benefits this partnership would generate. I could certainly see Orlando and Central Florida becoming a destination for preseason training for overseas clubs. That partnership would also allow us to tap into world-class training and coaching knowledge that would benefit all levels of our organization from our First Division Club all the way down to our youth teams.

USLSoccer.com: You have a long history with USL from your time in Rochester, which included a few trophies. What made you want to get involved again?

SD: I truly believe a niche exists in this country for a second division soccer league and I strongly believe that Central Florida and Orlando is a market that is ready for this type of professional soccer. The opportunity to be part of building a fully-integrated soccer organization in Central Florida is the ultimate career challenge and one that I very much wanted to be a part of.

On a personal note, we created and operated a USL team in Rochester that for 10 years was not only successful on the field, but profitable to operate. Unfortunately, our attempts to build a state-of-the-art soccer complex in that city experienced difficulties because of the economy and an unforeseen two-year delay in stadium funding which resulted in hardships for both the franchise and ownership. I am highly motivated to build another successful USL franchise, one that all Central Florida soccer and sports fans will be proud of.