Tampa Bay Rowdies Will Kick Off First USL Season With A Party

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https://www.newstalkflorida.com/news/saintpetersburg/tampa-bay-rowdies-will-kick-off-first-usl-season-party/

Tampa Bay Rowdies Will Kick Off First USL Season With A Party

By Allison Leslie

March 20, 2017

Tampa Bay Rowdies Kickoff Party Set For Thursday Night

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are kicking off their first season in the United Soccer League with a party Thursday night. The event is free to the public and fans are sure to come out to support their Bay Area soccer team.

The party will take place at the Mahaffey Theater at 7 p.m. Doors will open to the general public at 6:30 p.m., but season ticket members can enter at 6.

The Rowdies will offer complimentary beer and hors d’oeuvre. Fans are urged to RSVP with their number of guests to RSVP@rowdiessoccer.com. Furthermore, fans in attendance will get to witness the unveiling of the Rowdies’ new alternate kit for the 2017 season and will have opportunities to meet and take photos with the team.

Background on the Rowdies

The Rowdies were one of the first professional sports franchises in the Bay Area and to this day remain one of the most recognizable brands in soccer. Since their establishment in 1975 the team won the NASL Soccer Bowl Championship twice and has created an entertaining franchise with the Fannies, Wowdies and “Kick in the Grass” theme song.

In 2008 investors purchased the rights to a professional soccer franchise and named it FC Tampa Bay Rowdies with the intention to enter the new incarnation of the NASL. The newly established team began play in 2010.

One year later the team temporarily dropped the “Rowdies” name and moved to St. Petersburg. They would drop the FC and reacquire the Rowdies name in 2012 before winning their second NASL Soccer Bowl Championship.

In October 2016 the team announced that they will compete in the United Soccer League beginning with the 2017 season.

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https://www.sportstalkflorida.com/soccer/tampa-bay-rowdies/tampa-bay-rowdies-will-kick-off-first-usl-season-party/

Tampa Bay Rowdies Will Kick Off First USL Season With A Party

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/772012

Rowdies Announce Major Youth Partnership

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 03/20/17, 3:44PM EDT

Join forces with Tampa Bay United, area’s largest youth soccer club

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies on Monday announced a milestone partnership with the largest youth soccer club in the Tampa Bay area, Tampa Bay United.

Tampa Bay United will rebrand as the TBU Rowdies beginning this season. The TBU Rowdies’ highest-level teams will wear the Rowdies’ familiar green and gold hooped jerseys on the field, expanding the visibility of the Rowdies throughout the region.

The move comes on the back of the Rowdies’ announcement that the Tampa Bay Rowdies U23 will join the Premier Development League for the upcoming season, which will create a direct path from youth soccer to the Rowdies’ professional team.

The partnership brings into focus the Rowdies’ goal of being the backbone of soccer in the Tampa Bay community and developing elite players both through the US Soccer Development Academy on the boys’ side and the Elite Clubs National League on the girls’ side.

“Over the last several years, the Rowdies’ focus has been to create a successful business model for both the first team players on the field and the stadium experience for the fans,” Rowdies COO Lee Cohen said. “We feel as if we are now prepared to focus on the next steps of our soccer evolution in the Tampa Bay Area. Partnering with TBU and making that club part of our family as the TBU Rowdies was, in our minds, the most logical next step.”

The TBU Rowdies are sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation as an official Boys Development Academy club, meaning TBU Rowdies teams compete at the highest level for their age groups. The Boys Development Academy clubs receive direction directly from the United States Soccer Federation on training regimens and environments to ensure the highest quality.

“We are honored to be working with such a highly esteemed team,” said Tampa Bay United CEO Charlie Slagle. “The value they bring in terms of expertise and opportunities supports our mission of developing youth talent as a long-term goal. It is not about winning one game, it is about developing what you need each year to continue for the long haul. Last year, we had a record number of TBU players sign on to play at the collegiate level, and this affiliation enhances our ability to be the top level club for youth soccer in the state of Florida.”

Heading the collaboration between the Rowdies and TBU is Keith Fulk, a pillar of the Tampa Bay soccer community. Fulk has been a part of three national championship teams at the University of Tampa, as a player in 1981, as an assistant coach in 1994 and as head coach in 2001. He spent the last six seasons as head coach at St. Leo University, leading the Lions to two Sunshine State Conference championships. He previously spent eight years as an assistant coach for the United States Under-17 national team, including four FIFA Youth World Cups.

