Dear ACYS Soccer Club Member,
We are writing to you today with an urgent request for your support and a call to action.  This will be the most important email you receive from us this year, please take your time to read it in its entirety.
 
As most of you know, Major League Soccer is coming to Orlando!  We are all very excited and we are looking forward to supporting MLS in Orlando. 
 
What you may not know is that Orlando City Soccer, the team that will be playing MLS in Orlando, was given $40 Million of tax payer dollars to fund the construction of their $80 million Stadium.  In return for the $40 Million, Orlando City Soccer was directed by the Board of County Commissioners of Orange County to “invest additional funds to create new soccer related opportunities for Orange County Youth.”
 
Orlando City Soccer has issued a proposal that is going to the Orange County Commission for vote on March 11^th.  The contents of the Orlando City Soccer Proposal are of grave concern to ACYS Soccer Club and the other Clubs located in Central Florida. 
 
The Orlando City Soccer proposal to Orange County Includes:

 
In an unprecedented step, 8 local soccer clubs have agreed to work together to provide an alternative proposal to Orange County, and have formed the Central Florida Youth Soccer Coalition (the “Coalition”) to work together for the common good of all clubs and youths in Central Florida. Please review the Coalition’s website to learn more:  http://centralfloridayouthsoccercoalition.com/Welcome.html
 
The Orlando City Soccer proposal is effectively funded by the tax dollars given to Orlando City Soccer.  While development of these programs is seen as beneficial by the Coalition, the implementation as outlined above strictly benefits one private, for-profit organization.  The Coalition’s specific concerns are:

 
The Coalition wants to support MLS soccer, and wants it to succeed.  In fact, the Coalition knows that Orlando City Soccer chose Orlando as its home due to the rich soccer history and vibrant soccer community, a soccer community that has been created and fostered since 1971 by the clubs in the Coalition.  MLS needs the soccer community’s support to succeed, and with the Coalition’s support we can ensure that MLS does succeed in Orlando. 
 
Together, the Coalition has over 8,000 children in our programs giving us a reach to potentially 24,000+ MLS soccer fans.  However, the Coalition cannot support Orlando City Soccer if the Orlando City Soccer proposal as outlined above is accepted by Orange County.  The Coalition strongly believes that the proposal by Orlando City Soccer directly jeopardizes the existence of our Clubs and that it will adversely affect youth soccer in Central Florida.
 
ACYS Soccer Club and the Coalition is asking you to support us in this critical matter.  We are currently working on an alternant proposal to present to the Board of County Commissioners of Orange County.  The alternant proposal will be one that is fair to ALL clubs in Central Florida and will ensure the support of the local soccer community for Orlando City Soccer that it so desperately needs to succeed.
 
If you agree with our position, we urge you to send the below letter to EVERY Orange County Commissioner via email.  The hearing was originally set for March 23, but upon hearing that the Coalition has been formed to speak out, Orlando City Soccer has had the item moved up to the agenda on March 11.
 
Please send the letter set forth below by email to each of the following:

 

 
Dear Esteemed Orange County Mayor and Commissioners:
 
My name is [Enter Your Name].  My child participates in Youth Soccer with ACYS Soccer Club.  We are excited that the County Board of Commissioners has helped bring MLS soccer to Orlando.  However. I must voice my opposition to the proposal going before the Commissioners on March 11^th by Orlando City Soccer.
 
Orlando City Soccer chose Orlando as its home due to the rich soccer history and vibrant soccer community, a soccer community that exists thanks in part to my child’s club.  The proposal by Orlando City Soccer shuts out my child’s club from participating in these programs, creates a monopoly with Orlando City Youth Soccer Club, threatens every youth soccer club in Central Florida, and is in violation of Florida Youth Soccer Association bylaws in that it places Orlando City Youth Soccer programs inside of my child’s club’s protected 15 mile radius. 
 
I am also gravely concerned with what appears to be taxpayer dollars funding programs for the sole benefit of a private commercial company without the issuance of an RFP, or any opportunity for other Orange County Youth Soccer clubs to participate.
 
I want to proudly support our MLS team and attend matches at the new stadium.  However, it saddens me to say that if you accept the proposal that Orlando City Soccer is presenting, I cannot in good conscious support the Orlando City Soccer MLS team and I will be re-evaluating my voting position in the next Orange County Board of County Commissioners’ election.
 
Regards
[Enter Your Name]