Orlando (U.S. Open Cup) - Postmatch

[CP_Scouse]

Itd be a real shame when orlando comes to the bronx and some people get scraped up

 

[CP_Scouse]

Itd be a real shame when orlando comes to the bronx and some people get scraped up
View attachment 9984

 

[Fantazma]

Itd be a real shame when orlando comes to the bronx and some people get scraped up

lol, they dont come around no more. only the first year they showed up, after that its like 10 of them or less i think this year it was 0, at least in the away section.

this is not the first time shit happens, i remember the home opener two years ago a few buddies of mine went there and similar shit happened, even cops or security got rough with them. but everyone focused on the three nycfc people who got arrested.
i dont know if security is just so lax in orlando that they just dont give a fuck. i do recall other fans of other teams having some scuffles too, though i think it was in/near stadium.

 

[JayH]

 

[ZYanksRule]

Itd be a real shame when orlando comes to the bronx and some people get scraped up

Yes, it would be a shame. Don't stoop to their level. We're better than that crap.

 

[Christopher Jee]

Yes, it would be a shame. Don't stoop to their level. We're better than that crap.

They'd probably end up attacking the people who helped LionNYC , or at least that's what dramatic irony would dictate.

 

[adam]

dramatic irony

 

[Christopher Jee]

Hmm I'm ok with it

 

[ZYanksRule]

What O’Connor couldn’t see from the sidelines was another man racing through the stadium — Orlando City CEO Alex Leitão.

Leitão normally watches games from a suite with the rest of the front office staff. But Wednesday’s match was different and he inched closer to the field as the drama of the game ratcheted up — first to a lower-level club, then to the concourse in the final minutes of extra time.

When the first supporters began to make a run for the opposite goal, Leitão took off himself. He arrived at the south side of the stadium as the crowd began to yell protests at the back pedaling security officers and yelled his own directions — “Let them in.”

“I’ve been involved with soccer for more than 20 years… but that was one of the best nights of my career,” Leitão said. “Those are the moments that really define a club. I really forgot about this whole CEO thing and just ran as a fan.”

https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/or...-rumble-around-concourse-during-open-cup-win/

It wasn't the head of security telling them to let the fans in, it was the team's CEO who helped create an unsafe situation for NYCFC supporters.

I'm fine when it comes to the fans running -- I'd expect our fans to do something organic like that. But when the CEO is involved, it makes you realize that the unsafe and toxic fan environment that festers at Orlando City is a rot that comes straight from the top.

 

[Ulrich]

https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/or...-rumble-around-concourse-during-open-cup-win/

It wasn't the head of security telling them to let the fans in, it was the team's CEO who helped create an unsafe situation for NYCFC supporters.

I'm fine when it comes to the fans running -- I'd expect our fans to do something organic like that. But when the CEO is involved, it makes you realize that the unsafe and toxic fan environment that festers at Orlando City is a rot that comes straight from the top.

That's all the more reason to file a protest as the Home side changed the parameters of the venue.

 

[Yankeedom]

I ask you do not share this outside of NYCFC Forums, at least I give permission to do so...

I'm back in New York and feel safe. I'm physically fine, but still emotionally jarred.

Last night after the match, some NYCFC fans went towards the Orange Bowl where their cars were parked, a group of about 10 (NYCFC fans and staff) were escorted about three blocks from the stadium on Church Street by Orlando City staff. 5 of us continued to walk back to our hotels together. The underpass under Church Street was closed due to construction. So we walked north one block to Pine Street. 4 Orlando supporters were running up the street as we (some NYCFC fans and staff) were walking down the street. We passed by, then they came back and started to throw punches. First they hit NYCFC staff. I just ran down the street with some NYCFC fans ahead and behind me just to escape. One fan behind me (who wasn't wearing any NYCFC apparel) was thrown the ground, attacked, and was bleeding from the face. I went up to a group of people including those with Orlando City gear and asked to walk with them as I told them, "I feel unsafe." They said absolutely. We cross the street and these guys continue to run down the street and surround me. They grab my scarf and I just give it up. It's a scarf. I don't want confrontation.

I just stand there and wait, a few extremely helpful Orlando fans wait with me, because I don't feel safe walking anywhere else unless escorted. We wait for the police and ambulance for the fan who was bleeding from the face. NYCFC staff and the Orlando City staff join us. The man bleeding from the face went in an ambulance to the hospital. The ambulance leaves, the police go. Some NYCFC fans leave on their own. I said I don't feel safe walking by myself. Orlando City staff, NYCFC staff, and these extremely helpful Orlando fans walk with me back to the hotel. I even took off my jersey as to not draw attention to myself. I'm emotional just typing this.

----------

I will also add a few thoughts about the fans during penalty shootout...

