In some ways, the Fire’s home opener Saturday was what fans hoped for when Joe Mansueto bought the franchise in 2019. Yet the forgettable 0-0 tie against Orlando City showed how much work still remains.
Xherdan Shaqiri, a well-known and big-money designated player, suited up as part of a roster that seemingly had been improved during a busy offseason in which the Fire flexed their financial muscle. Freed from the disastrous Fire crown logo and that failed rebrand, the franchise embraced a return to red as its primary color with signage around the field, even though the home jersey won’t be that color until 2024.
