The Orlando Predators are moving away from their home at the Amway Center in downtown Orlando. The arena football team’s owner David Pearsall confirmed the Predators will play at CFE Arena, located on the main UCF campus.
Pearsall recently acquired the Predators and was very excited based on the statement online. “We are thrilled to start a new chapter of the Predators organization at CFE Arena,” said Pearsall. “Our fans are going to experience a new theater style jumbo screen on the back wall of the arena that will show larger than life football like they have never seen.”
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has not been as supportive of the Predators and last year declared the team in default of their Amway lease over attendance figures. The Predators were getting more fans than the Orlando City Soccer team per game. The City of Orlando actually turned off the air conditioning on fans during some games last season in the Amway Center. I still hope whatever the city was thinking did not lead to mold growing in the arena, but it did not put our city’s new half billion dollar arena in a good light. Some could see why the team may have been looking for a new place to play.
Part of the Orlando Venues plan and Amway Center’s financing plan rely on multiple sports using the facility. The Orlando Magic continue to struggle with ticket sales at the new arena, offering major discounts for seats this season to try to lure fans back in to Amway. Now the city of Orlando will have another shortfall to fill, in addition to increased competition from UCF’s arena.
The Predators first game in their new home will be on Sunday, March 16, 2014 against the Jacksonville Sharks.
