Orlando City started their MLS season on Saturday against C.F. Montreal in front of a near sold out crowd. And while the match ended in a draw, one of the more distracting moments of the match happened when a lit road flare was thrown into “The Wall”, the standing only section where many of the supporter groups are located.
This section of the stadium is typically known for it’s antics including leading chants throughout the game, a drum line, and where purple smoke bombs go off for home team scores. All of which are team regulated activities that allow Orlando City’s most passionate fans to represent and cheer on their team with pride.
But on Saturday, a fan or group of fans took that too far lighting a red road flare and throwing it into a section of “The Wall” that many fans online pointed to being the “kids section” for the supporter group Ruckus. WDBO has received an exclusive statement from the team regarding the incident.
“The safety of our fans is a No. 1 priority for our Club, and we are taking this violation very seriously. Currently, this is still an active investigation, but we can ensure that we are using all resources at our disposal to identify the violator(s), who will face sanctions up to a lifetime ban from our venue and potential legal action. Should any fans have information that can assist in our investigation, we recommend they contact the Club at stadium@orlandocitysoccer.com.”
This story will be updated with more details as they become available.