https://www.foxsports.com/florida/story/tampa-bay-rays-purchase-rowdies-100218
Rays purchase USL soccer team Tampa Bay Rowdies
The team announced Tuesday the purchase of the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the United Soccer League, who play their home games at Al Lang Stadium, the onetime waterfront spring training home of the Rays. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays are getting into the soccer business.
The team announced Tuesday the purchase of the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the United Soccer League, who play their home games at Al Lang Stadium, the onetime waterfront spring training home of the Rays.
The sale price was not disclosed.
The USL said Rays team presidents Matthew Silverman and Brian Auld will become vice chairmen of the Rowdies. They will direct all aspects of the soccer club, along with Rowdies vice president and chief operating officer Lee Cohen.
“The sale is bittersweet,” said Bill Edwards, who had owned the Rowdies since December 2013 and invested millions in stadium improvements.
“When I purchased the Rowdies, they were on the brink of bankruptcy; today they are champions fighting for their rightful spot in the USL Playoffs,” Edwards added. “I saw the potential of the team and what it could mean for downtown St. Petersburg.”
Silverman said the Rays are “committed to continuing the winning trajectory that the Rowdies have been experiencing” under Edwards’ guidance.
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https://www.bigdsoccer.com/2018/10/2/17927402/big-d-daily-news-tuesday-october-2-2018-fc-dallas-mls-usmnt
Big D Daily: News for Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Reggie Cannon earns his first national team call up, but does it come at a bad time?
Reports: Potential ownership change for MLS hopefuls Tampa Bay Rowdies | MLSsoccer.com
Stick a fork in this one, I don't see this helping their MLS hopes.
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http://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/rays-to-buy-rowdies-al-lang-stadium
Rays to buy Rowdies, Al Lang Stadium
ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - Ownership of the Tampa Bay Rays announced Tuesday they would buy the Rowdies and Al Lang Stadium, but many are still asking why a major league baseball team want to get into the soccer business.
He wouldn't give a price tag, but Rowdies owner Bill Edwards says the Rays will take over the Rowdies at the end of the season, along with a contract with the city of St. Pete to control Al Lang Stadium.
“The Rays are committed to our ballpark plan in Ybor and the Rowdies are committed to playing at Al Lang... each with unique cultures that we will nourish,” Tampa Bay Rays’ Matt Silverman said.
There's been a lot of speculation on the takeover, but it’s important to consider the history.
Back in 2008, the Rays proposed building a new baseball stadium at the Al Lang site.
Right now, the Rays are working to get funding to leave Tropicana Field for Ybor City, despite the fact that it would be much cheaper for them to stay in St. Pete, where there're more tax dollars than in Tampa.
The team and Edwards say there's no connection.
“There's no conspiracy... We made it clear [the Rowdies] had to play here for the next five years, at least and they will and they agreed to it,” Edwards said.
The Rowdies tried and failed to get into Major League Soccer last year. While fans still have questions, after Tuesday’s announcement, they hope this could take their Rowdies to the next level.
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http://www.quchronicle.com/2018/10/usl-is-changing-northern-american-soccer/
USL is changing Northern American soccer
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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2018/10/02/tampa-bay-rowdies-stadium-contract-sold-to-mlbs-tampa-bay-rays/
Tampa Bay Rowdies, stadium contract sold to MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays
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https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/955290-rowdies-unveil-new-era-under-rays-leadership
Rowdies Unveil New Era Under Rays' Leadership
FORMER OWNER BILL EDWARDS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THE SALE OF THE FRANCHISE ON TUESDAY
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https://www.gwinnettprepsports.com/sportsxchange/tampa-bay-rays-purchase-usl-rowdies/article_d0da917b-80cc-53f2-8c54-997092c17c9c.html
Tampa Bay Rays purchase USL Rowdies
The Tampa Bay Rays are getting in the soccer business.
The owners of the Major League Baseball team purchased the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Tuesday, outgoing Rowdies owner Bill Edwards announced. The Rowdies are currently a member of the second-tier United Soccer League but ultimately hope to move up to Major League Soccer.
The sale includes the Rowdies' home, Al Lang Stadium, in St. Petersburg, Fla.
"I am incredibly grateful to Bill for the tremendous investment he has made in the Rowdies and Al Lang Stadium, and the passion he brought to the Tampa Bay sports community and to the soccer community globally," Rowdies vice president and chief operating officer Lee Cohen said, according to MLSsoccer.com. "I have spent some time with (Rays president Matthew Silverman) and I look forward to continuing to build on the successes we have had over the last five years and ensuring a seamless transition for our amazing supporters and fans."
Edwards said in a statement, "The sale is bittersweet. When I purchased the Rowdies, they were on the brink of bankruptcy; today they are champions fighting for their rightful spot in the USL Playoffs. I saw the potential of the team, and what it could mean for downtown St. Petersburg. I invested my blood, sweat, tears and money, and built an amazing staff that I could not be more proud of."
