Orlando Pride shine before record crowd, auguring well for women's game

An NWSL-record crowd of 23,403 turned up for the expansion Orlando Pride’s inaugural home match, a sign the women’s game is discovering real traction

Orlando Pride supporters march to the stadium prior to Saturday’s maiden match

The future of women’s soccer was on view in Orlando on Saturday night as a record 23,403 fans flocked to the Citrus Bowl for the inaugural home outing of the Orlando Pride in a part of Florida that is rapidly becoming synonymous with the beautiful game.

It was the future of a league, of a new team, of fans new to the sport and even of a possible matrimonial tie-up as one of the men’s team’s most recognizable supporters was joined by a female counterpart in a development that is sure to please unicorn-lovers everywhere.

The key feature was the highest attendance in the short history of the National Women’s Soccer League, as the crowd topped the previous best of 21,144 for the Portland-Seattle game last July. All week, the Pride – backed by the formidable marketing machine that is Orlando City SC – had flirted with the idea of a record turnout, and it was duly confirmed by press release almost three hours before kick-off with the sale of the 21,145th ticket.

Simon Veness at the Citrus Bowl

Published By - Theguardian.com - Sports New, LifeStyle News, Politics news, UK and world political comment and analysis: Sunday 24 April 2016 04.03 BST

Comments

US unions plan attack on Donald Trump in attempt to derail presidential bid

Concerned labor group leaders are organizing ad campaigns and phone banks as Trump’s populist message on trade and jobs draws in union voters The prospect of a Donald Trump nomination has labor leaders scrambling to hold the line as the Republican frontrunner’s appeal to disaffected working-class voters threatens to upset the traditional political calculus. The majority of America’s almost 15 million unionized workers can be usually be relied upon to back the Democratic candidate in a presidential year, but leaders are concerned by Trump’s populist message on trade and jobs – and his insistence that union workers are just one of many groups on a long list of those he claims “love” him. Published By - Theguardian.com - Sports New, LifeStyle News, Politics news, UK and world political comment and analysis: Tuesday 26 April 2016 12.00 BST

Trump attacks Clinton as victories set stage for brutal election

Battle lines appear drawn for general election as Republican frontrunner says Democrat has nothing going for her except ‘the woman’s card’ Donald Trump set the stage for a brutal battle with Hillary Clinton, claiming she is only in contention for the presidency because she is a woman, as both candidates scored dominant victories in Tuesday night’s primary elections. The Republican frontrunner attacked Clinton as weak and crooked and warned that she would be a “horrible president” as he sought to frame the fight for the White House. Speaking at Trump Tower in New York, he said witheringly: “I think the only card she has is the woman’s card. She’s got nothing else going. And frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I don’t think she’d get 5% of the vote. The only thing she’s got going is the woman’s card, and the beautiful thing is women don’t like her, OK?” Mary Pat Christie, the wife of former Republican candidate Chris Christie, who was standing behind Trump as he mocked Clinton, a...

From Uber to Eric Schmidt, tech is closer to the US government than you'd think

Twitter was scrabbling to defend the appointment of a Chinese head with government ties, yet US tech has a busy revolving door with its own government What’s worse for a Silicon Valley executive: ties to the Chinese military or friends in the US Defense Department? Twitter found itself confronting that question this week after it hired Kathy Chen, a former engineer for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), to head up ad sales and business development in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Internet freedom activists and Chinese dissidents, who have to skirt Beijing’s digital censors to use Twitter, said it was a betrayal. The spat illustrates the delicate balancing act technology companies face as they are forced to expand overseas to grow. In the US, Silicon Valley, like any industry, has embraced and relied on close relationships with former government officials both for technical talent and to help grease the wheels as they confront regulatory issues. Alphabet’s executive chairman, ...

Bol News

Search This Blog