We originally were in Section 108 which is the normal visiting supporters section. We were told if rain occurred we would be moved to underneath the roof which is 2-3 sections over behind the south goal and opposite the Orlando City supporters' section (i.e. The Wall). It rained pregame. We moved. We're not under the roof so about 14 rows up on the 2nd tier. The entire south and west side of the stadium were closed off and the only way through security was if you had a visiting supporter wristband or a suite wristband as the private suites were open. On the south and west sides of the stadium there were no concessions open, the bathroom lights were off (motion controlled albeit). CLOSED! There were 0 Orlando fans allowed on the south side of the stadium.

NYCFC fans who wanted to get something to eat or drink had to go to the East Side of the stadium. And to get back to where we were sitting, we had to show our wristband because there were several staff/security by a rope line sectioning off that side fo the stadium.

The game is looking like it's going to penalties and we're told that we're allowed to move to the lower rows of the 2nd tier behind the goal regardless of which end the penalties are taking place. We go. We fill in the 2nd and 3rd rows. Then Orlando fans just rush the south side of the stadium after the penalties are happening across from The Wall. Security initially holds them off as there are barricades and rope lines closing off those section. Security is going their job. A few sneak past, but then they are given the okay by Orlando executives to fill in the section. You know have NYCFC fans on top of Orlando fans and it's not a safe environment. Then Orlando executives are saying we need to move back to the corner. We don't. That was not part of the original supporters' plan. We are allowed to be where we are. Orlando fans are not allowed to be where they are based on the original gameday plan. Absolute bullshit all over from Orlando executives, stadium operations, etc. I hope NYCFC files a protest with US Soccer/MLS about everything that went down. Because it was a mess, created an unsafe environment, and didn't follow protocol.

1 Orlando fan with wearing a hoodie and purple mask comes up to the 2nd tier he approaches us, but I point it out to security and they rush after him. Why was he allowed to even be there? He wasn't! If Orlando enforced their protocol and stuck to it, NYCFC fans wouldn't have been in a situation where someone could have come up and I don't know what...stole our stuff...attack us...who knows?

But here you have MLS using its social media networks to show the running of the fans into the section for the PKs just like they show banned smoke bombs in ads. Shameful!

Hi Lion,

Thank you for sharing and I'm very sorry that happened to you and the group you were with.

Out of curiosity, how big (approximations are fine) was the group of people who were attacked by the 4 Orlando fans? What was the split of NYCFC staff to NYCFC fans in the assaulted group? Lastly, again guesses are fine, what would you say were the demographics of the group of NYCFC fans/staff who were assaulted (ie were they mostly teenagers, elderly folk, age-diverse)?

 

[LionNYC]

Hi Lion,

Thank you for sharing and I'm very sorry that happened to you and the group you were with.

Out of curiosity, how big (approximations are fine) was the group of people who were attacked by the 4 Orlando fans? What was the split of NYCFC staff to NYCFC fans in the assaulted group? Lastly, again guesses are fine, what would you say were the demographics of the group of NYCFC fans/staff who were assaulted (ie were they mostly teenagers, elderly folk, age-diverse)?

5 people. 2 staff, 3 fans. Between 20-40 years old.

 

[Yankeedom]

5 people. 2 staff, 3 fans. Between 20-40 years old.

Thanks for sharing. I hope you never have to go through anything like that again. Terrible behavior by the home fans and FO.

 

[NYCFC_Dan]

Others have mentioned the incident on a twitter and it’s pretty sad how quick people are to deny it happened.
An Orlando supporter tried to join today and our Spam control blocked him/her from doing so.
It blocks them but doesn’t block the spammers joining from India. Great.
They were likely joining in order to deny it happened.

 

[LionNYC]

Others have mentioned the incident on a twitter and it’s pretty sad how quick people are to deny it happened.
An Orlando supporter tried to join today and our Spam control blocked him/her from doing so.
It blocks them but doesn’t block the spammers joining from India. Great.
They were likely joining in order to deny it happened.

Yeah. For the most part, it's sympathy and understanding that this shouldn't happen. There are people who have the right to want more burden of proof.

I'm sorry I didn't take down the officer's name or badge number. I'm sorry that I didn't take photos of the guy with his face bloody out of his privacy. I'm sorry I don't have any injuries myself to document on social media to the world. And I'm sorry that our front office, Orlando's front office, MLS, and US Soccer will not issue a public statement because it's bad PR and would distract from the family friendly entertainment they're building. You know what, I was freaking out, crying, and nearly threw up. I got barely one hour of sleep that night as I moved my flight up to 6 AM to get back home as soon as possible. This isn't a political conspiracy. And I'm going to have a stern conversation with every front office member I speak to about issuing a public statement. Because if a statement isn't issued and it isn't taken seriously, then attacks will just continue to happen.