2010 Rowdies Stadium News Part 3

Have you ever been in one of those MLB spring training stadiums? Almost no one will be far from the field. It's pretty intimate. Baseball seats are right on top of the action for the most part at the minor league stadiums like Steinbrenner.

 

even if your seated behind home plate?

 

No different than sitting in upper rows at a soccer stadium.

 

ya true, but ive never been to a pro soccer match before.

so what do you think the attendance will be for the first home game?

 

Actually, those home plate seats are blacked out on the seating chart. There are some far out GA seats, but they are GA, so if you don't like your seats, you can move. The sideline seats and behind goal seats should be pretty. The angles the seats are set at aren't really made for the way the pitch will be situated, but a good solution to that would be to stand for the entire game!

 

so what does everyone think the first home game attendance will be?

 

no idea. There is some good buzz building and once the season starts and people see the marketing then Im sure the momentum will keep growing.

Im guessing between 4 and 6k would be great, anything more than that would be fantastic, anything less would be kind of meh and disappointing.

 

ya that would be great to get that many people there, would be crazy if we filled steinbrenner field

 

Some are whispering sell out, but I doubt it will happen and honestly will be happy with a good sizeable crowd and good atmosphere.

Got to have something to build on , right?

 

so if we get better attendance than miami, then does that mean we have a better chance of getting an mls team over miami?

 

That's the spirit.

 

Group to unveil stadium development plans at fairgrounds

There is a soccer stadium included in their plan. Not sure if it for an MLS team, a NASL team or something else. Looks interesting but as we know plans often can change. How far are the fairgrounds from downtown?

 

From right down town? Like 5 minutes by interstate.

 

So that would that be a convenient location for most of the population I assume. Hopefully it will move forward and the Rowdies will be in a SSS before we know it!

 

If it doesn't specifically mention the Rowdies then don't count on them being involved

 

ya but if they build this soccer stadium, who else would it be for?

 

I get the same impression and wouldn't be surprised if that were true. Time will tell what comes of all of this though.

I can only dream that these two events occurring so closely together is fate and we here in Tampa are in store for something big.

To dream a little dream.

 

Personally, I like that the Rowdies are a D-2 team. There is uncertainty about the league, sure, but for the most part, there is an upside from being an MLS team. They'll have less pressure and time to grow the sport here. 5K in D-2 is good, while 5K in MLS will result in having your team moved. You can also build a team from scratch, which Dalglish has done a great job at so far. I'm not sure the goal is even to have an MLS team in the future, but if it is, I'm thinking 5-10 years down the road. I like being the little guy. Let's make a good run in the US Open Cup and try to knock off some of the bigger teams! If they have success in their first two seasons at GSF they should be able to build their own stadium with seating for 10K without a problem! I'm really pleased so far and am glad that the front office seems to be catching up with the team itslef. My season ticket order was processed today and they had a pub night tonight -- all be it last minute. Things are looking up for the Rowdies!

 

The Mutiny, of course!

 

well probably not.

 

Without a very deep-pocketed ownership group and a SSS, no it would not make any difference. Remember Toronto and Seattle didn't draw all that much in USL, but are now drawing large crowds in MLS. Vancouver and Portland did draw well in USL, but that fact wouldn't have gotten them into MLS without their very rich ownership groups and satisfactory stadium situations.

Also remember that Traffic is moving Miami FC to Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, where they draw better than they do in any Miami stadium location (not a huge difference yet, but still noticeable). Traffic wants to take over control of Lockhart and the adjacent spring training baseball facilities that now have no tenant, and convert them to soccer training facilities.

MLS has a history at Lockhart, both with the Miami Fusion and with several MLS combines.

If Traffic brings back the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers and does a good job of rebranding and does a good marketing job to attract the fans, the Strikers could draw well, maybe rivaling the Rowdies.

A Traffic/Claure MLS bid as the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers playing in Lockhart could be a very very attractive bid to MLS, even if the Strikers aren't drawing as many fans as the Rowdies.

The Rowdies really need to get a SSS built and to draw in additional investors (Hank Steinbrenner, maybe one of the Glazers, etc) in order to put a strong MLS bid in. Merely drawing well in USL/NASL/USSF D2 is not enough, although it helps.

 

Even a monorail! Get your Simpsons quotes ready:

But Main Street's still all cracked and broken!

Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!

Monorail!

 

I don't think the Glazers will get involved because they are already overextended.

On a side note, they are d'bags.

 

That does seem to be the popular opinion, amongst soccer/football fans, both in Tampa and Manchester.

The Glazers could sell Man U in the near future, or the Bucs. One of the younger members of the family might not be overextended and might be able to invest (we're talking a minority stake, here, not owning the whole thing).

Maybe the Steinbrenners, plus the current Rowdies ownership group, would be deep pocketed enough for MLS.

Maybe we could get David Beckham to watch Once in a Lifetime a few more times, remind him that the Rowdies are the most mentioned team in that documentary after the Cosmos, get Rodney Marsh and others to wine and dine him at Bern's Steakhouse, and land Becks and his group as investors. Anything to get the Rowdies into the highest level of USA soccer - although frankly I could do without the whole Beckham Circus muddying the waters. Still it would get attention!