Soccer in Tampa???

Discussion in 'Inter Miami CF' started by perez0924, Jun 23, 2003.

  1. perez0924

    perez0924 New Member

    Jun 22, 2003
    Tampa, Fl
    i know everyone is talking about expansion and I just wanted to get opinions or if anyone knows any rumors about possible expansion to Tampa with an actual owner?
    Its frustruating for people here in Tampa without soccer and the fact that we have potential owners such as the Glazers(who bought shares of Man U) and maybe even George Steinberner makes the situation even worse.
    I think MLS here in Tampa with the new league format of saturday games and new ownership could succeed very easily
    Anyways i just want to know opinions on the matter thanks.
     
  2. DaveBrett

    DaveBrett Member

    Nov 28, 1998
    Austin, Texas
    The Tampa Bay Rowdies had some of the most passionate fans in the NASL. The crowds were usually huge.

    Where were those people a dozen years later when a new team started playing in the same stadium?
     
  3. Rickster

    Rickster Member

    Dec 1, 1998
    Going to Lightning, Devil Rays and Yankees games. The Rowdies were big because nothing else was going on in Tampa at the time.
     
  4. Khansingh

    Khansingh New Member

    Jan 8, 2002
    The Luton Palace
    Heh, heh. That's funny.
     
  5. denver_mugwamp

    denver_mugwamp New Member

    Feb 9, 2003
    Denver, Colorado
    Something outside the window...

    Quickly I pull apart the curtains and... Oh my god! Pigs! Great flocks of them gliding across the sky on their huge wings as far as the eye can see. They must be on their annual migration to their Northern slop fields.
     
  6. soccer4sFlorida

    soccer4sFlorida New Member

    Oct 23, 2002
    LockhartSSS
    move the Rapids to LockhartSSS
     
  7. futbollives

    futbollives New Member

    Jun 25, 2003
    florida
    sheesh, if they were going to devil rays games and lightning games, tampa must have only 14,000 people living there, because that's the average attendance for those teams. even the yankees don't draw 25,000 when they come to town anymore. i for one would like a new team in tampa, but it must NOT be given a ridiculous name like mutiny or clash, and maybe we should start out in a-league.
     
  8. Brownswan

    Brownswan New Member

    Jun 30, 1999
    Port St. Lucie, FL
    Are there any A-League teams in Florida? Where would one in Tampa play?

    It does seem that if Charleston can support a team -- and a really fine stadium as well -- Tampa should be able to as well.

    But I still think it's just too hot and humid for summer soccer in Florida. Huston, too.
     
  9. perez0924

    perez0924 New Member

    Jun 22, 2003
    Tampa, Fl
    There are no A-League teams in Florida...If there was one they would probably play at the USF Stadium or the University of Tampa stadium since those can support around 5,000 people....i think that if a team did come there would be room to make a sss in tampa...soccer in the summer here in florida is hot but if games are played late in the afternoon such as 4 or so or at night there would not be a problem. It does tend to get really hot right around noon up until 3 then it starts to cool down enough to play.
     
  10. USAsoccer

    USAsoccer Member

    Jul 15, 1999
    Tampa, Florida
    Too bad ignorance is not painful...

    1) The Bucs have now an 80,000 season ticket wait list

    2) Lightning attendence was over 17,000 a game (including playoffs) and finished 15th in the NHL overall. In fact, the Lightning possess ever imaginable attendence record in the NHL when they played in the Trop. After making the playoff's, the Lightning are expected to average over 19,000 a game next year, putting them in the top 5 for NHL attendence.

    3) We have a MLB team? The D-rays draw poorly because in the 6 years of existence, they have lost over 100 games a season. 8 teams spring train in the bay area. The Yankees average over 10,000 a game for spring games. That cuts into the D-rays. As does the other 6 teams that spring train around here. If the D-rays win, they will draw.

    4) As for the Mutiny. The average over 11,000 fans a game in the last year, while winning a league worst 2 games in an entire season.

    Tampa can support soccer, if it has it own staduim.
     
  11. perez0924

    perez0924 New Member

    Jun 22, 2003
    Tampa, Fl
    i agree USA soccer all the points you made are valid....i have a question for you...where would you think that a new team would play...maybe USF and rebuild their stadium to seat more people or would we have to build a new one? also where do you think that we could build one in the city? also have u heard of maybe the glazers wanting to buy a soccer team since they invested in Man U or anyone else? no one in this town talks soccer at all so i thought maybe you would know of any rumors or such bc i cant find anything anywhere....
     
  12. fl-kw

    fl-kw New Member

    Sep 15, 2002
    Tampa Bay area
    about a year ago I e-mailed Henry Saavedra with the tampa sports authority to see if the city was doing anything to bring back professional soccer. He said that they were trying to get a professional team. I get the feeling,though, that he was just saying that so that I wouldnt keep bugging him about it. I really think that if the fans in this area let it be known that there was still a huge interest in MLS, then maybe the higher-ups in Tampa would do something about it. Problem is- I'm not sure how to get our voices heard. Any suggestions?
     
  13. perez0924

    perez0924 New Member

    Jun 22, 2003
    Tampa, Fl
    well i think i will do the same in emailing Henry Saveedra...its really hard to have our voices heard but maybe if someone wrote something to either the Tribune or the St Pete Times in editorials they have on sundays maybe that would be a good way....i agree with you that if we had some way to voice our opinion about soccer in Tampa that we would influence some of the richer people in the city(Glazers)....by the way how long did it take for Henry Saveedra to respond to your email? What do you think would be some good ideas to make people aware of the fact that we can have a soccer team here in Tampa??
     
  14. fl-kw

    fl-kw New Member

    Sep 15, 2002
    Tampa Bay area
    I e-mailed Mr. Saavedra twice and both times he responded within 24 hours-so I thought that was pretty nice of him. I've had some pretty stupid ideas to get some attention about MLS in Tampa. One idea is to get people to make some signs and take them to the Yankees spring training games in the hopes that Steinbrenner would notice. I've e-mailed the Times a lot about soccer, but they never respond back. At this point, I would be happy just to have a team within traveling distance. Too bad Garber is so down on Florida.Please let me know if Henry Saavedra has any new info. thanks
     
  15. G Enriquez

    G Enriquez Member+

    Apr 1, 2002
    Tampa
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Tampa has a lot of club teams and leagues. It's sad that we don't have any proffesional soccer. The USL league office is located in Tampa.
     
  16. perez0924

    perez0924 New Member

    Jun 22, 2003
    Tampa, Fl
    i sent an email to Mr. Saavedra...he responded within 24 hrs just like he had done to you...he was very polite and enthusiastic in his email and i thought it was really nice of him to do that...he states that about a yr ago he met with a committe and a potential owner but the deal fell threw..he said that it doesnt look good for tampa right now and that the main reason the mutiny were contracted was the fact that it was too expensive to play at RJS...he said that MLS is very interested in the Tampa market but as long as we dont have a potential owner then it doesnt look good for the city....so thats the latest from here in tampa....anyone else have any other new info? please share info here bc this seems the only place to share it in the city of tampa.
     
  17. fl-kw

    fl-kw New Member

    Sep 15, 2002
    Tampa Bay area
    perez-thanks for the update. I sure would like to know who that potential owner was. I think it would be a good idea if we and any others who would like a team back in tampa, to occasionaly e-mail Mr. Saavedra at the tampa sports authority so that he knows that there is still an interest out there. Hopefully he will continue in trying to get us a team.
     

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