The city of St. Petersburg previously approved a plan by the Rowdies to spend up to $80 million to boost capacity at Al Lang Stadium from 7,500 to 18,000 to help their chances of earning the right to move to MLS.
Rays president Matt Silverman told the Tampa Bay Times on Monday that the purchase of the Rowdies won't affect the baseball team's plans to build a new domed stadium in Tampa, Fla.
"We are committed to continuing the upward trajectory that the Rowdies have been experiencing under Bill's visionary leadership," Silverman told the newspaper. "The Tampa Bay Rowdies are a legendary soccer team, and we look forward to extending their legacy and prominence. We are eager to get to know Ralph's Mob and all the Rowdies fans, to growing soccer in St. Petersburg and throughout Tampa Bay, and of course, bringing home a championship, which could be imminent."
With three games remaining in the USL season, the Rowdies are 11-13-7 for 40 points, leaving them in 11th place in the Eastern Conference. They are four points out of eighth place, the last playoff position.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://stpetecatalyst.com/top-rays-executive-rowdies-purchase-is-an-exciting-business-opportunity/
Top Rays executive: Rowdies purchase is an ‘exciting business opportunity’
Tampa Bay Rays' Matt Silverman addresses Tuesday's press conference next to Tampa Bay Rowdies' Bill Edwards.
After buying the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the Tampa Bay Rays will reinvest proceeds from Rowdies’ games back into the soccer club.
Matt Silverman, president of baseball operations for the Rays, declined to disclose the purchase price, but talked about the economics behind the deal after a Tuesday morning news conference confirming the sale, which was widely reported Monday.
“It’s an exciting business opportunity and it’s a community asset,” Silverman told St. Pete Catalyst. “Just like with the Rays, we’re going to pour back in the revenues to enhance the product and the fan experience and make it a great thing for our fans.”
Silverman said there are potential cost-savings as well as revenue enhancements.
“There’s some back offices synergies in terms of shared services and shared personnel,” he said. “The more exciting part is the way we can cross-promote and we can learn from each other’s organizations. You have two organizations that have been doing great work. Each have their own ideas and areas of expertise. I think when we combine those and we share those ideas, both organizations are going to come out stronger.”
The purchase will close after the Rowdies finish their current season. Their last game is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 14. Pending City Council approval, the Rays also will take over the existing contract with the City of St. Petersburg for management of Al Lang Stadium, where the Rowdies play their home games.
The agreement with the city continues through 2020, said Bill Edwards, the current Rowdies owner, but the Rays have agreed to keep the Rowdies in St. Petersburg for five years, Edwards said.
Rays - Rowdies Press Conference
Tampa Bay Rowdies owner Bill Edwards sits next to Rays owner Matt Silverman
The city agreement also requires the primary use of Al Lang be for soccer and the Rowdies, said Mayor Rick Kriseman.
The city benefitted financially from the Rowdies’ presence, Kriseman said.
“At 9 o’clock when the games are over, all the fans that have been at the game leave the stadium and they’re all around downtown. You see the yellow and green color everywhere downtown,” Kriseman said. “That’s dollars being spent in our restaurants, being spent in our shops and galleries. We love that. That’s what it’s all about.”
Big3 Entertainment Group, headed by Edwards, will continue the Al Lang concert series, Silverman said.
“Together we’re going to add a deeper slate of events and activities to Al Lang and contribute even more to the vitality of downtown St. Pete,” Silverman said.
During the news conference, Silverman emphasized the Rays’ commitment to St. Petersburg, even while the baseball club plans to build a new ballpark in Ybor City. He addressed that issue head on.
“Some obvious questions are being asked, especially what this might mean for our Ybor ballpark plans. The answer is simple. There is no connection. The Rays are committed to our ballpark plan in Ybor and we are committed to the Rowdies playing at Al Lang,” Silverman said.
The Rays and Rowdies will be operated as separate organizations, he said.
The Rays are not the only baseball organization to take an ownership stake in a soccer team.
In May, Tom Ricketts, the owner and chairman of the Chicago Cubs, acquired a majority position in a United Soccer League expansion team planned for Chicago. In January, the USL said it would bring an expansion team to Memphis, Tennessee for 2019, under the ownership of a group led by Peter Freund and Craig Unger, owners of the Memphis Redbirds, the AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.
It’s a testament to the growing popularity of soccer, said Jake Edwards, president of the US, at the news conference.
Jake Edwards, Kriseman and Silverman all expressed gratitude to Edwards, who said the Rowdies were insolvent when he bought the team in 2013. Since then, he’s spent millions of dollars in stadium renovations, player and coaching personnel, youth soccer development and more.
Edwards said he’s had lots of offers to buy the team but he wanted to keep the team local. He said he knows Silverman well – the two are neighbors – and they’ve had a lot of conversations that convinced Edwards a sale to the Rays was the right course of action.
“I’ve done the things I was supposed to do,” Edwards said. “Mission accomplished. I’m out.”
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