“TBU has a long history of great success on the field in this market,” Cohen said. “The addition of Charlie Slagle to the TBU leadership and the successful model he created at CASL (Capital Area Soccer League, Raleigh, N.C.) made this opportunity extremely attractive. Adding Keith Fulk to the mix solidified this partnership. There are not two better guys that we can be working with to help our club achieve its goals both on and off the field in the youth development landscape.”

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http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2017/03/20/keith-fulk-tapped-as-rowdies-u23-head-coach/2638

Keith Fulk Tapped as Rowdies U23 Head Coach

March 20, 2017    

by JAKE NUTTING

Unused Substitutes has learned that Keith Fulk will be pulling double for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Along with serving as Director of the Development Academy teams under the new affiliation with Tampa Bay United, Fulk will also act as Head Coach of the Tampa Bay Rowdies U23 in the Premier Development League.

The bulk Fulk’s coaching experience has come in the college ranks. He led his alma mater the University of Tampa to three Sunshine State Sunshine State Conference titles and three NCAA Division II National Tournament appearances. His best year at UT came in 2001, when the team posted an unbeaten record of 19W-0L-2D and claimed the national championship.

Fulk also spent the last six seasons in charge of the men’s team at Saint Leo University, where he racked up another two Sunshine State Conference titles and three national tournament appearances. Prior to landing at Saint Leo, Fulk had an eight-year run as an assistant with the U.S. U-17 team and one season as Head Coach at the IMG Academy in Bradenton.

Unused Substitutes can also confirm that the roster for the first season of Rowdies U23 has already been set. The team will be made up of players from the region and around the country. One team official stated they have high expectations for the team given the talent that has been assembled. Unlike last year’s developmental squad in the National Premier Soccer League squad, Rowdies 2, Rowdies U23 will only include amateur players.

Rowdies Assistant Coach Cheyne Roberts played a significant part in building the Rowdies U23 roster and will continue to be heavily involved with the team, acting as a conduit between the development squad and Stuart Campbell’s first team. Roberts was the Head Coach of Rowdies 2 last year.

The Rowdies view their new PDL team as an opportunity to set up a more traditional development system. Another obvious aspect of the team’s focus on development is the affiliation with Tampa Bay United. The Rowdies have remained quiet about their partnership with the local organization, but details of their academy plans are expected to be announced this week.

Rowdies U23 will kick off the PDL season on Saturday May 27 at Weston FC. The team’s first home game at the Waters Soccer Complex will be the following Wednesday against IMG Academy Bradenton.

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http://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/03/20/the-new-york-cosmos-and-the-best-and-worst-of-american-soccer/

The New York Cosmos and the best and worst of American soccer

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http://www.chiefmarketer.com/continental-tire-mls-sponsorship-reward-is-loyalty-and-purchases/

Continental Tire MLS Sponsorship Reward is Loyalty and Purchases

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http://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/mls-rosters-usl-priority-players-analysis-rules-loophole

Another year, another loophole: How MLS teams exploit their USL rosters

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http://ktul.com/sports/content/tulsa-roughnecks-add-three-players-from-mls-team-chicago-fire

Tulsa Roughnecks add three players from MLS' Chicago Fire

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http://afkinsider.com/138483/12-african-players-to-look-out-for-in-major-league-soccer/

12 African Players To Look Out For In Major League Soccer

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http://www.abc15.com/sports/sports-blogs-local/new-6000-seat-soccer-stadium-in-scottsdale-created-to-help-bring-major-league-soccer-team-to-valley

New Scottsdale soccer stadium intended to lure Major League Soccer team to Valley

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http://midfieldpress.com/2017/03/20/first-touch-georgia-revolution-fc/
   
First Touch: Georgia Revolution FC

In our latest interview series First Touch, we focus on the smaller, lesser known teams of the NPSL, and spend a little time getting to know them, their fan bases, and their ambitions for the club. Midfield Press’s Jason Bruzzichesi sat down with Alec Morrison, the Media Director for Georgia Revolution FC, and asked a few questions about the club, the ownership, and how the Open Cup is failing the amateur side of soccer.

