ORLANDO, Fla. (April 17, 2023) – Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride have announced Orlando Soccer Insider, a new weekly show that will air on FOX35 PLUS, as well as Kickoff -60, a 30-minute streaming show that will air at 6:30 p.m. ET before each Orlando City match on the LionNation App. The announcement comes following the introduction of the first-ever Club produced Orlando Pride local broadcast, marking three new broadcast properties for the Club in addition to the introduction of MLS Season Pass this year.
Debuting on April 21, Orlando Soccer Insider will air every Friday at 9 p.m. ET on FOX35 PLUS. The weekly show will be hosted by Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride senior producer and host Gabrielle Amado and former Lions’ goalkeeper, MLS Season Pass Spanish analyst and Club legend, Miguel Gallardo. Filmed from the Club’s media studios at the Orlando Health Training Grounds at Osceola Heritage Park and Sylvan Lake Park, Orlando Soccer Insider will be the city’s one-stop shop for everything involving the beautiful game in The City Beautiful, including both City and Pride, OCB and the Orlando City Academy.
Kickoff -60 (pronounced Kickoff Minus 60) will air before every Orlando City match at 6:30 p.m. ET, exclusively on the LionNation App. Amado and Orlando City’s English-language radio talents Evan Weston and Paul Shaw will break down the upcoming match, with special guest appearing regularly. The show will debut on April 22 ahead of Orlando City’s next match, when the Lions host DC United at Exploria Stadium.
Fans can download the LionNation App at the link here.
"This is an exciting way for us to deliver more incredible coverage of our teams every week, allowing us to maintain a consistent, local connection to Orlando before each game,” said Orlando City and Orlando Pride President of Business Operations Jarrod Dillon. “We’re proud to continue partnering with FOX35 to be able to bring these shows to our fans and the Central Florida community."
Amado enters her third season reporting on the Club, joining the organization full-time as senior producer and video host following the conclusion of the 2022 season. Prior to joining Orlando City SC, Amado covered events for beIN SPORTS around the globe, including as a sideline reporter for six editions of “El Clásico” in Madrid and Barcelona, in addition to the Copa Libertadores Final in Lima, Peru. Amado is a graduate from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University with a triple degree in Broadcast & Digital Journalism, Spanish & History. The New Jersey born, Portuguese-American citizen speaks English, Spanish, as well as Portuguese.
Weston recently returned to the radio booth for Orlando City games following four seasons at the helm of play-by-play duties for City on the television side of the production. Weston enters his seventh season overall with the Club, spending his first two years as the play-by-play voice on English radio. Weston is a graduate of Syracuse University.
Currently a Spanish-language analyst for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, Gallardo spent six seasons as the Club’s TV analyst. At the professional level, Gallardo captained Orlando and appeared in 81 matches for City from 2011-14. A fan-favorite, he was named USL Pro All-League in 2011 and 2012. Following Orlando City, the Mexico native played for the NASL’s Jacksonville Armada and MASL’s Florida Tropics. Gallardo also works as an ambassador for the Orlando City Foundation in conjunction with his broadcast responsibilities.
Shaw returned to the booth this year as the Club’s English radio color analyst for the 2023 season. A former Arsenal midfielder who featured under legendary coach Arsène Wenger, Shaw played over 450 professional games in a career that spanned over 20 years, including UEFA Champions League play during his nine years at the London club. He also serves as the General Manager at Orlando City Soccer School – Seminole.
