ORLANDO, Fla. (July 21, 2021) — The Wilf family has finalized its acquisition of Orlando City Soccer Club, becoming the Club's new majority owners, it was announced today. The purchase includes Orlando City Soccer Club of Major League Soccer, the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League, Exploria Stadium and all related soccer assets, including the Orlando City Academy and Youth Soccer Network, and the Club's two official training facilities, the Orlando Health Training Ground at Osceola Heritage Park and the Orlando Health Training Ground at Sylvan Lake Park.
Mark Wilf, along with his brother Zygi and cousin Lenny, will be managing partners of Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride. Mark will serve as Chairman and Governor. The Wilf family has owned the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings for the past 17 years and they lead Garden Homes, the family's real estate firm, a nationwide leader in retail, commercial, and private residential development.
"We are humbled to become stewards of Orlando City SC and the Orlando Pride, clubs with strong and established foundations on the pitch, with renowned supporters and a passionate fan base, and in a community we are extremely proud to represent," said new Chairman Mark Wilf.
"We have a great appreciation for Flavio Augusto da Silva and to the entire staff for all of our discussions and for the foundation that they helped build," Wilf continued. "We are committed to building a world-class organization, winning championships, investing in the growth and success of the Pride, and ensuring that we continue to give back to the Orlando community and make a meaningful difference."
The DeVos family will join the ownership group as a limited partner. The DeVos family has been part of the fabric of Orlando since purchasing the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic in 1991. Dan DeVos will serve as the family's lead representative. Dan is chairman of the Orlando Magic and the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation.
"We are also thrilled to welcome the DeVos family as part of our ownership group," Mark Wilf added. "Dan and the DeVos family are synonymous with Orlando sports and community. They are a valued and strong strategic partner as we move forward and work to create sustained success for Orlando City SC and the Orlando Pride."
With the purchase of Orlando City SC and the Orlando Pride, the Wilf family has dissolved its minority stake in 2020 MLS expansion side Nashville SC.
The Wilf family will be formally introduced and welcomed to Orlando at a media event and availability at Exploria Stadium on Wednesday, August 4. More details on this event will be forthcoming.
About The Wilf Family:
The Wilf family has owned the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings for 17 years. They led two of the most significant initiatives in Minnesota history with the completion of U.S. Bank Stadium and bringing Super Bowl LII to Minneapolis.
The Wilf family also developed the Vikings new headquarters, Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, which opened in March 2018 in Eagan, Minnesota. As the day-to-day and training camp home of the team, TCO Performance Center serves as the centerpiece of Viking Lakes, a 200-acre, mixed-use development that is now home to three esports teams, the national headquarters of USA Curling the northern office of the United States Tennis Association and the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel to go alongside the Vikings Museum and Twin Cities Orthopedics' sports medicine center and medical office building.
Garden Homes is the Wilf family's real estate firm, a nationwide leader in retail, commercial and private residential development. In 2018, the Wilfs also launched WISE (Wilf Innovative Sports & Entertainment) Ventures, an investment fund based in New York. WISE focuses on early and growth stage investment opportunities in sports, entertainment and real estate.
Philanthropy has been deeply ingrained in the Wilf family for generations. They are consistent and ardent supporters of causes primarily in New Jersey, New York, Minnesota and Israel. The Wilf family has made social justice initiatives and children's health a priority in their ownership and leadership efforts in Minnesota.
About the DeVos Family:
The DeVos family purchased the Orlando Magic in September 1991. Since then, the family has proudly served in its self-appointed role as the franchise's "caretaker" while operating under the belief that the NBA franchise really belongs to the Central Florida community and the loyal Magic fans.
Affiliates include the team's NBA G League franchise, the Lakeland Magic, which began play in 2017-18 in nearby Lakeland, Florida; the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, which serves as the affiliate to the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning; and Magic Gaming, which competed in the inaugural season of the NBA 2K League in 2018.
The DeVos family is actively involved with philanthropic and community efforts in Central Florida and beyond – contributing more than $500 million over the last five years alone to nonprofit causes. One such effort is a partnership with the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation, which seeks to positively impact nearly 100,000 youth each year through programs addressing education, the arts, homelessness, and health and wellness.
About Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride:
Orlando City SC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as the league's 21st franchise in November 2013, becoming the first MLS team in the Southeast. The Lions began league play in March 2015, and in 2017, moved into its privately-owned downtown soccer stadium. In 2019, Orlando City SC re-launched Orlando City B to bridge the gap between its successful youth development academy and the First Team
In November 2015, the Club announced its intention to bring professional women's soccer to Central Florida and launched Orlando Pride in National Women's Soccer League. The Pride began league play in April 2016 with a star-studded team of FIFA World Cup Champions. For more information, visit orlandocitysc.com or orlando-pride.com.