The below is fairly typical of news articles which completely discount the Tampa Bay Rowdies chances of making it to MLS. It has outdated and incorrect information, reinforcing a certain tired and predictable anti-Tampa Bay narrative. 

For instance, Tampa/St. Pete is the 11th largest TV market, NOT the 13th; Tampa/St. Pete is the largest TV market not currently in MLS; it is also the fastest growing market of the 12/13 currently trying to get in to MLS. 

The Tampa/St. Pete TV market IS NOT part of the Orlando TV market, never has been, never will be. Orlando City claims territorial rights due to asinine MLS rules, but Orlando City has no media presence in the Tampa Bay Area worth talking about. 

The Tampa Bay Area DOES NOT share any significant part of its fan base with Orlando. That's just ignorant. A few people in the Tampa Bay Area may travel to Orlando occasionally to watch a game as Orlando City is the closest MLS team, but the Tampa Bay Area is not a significant factor in Orlando's fan base. 

People who whine about having to drive half an hour over the bridge to watch a Ray's game (on weekends; weeknights are another matter due to traffic) are not going to be driving in significant numbers for an hour and a half to watch Orlando City. 

And unless I've missed it, stadium plans ARE NOT in place in Cincinnati yet, not even close. No idea where the writer is getting that from. 

And of course, for some reason the close proximity of Cincinnati to Columbus (or San Diego to LAG, or Sacramento to San Jose) is never seen as a negative for their MLS bids, the way proximity to Orlando is used as a reason to discount the Rowdies chances.

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http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/other/2017/03/21/detroit-mls-bid-goes-gratiot-jail-site/99434064/

Detroit MLS bid goes all-in on Gratiot jail site

Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News

Published 12:01 a.m. ET March 21, 2017

Detroit — As 12 cities court Major League Soccer for several expansion franchises in 2017 and 2018, Wayne County is trying to turn a boondoggle into a new jail and developers see a chance for a new entertainment district.

In the coming several weeks, Dan Gilbert and Tom Gores will try to persuade the county the jail can be built on a different site from where they would like to develop an MLS stadium. They have proposed a jail on a new site and a stadium in a mixed-use development that would provide a new entertainment district for downtown.

MLS officials say there is no deadline, yet, for finalizing the 12 development proposals.

But, they said, they would need final word on stadium developments by late 2017, for the first round of expansion, and late 2018 for the second round of expansion.

The man leading Gilbert’s effort to buy the site along Gratiot and develop a jail northeast of downtown said he is confident the Gilbert and Gores’ group will have solid information on developing the stadium when MLS officials visit Detroit in May or June.

“You know, we’re very confident, but it’s a tremendous amount of work,” said Matt Cullen, a principal of Rock Ventures, a group of more than 100 companies owned by Gilbert.

“It’s incredibly complex.

“Creating a new criminal justice center, a state of the art facility, and then doing a mixed-use project and doing MLS and so on, there’s a lot of very significant facets that are by themselves very complex scenarios,” Cullen said.

Cullen led GM’s acquisition and development of the Renaissance Center, for the corporation’s global headquarters, and has helped oversee the redevelopment of the Detroit Riverfront.

The county is reviewing the proposal by Gilbert, who owns the Cavaliers of the NBA, and Gores, a billionaire private equity investor who owns the Pistons, to build a new jail and purchase the land where construction began, for the stadium and other uses.

As the review continues, Cullen said, the development team is responding to Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, the county commissioners, and others, including judges, prosecutors and sheriffs who would eventually work in the new criminal justice center.

“That’s work necessary in order to give certainty to MLS that we have a site,” Cullen said.

“We owe them some updated information, kind of in the May-June time frame. And I would expect we’ll have a lot of clarity for them by that time.

“They’ll want to know, at that time, what control we have over the site,” he said. “Is it for certain, is there open issues, or whatever.”

If the site is ultimately unavailable, Cullen said, there has been no discussion of alternative sites.

“No, we’re focused on the jail site,” he said.

“There certainly are sites in Detroit that could be attractive, as well, but our focus has been on the jail site for a lot of reasons.

“We feel it’s the best site for this use. But also, we were focused on the jail site before MLS came along,” he said. “It’s so important to change the gateway to the city of Detroit.”

