Orlando Sharks Enter MISL
soccer365.com
The name of the eighth Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) team is the Orlando Sharks, in accordance with an announcement made today by team investor/operator Sham Maharaj, president of Buena Vista Corporation, and MISL Commissioner Steve Ryan. Community partners and soccer fans alike joined in the celebration, marking the first of many milestones leading up to the Inaugural Season Opening Night Gala, which will kick off the professional club’s 15-game home schedule later this fall.
“I am pleased to introduce the birth of a legacy in Central Florida sports, Orlando’s newest professional sports team, the Orlando Sharks,” said Mr. Maharaj.
The Orlando Sharks will join the Baltimore Blast, California Cougars, Chicago Storm, Detroit Ignition, Milwaukee Wave, Philadelphia Kixx and a yet-to-be-named New Jersey team in the MISL’s 2007-08 season.
“We’ve spent many hours soliciting feedback from the community to ensure we captured Central Florida’s input into the naming process,” explained Rich Bradley, vice president of Buena Vista Sports & Entertainment and team president. “We offered a selection of geographic references, historical nicknames, mythical creatures and native species in the polling; ultimately the most popular name was originally a write-in that was the clear winner in the final round of voting.”
The result of the poll, which attracted over 3,500 responses last August, is the easily recognizable and feared ocean predator, the bull shark. This fierce-looking teal, black and gray shark embraces an aggressive spirit symbolizing the team’s goal of making an immediate impact on the local and national scene as Orlando’s source for action-packed entertainment. The logo plays on the shark’s distinctive features, notably its sleek body and swift attacking movement.
Although most people know that sharks can sometimes be seen off the coastline of Central Florida, these aggressive animals have also ventured on occasion into the Orlando metro area. Bull sharks, in particular, have been spotted swimming up the channels of the St. John’s River and into Lake Monroe in Sanford.
In addition to the name and logo announcement, Bradley outlined upcoming events, including the selection of the team’s head coach, the first-ever draft pick during the MISL Collegiate Amateur Draft on March 8, local team try-outs, dance team auditions and community partnerships, including afternoon training sessions already in progress at local schools.
“After having actively participated in our community for a full year prior to our professional team taking the field for the first time, the Sharks are already demonstrating their commitment to be engaged as true community partners, impacting Central Florida by investing in today’s youth to help create tomorrow’s future leaders, both academically and through athletics,” said Bradley.
Following the completion of the 2006-07 MISL season, a dispersal draft of unprotected current MISL players will be held to help fill the rosters of the Orlando and Newark, N.J. teams, as well as for any other new expansion clubs scheduled to play during the 2007-08 season. Later this spring, the team will announce a series of local try-outs to be held over the summer throughout nine counties in Central Florida, as well as unveil the team’s head coach, uniforms and mascot.
About Buena Vista Corporation:
Buena Vista Corporation was formed in 2004 and has acquired property for development and sale throughout the area, including the Lake Ruby mixed use development project. Additional land acquisition and development projects are also underway. Buena Vista Corporation’s President and CEO Shamanand Kuldip Maharaj was born in Trinidad-Tobago and has co-developed properties in the US and Canada. The Buena Vista Corporation team also consists of a professional team of developers, land planners and architects, hospitality project managers and financial analysts. Buena Vista Corporation also represents international financial organizations interested in Central Florida investments and works with domestic and foreign investment organizations.
