Soccer stadium unveils rainbow seats honoring Orlando shooting victims

They sit in section 12, because the horrifying act took place on June 12, 2016.

There are 49 of them — one for each person who died in the shootings at Pulse nightclub, a popular Orlando gay nightclub.

And they are rainbow-colored, symbolizing the “inclusive, diverse and welcoming community” the Orlando City Soccer Club holds close as its mission.

Team officials on Wednesday unveiled 49 colorful seats in the MLS club’s new stadium that will be a constant reminder of the tragedy.

“We made a commitment on that day ... that we would commemorate, forever, in the new stadium a memory of the 49 victims that lost their lives that day,” Phil Rawlins, Orlando City founder and president, says in a video of the private unveiling ceremony.

The video, posted to Facebook, has been viewed nearly 1 million times since Wednesday.

Thousands of messages of support and thanks left on the team’s Facebook page echo this one:

The team played a home game six days after the shootings and paid tribute to the victims then, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The rainbow seats in the club’s new stadium will be used by season ticket holders, Rawlins said.

“They’re right down by the benches,” he said at the unveiling. “They’ll certainly be seen by everybody inside the stadium and a very significant reminder of that day.”

The stadium will open for its first MLS regular season game when Orlando City hosts New York City FC on March 5.

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 3:49 PM with the headline "Soccer stadium unveils rainbow seats honoring Orlando shooting victims."