Asked if Gilbert and Gores arrive at a drop dead date in 2017 or 2018 without locking up the Gratiot site, if they would forego the opportunity to bring an MLS franchise to Detroit, Cullen said, “You know, we’ll never rule anything else out, but that project is our critical focus.

“I learned a long time ago never to sort of make absolute statements, so let me just leave it that that’s where we’re focused.

“We’re confident that we’re going to be able to pull all this together.”

Eight of the 12 bidders are still seeking land, in some cases, or yet to finalize stadium plans.

“That is why we have said it’s going to take — could be — all the way through the end of this year before we’re in a position to make those selections,” MLS President Mark Abbott said.

MLS observers handicapping the expansion process say Detroit is among the frontrunners, along with Sacramento and Cincinnati, where stadium plans are already in place, and St. Louis, where voters must approve two referendums in April.

“At this time, Sacramento and St. Louis would be considered the favorites,” said Paul Kennedy, editor of Soccer America.

“Sacramento has a stadium ready to be built. The St. Louis bid is dependent on an April referendum, where recent polling was unfavorable.

“Detroit and Cincinnati would likely be next in line. Detroit’s high-profile ownership group and downtown plan certainly work in its favor.”

But the partnership proposed to own the club in Sacramento is experiencing discord.

Voters in St. Louis may well balk.

And MLS officials have made clear that while Cincinnati has its attractions, they are interested in bigger markets, too.

What MLS is looking for

In addition to a stadium, MLS officials say, three criteria are necessary.

The first, Abbott said, is “whether we believe the market has the dynamics within it to support a Major League Soccer team, both from a fan perspective and corporate and media support.”

The second, he said, is “the role that market plays in helping us achieve our overall goals of increasing national interest and national viewership.

And the third, “the strength of the ownership group,” he said.

Of the 12 bidders, Phoenix, Tampa and Detroit are the largest media markets. Nielsen ranks the “designated market areas” as Phoenix 11th in the nation, Tampa 12th and Detroit 13th.

While the population in Phoenix continues to grow, there are signs fan support for “the four major sports” is lagging, observers say, with the MLB Diamondbacks’ attendance in decline and the NHL repeatedly working to keep the Coyotes in the league.

And the size of the Tampa media market and fan base is tempered by sharing the broadcasting market with Orlando and part of the fan base with Orlando City SC.

Meanwhile, there are some signs of the popularity of soccer in southeast Michigan.

The Michigan Bucks, from which 64 players have gone on to play in MLS, and Detroit City FC are fairly well-supported.

Detroit City, of the National Premier Soccer League, says it drew 7,000 people to a recent opening match, attendance larger than for some secondary professional leagues, like United Soccer League and North American Soccer League.

Observers say the team regularly draws 5,000.

Two exhibitions of major European soccer teams in Ann Arbor recently drew about 109,000 people each time to Michigan Stadium.

There are more than 100,000 youth players (age 5-19) in Michigan. Five state of Michigan natives play in the MLS and three have played in men’s or women’s World Cups.

“I go back to 1978 and ’79 when I had the Detroit Express playing at the Silverdome and we had crowds as high as 33,000, and at that time there were probably 5,000 children playing in Michigan,” said Roger Faulkner, a longtime local soccer promoter. “That has changed so dramatically since then.”

Cost of entry

MLS officials say their goal of attracting owners with greater financial resources, for more spending on marketing and venues, in part, was satisfied by several of the 12 bidders.

Gilbert and Gores are among the richest, along with S. Craig Lindner, the chief executive of American Financial Group, the bidder in Cincinnati, whose family is reportedly worth $1.7 billion to $2 billion.

The new owners also will spend considerably more up front. The entry fee in the league was increased to $150 million for this round of expansion. A decade ago it was $10 million.

How MLS expansion bids compare

“Of course, I’m biased, but I believe of all the candidates out there, Detroit is the best market for MLS,” said Arn Tellem, the vice chairman of Palace Sports & Entertainment, who is leading Gores’ effort and who helped return the Pistons to Detroit.

“There’s over 21 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Michigan, which I think ranks fifth in the U.S. and number one in all the applicants applying for an expansion team.

