FSU Spring Game Success Could Bring NFL To Orlando In 2017

The success of FSU’s spring game in Orlando could help bring NFL action to the city for the 2017 season and beyond.

In recent years, the city of Orlando has seen a rebirth when it comes to events taking place inside the Citrus Bowl football stadium. Renovations have turned the once worn down location into a destination for football and so much more (including WrestleMania heading there for a second time in 2017).

While hosting two football games that are among the most high profile each year, the Citrus Bowl has gotten into the opening weekend of the regular season. This year, Florida State and Ole Miss will meet on Labor Day night while Alabama is scheduled to play Louisville in 2018 and Florida will meet Miami in 2019.

This past weekend, the Citrus Bowl was the site of FSU’s spring game. The event, allowing Seminole fans and alumni in Central and South Florida to attend, had just a handful under 50,000 people show up for what amounted to a glorified scrimmage. That success has Florida Citrus Sports, the group who runs the stadium and events in it, thinking bigger.

Florida Citrus Sports has turned their attention toward returning NFL football, both preseason and regular season games, to the stadium starting in 2017, CEO Steve Hogan told the Orlando Sentinel:

"“I promise you, I guarantee you, we will have NFL football in this stadium in 2017 — one way or another. We’re absolutely focused on that and we’re going to be back in the (NFL) business.”"

For decades, the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers would play preseason games in the stadium (with the Bucs even threatening to move there permanently before getting Raymond James Stadium built). That practice stopped when the stadium became less than ideal for NFL teams, even after the Jacksonville Jaguars joined the NFL in 1995.

Currently, Orlando is the biggest city size wise without a NFL franchise. With the city’s MLS team, Orlando City, moving to their own stadium after this year, the Citrus Bowl will be looking for more events.

The betting money would be on the Buccaneers being the most likely to move a game just 90 miles up the road. The team has made an effort to play more games outside of Tampa (including a return to playing games in London) and has a deep fan base in the area.

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The Jaguars, meanwhile, have the crown jewel for the area in their starting quarterback, Orlando native and former UCF star Blake Bortels. With the team tied into one “home” game a season overseas for the foreseeable future, it would be tough to move another regular city game from the city, even if it would be just 140 miles away.

At the same time, don’t sleep on the Dolphins returning to a Central Florida spot they dominated when they were the only NFL team in the state for over a decade (and the only good team for about two decades more). Miami has been more of a presence during the preseason with games televised on local TV and on the radio in the regular season as the Dolphins are trying to regain their fans statewide.

No matter which team it is and at what point on the schedule it takes place, NFL football looks to be returning to “The City Beautiful”…and fans of the Bucs, Dolphins and Jaguars have FSU football to thank for being the example the powers are using as to why it would succeed.

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