TAMPA/ST. PETE

I'd be all for the Rowdies making the jump to MLS. Miami isn't in just yet...but even if they do get in, I would still be for the Rowdies getting in.

 

I believe Tampa Bay will have a team in MLS in the near future:

Orlando - Central and North coast (5M)
Tampa Bay - West Coast (6M)
Miami - South Coast (6M)

I think is a better option than almost all new locations MLS could choose (St. Louis, Detroit, Indianapolis, San Antonio, Sacramento, Phoenix, etc.) in the future!

 

Big announcement coming December 6th from the Rowdies. Being labeled as "Historic Announcement" held at the Grand Ballroom at the Birchwood Hotel in St Pete. Could this be about future MLS aspirations? They already announced going into USL. Stadium expansion isn't "Historic". Maybe new Team Owner...with a twist of MLS. Who knows Wait and see I guess.

 

They will need to jump ahead of Miami and maybe St.Louis, which is a possibility for a MLS bid. At least TBR have a team already, etc. Like Orlando did. So anything is possible.

 

MLS still has the hots for beckham's miami- TB to mls is still a long way off, maybe never- it will have to settle for USL division 2

i do think miami will happen somehow, with some ownership group, in some miami stadium location- by 2020

 

my bet is on a new jersey sponsor or some other sort of sponsor.

 

Someone tries to connect the dots on MLS maybe being the "historic" announcement.

http://supportyourlocalfootballclub...sacramentos-soccer-future-could-soon.html?m=1

The missing parts of a bid are the deep pockets (Bill Edwards doesn't have enough) and a stadium plan (Al Lang isn't big enough). Hopefully it's at least a step towards solving one of these.

Garber had a lot of positive things to say about Tampa when he was here at USF to talk about sports business.

 

Another guess -- a historic affiliation partnership with Miami Beckham United!

Btw, Tampa did have a conference to announce USL move, right? It can't be as simple as "we are leaving NASL and moving into USL and lookie, here's our new updated crest and color scheme for this occasion"?

 

The Rowdies just made their MLS intentions official now.

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay...h-campaign-to-bring-major-league.html?ana=twt

 

http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/mls...xpansion-city-tampa-bay-rowdies-st-petersburg

“Al Lang Stadium is super cool. You can’t get a better environment, right on the waterfront. This is the largest market that we’re not in."

MLS Commissioner

 

Notice anything?

 

They discussed the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ bid to join MLS. Garber, the mayor said, was impressed with the region’s television market and population base. Kriseman emphasized St. Petersburg’s demographics---a city getting younger and more diverse---as a a good fit for MLS, whose fan base skews the same way.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/baybuzz/kriseman-meets-with-mlb-mls-in-new-york-city/2311038

 

Hey @MLS, we brought our pitch to you.#MLS2StPete pic.twitter.com/IPBp8da64I

— Tampa Bay Rowdies (@TampaBayRowdies) January 30, 2017

 

Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg
SUBMISSION ANNOUNCED: 3:00 PM ET - MONDAY, JAN. 30

The Tampa Bay Rowdies delivered their expansion application to MLS headquarters in New York City on Monday afternoon. Their interactive expansion application, featuring more than 200 letters of support from politicians and local celebrities among others, included a modern rendition of “A Kick in the Grass.”

Also part of the application were details and renderings of the privately funded renovation and expansion plans to Al Lang Stadium and the proposed ownership group led by Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards, who led the delegation that traveled to Manhattan on Monday morning.

 

Rowdies put on a show with MLS expansion presentation

 

Watch the recap from our trip to New York City, where we submitted our @MLS Expansion Application to MLS President Mark Abbott. #MLS2StPete pic.twitter.com/Pz1fJ0P9fG

— Tampa Bay Rowdies (@TampaBayRowdies) January 31, 2017

 

Hope Tampa and Miami get in, would be nice to have a close rivalry (in state) with Orlando

 

If the plan moves forward, Tampa Bay Rowdies owner Bill Edwards will privately finance an $80 million renovation of Al Lang Stadium to accommodate an MLS expansion franchise. Edwards and the Rowdies are among the 12 entities in the mix for entry to the league.

http://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2017/02/city-council-to-decide-on-al-lang-stadium-referendum/

 

http://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2017/03/al-lang-stadium-referendum-set-for-may-2/


The proposed Al Lang Stadium renovations are now in the hands of voters, as St. Petersburg has authorized a May 2 referendum.

On Thursday, the St. Petersburg City Council granted its final approval to the referendum, which will ask voters to consider whether to allow the city to enter into a long-term agreement with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Rowdies owner Bill Edwards has proposed a privately-financed $80 million renovation to Al Lang Stadium that would expand the facility and make it conducive to MLS standards.

 

The Tampa Bay Rowdies scored a major win in its quest to become a Major League Soccer team after St. Petersburg voters overwhelmingly approved 87 to 13 percent a referendum allowing the team to enter into a long-term lease with the city at its home, Al Lang Stadium.

The referendum allows the team to sign a lease of up to 25-years. City charter requires voter approval for leases longer than five years on city-owned downtown waterfront property. The Edwards Group, the team’s owner, needs a long-term lease in order to pursue $80 million in renovations to the stadium to attract Major League Soccer.

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay...ng-stadium-upgrade-is-a-go-after.html?ana=twt

 

MLS releases statement
after St. Petersburg votes on soccer stadium


Residents of St. Petersburg voted in a Tuesday referendum to advance a proposal allowing the city to pursue an agreement solidifying the Al Lang Stadium site as the future home of a potential MLS expansion team. It passed by more than 20,000 votes, according to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Web site.

Results: http://enr.votepinellas.com/FL/Pinellas/68824/186338/en/summary.html …https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/859546576427110402 …

Tampa Bay Rowdies owner Bill Edwards has agreed to fund the MLS expansion fee and an $80 million, 18,000-fan stadium within the footprint of the existing site. The measure was supported by the Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board.

Following the final results, MLS issued the following statement on Tuesday night:

"We are pleased that the people of St. Petersburg support the Rowdies proposal to renovate Al Lang Stadium. Bill Edwards personally came to our offices in January to submit his expansion application and share his vision. With the passage of the stadium vote, we look forward to working with the Rowdies as they continue to pursue a Major League Soccer team for Tampa Bay."