“With Detroit’s revitalization, there’s been a strong surge of young people moving back into the city. That’s really the core of supporters for MLS.

“We bring full value to MLS,” Tellem said. “We’re not only a real asset, we’re the strongest applicant as far as those criteria.”

But, of course, the stadium will eventually be a requirement

“In order for us to select the city, they're going to have to have a finalized plan,” Abbott said.

Tellem said the Detroit ownership group would prefer a franchise awarded this year.

“We’re in it to get an expansion team, and the sooner the better,” he said. “But we’re in it until at least we know we have a team, at the end of the day.”

Again with the lazy writing from this writer. 

First, it's Tampa Bay, NOT Tampa. Tampa is just one city in the Tampa Bay Area. The Tampa Bay Rowdies, both in USL and hopefully soon in MLS, play in St. Petersburg. #MLS2StPete

Second, the Tampa Bay Area IS NOT the same market as Orlando. Look at a Goddamned map. Jesus Fucking Christ. 

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http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/other/2017/03/21/mls-expansion-bids-compare/99439204/

How MLS expansion bids compare

Major League Soccer has received 12 bids for four expansion franchises it will award, likely two late this year and two in 2018. Eight of the proposals, including Detroit’s, do not include fixed stadium plans.

Tampa

Pro: Big market. Strong support for Rowdies of USL. Stadium expansion plan considered achievable.

Con: Orlando City SC in same market.

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2017/03/21/bastian-schweinsteiger-joining-chicago-fire-mls/99438678/

Bastian Schweinsteiger heading to MLS' Chicago Fire

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http://www.firstpost.com/sports/bastian-schweinsteiger-signs-for-major-league-soccer-side-chicago-fire-say-reports-3344656.html

Bastian Schweinsteiger signs for Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire, say reports

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/ct-bastian-schweinsteiger-chicago-fire-20170321-story.html

Fire acquire German star Bastian Schweinsteiger from Manchester United

More than four months after the Fire’s courtship of Bastian Schweinsteiger ignited during lunch at an Italian restaurant in England, the decorated German midfielder is officially moving to MLS.

The Fire on Monday acquired Schweinsteiger from Manchester United, finalizing a move that injects credibility and international star power into a rebuilding club that has finished at the bottom of the standings the last two seasons.

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/03/20/mls-and-usl-partner-conduct-25-live-video-assistant-referee-experiments

MLS and USL partner to conduct 25 live Video Assistant Referee experiments

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http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/bastian-schweinsteiger-joins-chicago-fire-from-manchester-united-reports-transfer-4578538/

Bastian Schweinsteiger joins Chicago Fire from Manchester United: Reports

Bastian Schweinsteiger is reported to have signed a one-year deal that will earn him $4.5 million at the MLS side.

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http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/bastian-schweinsteiger-joins-mls-side-chicago-fire-35550661.html

Bastian Schweinsteiger joins MLS side Chicago Fire

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https://www.facebook.com/events/1851786885098637/

St. Pete Sustainability Summit

Public · Hosted by City of St. Petersburg, Florida USA

Tuesday, April 4 at 5:30 PM - 8 PM

Enoch D Davis Center
1111 18th Ave S,
Saint Petersburg, Florida 33705
   
Government Organization

(727) 893-7134

Please join Mayor Kriseman + City Council for a Sustainability Summit

Come celebrate sustainability milestones, learn from local scientists and more. *Refreshments will be available

What is the Sustainability Summit?

You and your elected officials will have local climate, marine and environmental scientists presenting recent local research related to extreme weather, local flooding, sea level rise, Tampa Bay Estuary and more. An open forum of Q&A will follow.

Special thanks to your Energy, Natural Resources, & Sustainability (ENRS) Committee: Chairperson Darden Rice, Vice-Chair Steve Kornell, Councilmembers Karl Nurse, Ed Montanari, & Lisa Wheeler- Bowman

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http://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2017/3/21/14998106/bastian-schweinsteiger-signs-with-the-chicago-fire-in-major-league-soccer

Bastian Schweinsteiger signs with the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer

United States Schweinsteiger fans, rejoice!

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/03/21/bastian-schweinsteiger-joins-mls-side-chicago-fire-seeking-make/

Bastian Schweinsteiger 'joins MLS side Chicago Fire' seeking to make 'positive impact'