Statement from Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards on Recent MLS Expansion News

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http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/861499?referrer_id=2929375-news-archive

Statement from Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards on Recent MLS Expansion News

By Rowdies Communications, 11/29/17, 1:00PM EST

Statement from Tampa Bay Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards

“This morning Major League Soccer (MLS) announced four finalists for the next two expansion teams, to be awarded this year.  While the Rowdies were not one of the four, MLS made it clear that we remain in consideration for the expansion spots to be announced at a later date.

On behalf of the Rowdies organization, I am very proud of what we have accomplished on and off the pitch.  We set modern day records in nineteen categories this past season.

I personally had a medical set back that put us behind – but undaunted. I continue to invest in refining our stadium plan and other elements of our bid to make it as strong and competitive as possible, and remain in communication with Commissioner Garber and MLS.  I firmly believe that this MLS expansion will come to pass.”

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http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/861797?referrer_id=2929375-news-archive

Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards on Matt Pickens Departure to Nashville

By Rowdies Communications, 11/30/17, 9:30AM EST

Message from Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards on goalkeeper Matt Pickens joining Nashville SC:

“We’d like to thank Matt Pickens for everything he’s done during his time here at the Rowdies. He is an excellent person both on and off the field and we wish him the very best at Nashville Soccer Club.”

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http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/862033?referrer_id=2929375-news-archive

Rowdies Announce Initial Roster Moves Including Return of Joe Cole and Marcel Schäfer

By Rowdies Communications, 11/30/17, 4:30PM EST

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (November 30, 2017) — With 2018 and a new United Soccer League season rapidly approaching, the Tampa Bay Rowdies have made their first set of roster transactions for the season ahead.  The club announced on Thursday that at least nine members of the 2017 roster are set to return next season.

Headlining the group of returnees are international midfielders Joe Cole and Marcel Schäfer, who both are under contract until the end of the 2018 season. Cole will be entering his third season with the Rowdies, scoring 16 goals and tallying 12 assists in 52 matches.

Schäfer joined the Rowdies ahead of the 2017 season and led the club with 11 assists, setting a Modern-Era club record for most assists in a season. The German midfielder also scored seven goals, which ultimately landed him a spot in the 2017 USL All-League First Team.

“We’re excited to bring back a strong core of the 2017 roster, which helped us break multiple club records in our first season in USL,” said Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards. “I believe we have a great coaching staff that is prepared to bring the USL Cup to St. Petersburg in 2018 and they are working extremely hard to prepare an even stronger roster for the upcoming season. Our amazing fans deserve a championship team after all the fantastic support the club has received season-after-season.”

Returning players include goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald, who had four shutouts in his six starts during the 2017 season. Defenders Neill Collins and Zac Portillos will both be back to anchor a strong defensive third, which posted a Modern-Era club record 14 shutouts in the Rowdies inaugural USL season.

Midfielders Michael Nanchoff, Alex Morrell (option exercised) and Martin Vingaard and forward Sebastian Guenzatti will all be returning for the 2018 season, as they look to build upon a record-breaking 2017 season. All four players played an instrumental role in breaking the Modern-Era club record for most points in a regular season (53).

The Rowdies continue to have discussions with Nico Campbell, Darnell King, Kyle Porter, Tamika Mkandawire, Hunter Gorskie, Keith Savage, Leo Fernandes, Justin Chavez, Walter Restrepo, Darwin Jones, Martin Paterson and Georgi Hristov, who are all currently not under contract for the 2018 season.

The Rowdies will continue to build upon their 2017 achievements, with several new additions to the roster being announced in the coming weeks.

For information on how to become a 2018 Rowdies season ticket holder, please call (727) 222-2000 or click here.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7gqlcd/rowdies_announce_initial_roster_moves_including/

Rowdies Announce Initial Roster Moves Including Return of Joe Cole and Marcel Schäfer (rowdiessoccer.com)

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http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/862033

Rowdies Announce Initial Roster Moves Including Return of Joe Cole and Marcel Schäfer

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7gmovy/breaking_matt_pickens_traded_to_nashville_sc/

Breaking: Matt Pickens traded to Nashville SC (imgur.com)

https://imgur.com/a/FriYY

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7gn7uf/s_y_n_e_r_g_y_rowdies_offering_free_tickets_to/

S Y N E R G Y - Rowdies offering free tickets to Florida Tropics home games in December (fltropics.com)

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http://www.fltropics.com/rowdies

Rowdies Special Ticket Offer

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7gfcar/statement_from_tampa_bay_rowdies_chairman_ceo/

Statement from Tampa Bay Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards on the recent @MLS expansion announcement (twitter.com)

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https://twitter.com/tampabayrowdies/status/935934397156601857

Tampa Bay Rowdies

‏Verified account

@TampaBayRowdies

Statement from Tampa Bay Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards on the recent @MLS expansion announcement.

10:12 AM - 29 Nov 2017

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7gf5w8/republic_cincy_nashville_and_detroit_are_4/

Republic, Cincy, Nashville, and Detroit are 4 finalists for two MLS spots in 2020 (twitter.com)

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https://twitter.com/byIanThomas/status/935872362553147392?s=17

Ian Thomas‏

@byIanThomas

MLS has selected Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville & Sacramento as the finalists for the 1st 2 expansion spots. Owners & officials from the 4 markets will make formal presentations to MLS Commissioner Don Garber & the league’s expansion committee in New York on Dec. 6.

6:05 AM - 29 Nov 2017

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7gania/report_beckham_partner_casts_doubts_on_mls_in/

Report: Beckham partner casts doubts on MLS in Miami (local10.com)

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https://www.local10.com/news/local/miami/report-beckham-partner-casts-doubts-on-mls-in-miami

Report: Beckham partner casts doubts on MLS in Miami

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http://www.espn.com/soccer/league/_/name/usa.1

Beckham partner shares fears on MLS bid

One of David Beckham's partners in a bid to form a Major League Soccer franchise in Miami has expressed serious doubts over the future of the project.

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https://socceramerica.com/publications/article/75858/doubts-raised-about-beckhams-miami-mls-bid.html

Doubts raised about Beckham's Miami MLS bid

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https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2017/11/29/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Miami-MLS.aspx

Leiweke Worried Beckham's Expansion MLS Franchise In Miami Won't Come To Fruition

Published November 29, 2017

Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke fears David Beckham’s MLS franchise in Miami "wont come to fruition," according to Kurtis Larson of the TORONTO SUN. This comes after MLS Commissioner Don Garber in August said that the league "could officially unveil Miami as an expansion team 'pe...

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http://miami.cbslocal.com/2017/11/29/miami-excluded-from-mls-expansion-finalists-but-beckhams-franchise-still-in-play/

Miami Excluded From MLS Expansion Finalists, But Beckham’s Franchise Still In Play

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http://www.tampabay.com/Tampa-Bay-misses-out-on-MLS-expansion-this-time_163107862

Tampa Bay misses out on MLS expansion this time

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http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/rowdies-out-running-expansion-year

Rowdies Out Of The Running For Expansion This Year

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http://www.fox13news.com/sports/mls-eliminates-rowdies-from-expansion-team-running

MLS eliminates Rowdies from expansion team running

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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2017/11/29/tampa-bay-officially-out-of-this-round-of-major.html

Tampa Bay officially out of this round of Major League Soccer expansion

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http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2017/11/29/no_mls_team_for_tamp.html

No MLS team for Tampa market, at least for now

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http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2017/11/30/nashville-sc-signs-goalkeeper-matt-pickens-3-others-inaugural-roster/905510001/

Nashville SC signs goalkeeper Matt Pickens, 3 others to inaugural roster