Andrew Nestor is negotiating for the return of the name "ROWDIES"

100 % good news

though it will not resolve all problems at once of course

 

Good news for FCTB.

While it'll take some ammo out of the Striker Likers' arsenal for making fun of you guys, it just ain't right to see a green and yellow team that looks like the Rowdies not being called the Rowdies.

Good luck to them in getting the name back.

 

yeah we are all just crossing our fingers that something positive happens, but I don't think anyone is holding their breath.

It goes without saying that the Rowdies trademark is very important, if not critical. I still believe you can make any soccer team work here, no matter what its called, but why not have one called The Rowdies if at all possible? It is just a matter of price, so ********ing pay for the goddamn trademark.

This isn't hard.

 

Any idea of the price being asked? It is a one time payment? Or ongoing? It must be something outrageous to keep the talks going on for so long.

Good luck with getting it. It is something that would benefit not only FCTB but the NASL and soccer generally. Of course, we'd love it so that the hate could really grow and fester. So would the crowds at our games grow along with it. And the noise. And the fun....

 

FCTB is the 'Rowdies' no matter if it is in the name or not.

I know you have heard/read this enillion times, but there is no Manchester Red Devils, but everybody knows who the Red Devils are...

 

... the MNT from Belgium ?

 

Exactly!

 

You are probably right. Classic Ink isn't making money off the trademark unless they sell it to Citrus Group for a large sum of money and more lawsuits would just further delay that transaction. Not to mention if it backfires it could lead to alot less money than they hope to get.

Citrus Group came to Tampa Bay to resurrect the Rowdies brand. They chose the market, after considering several others, specifically because of the potential here, much of which hinged, in their minds, on the return of the Rowdies name.

All we know right now is that there are lawsuits from both sides, no one apparently has of yet agreed to a sum of money and that Citrus Group is still actively pursuing the trademark.

And we are becoming impatient.

EVERYONE you speak with here who actively follows the team and soccer in general is dissatisfied with the level of money and effort being expended by ownership and the front office to market the FC Tampa Bay brand. All we can really hope is that much of that is due to the fact that Citrus Group is counting on getting the trademark, finally bringing back the Rowdies for real, and "blowing our minds" as they once promised to do.

That isn't to say that there is no one in the front office doing the best they can with what they have been given. But it is painfully clear that those people are not being given enough and if that keeps up then fans are only going to become more dissatisfied and eventually, angry.

So again, if you are serious then please get your heads out of your butts Citrus Group and do whatever it takes to get the trademark back and start doing right by this soccer community.

 

I know that is right

 

Speaking of which, whatever happened to their academy they said they were launching a couple of years ago? It was suppose to be at Saddlebrook. I haven't read a thing about it in two years. They made an annocumcent in January of 2010 and than nothing.

I know there is frustration, but I can also see ownership's side. I know you have to spend money to make money. But when you keep losing money, you are hesitant to spend more. I am sure Nestor and his group had a lot of great ideas. But once the reality of lower division soccer sets in...things change.

 

Is there an Email address or perhaps a Fax # for Classic Ink? I'd like to write them in order to implore that they be "reasonable" in their negotiations with FCTB. I do not intend to be nasty with them, since that will never help our situation. However, I want to let them know that, as Tampa Bay Soccer Supporters, we are potentially the main consumers of any product(s) they sell bearing the Rowdies' brand. If they choose to not sell the rights to FCTB, they run the risk of alienating us as customers & thus have them lose $$$.

I know that the powers that be at Classic Ink aren't stupid. They know what the risks are. They're obviously trying to milk the Club for all they can get. I just want them to know that there are everyday people here that care.

 

Might that unintentionally embolden them, knowing that the "club" is under pressure to "do what it takes" to get the Brand back?

 

It could go either way. It was just a thought. I, like many other supporters, am feeling quite helpless in this matter & just want to be heard.

 

Maybe a letter that supports the name Tampa FC with bold Fuck the Rowdies name.

You know like a bluff that the fans do not really care about the name.

Just an idea.

 

Reverse Psychology. I like where this is going. LOL!

 

I understand the sentiment, but really hope fans don't contact classic ink. Just keep ignoring them and keep from buying anything that would help their bottom line.

If you guys are interested, the Mob may be down to start a campaign to get fans to let Nestor and co. know how we feel about the Rowdies trademark. Make sure Citrus Group at least knows that the fans want it back and they need to be prioritizing it.

 

Say no more, I agree with you on just ignoring Classic Ink & boycotting any of their products.

I would be interested in letting the Front Office know that we still demand the Rowdies trademark & that they need to make it priority #1 this offseason.

 

Does it really matter if we ever aquire the Rowdies name again? I mean, It's not like I'll stop supporting the team if they don't get the name back. For the few idiot's who are hung up on the name,are they really fan's?

I'm more interested in getting a stadium than getting the name back. I like the name FC Tampa Bay.

 

I will always support Tampa Bay Soccer, no matter what name our club goes by. However, the reason why I support getting the ROWDIES trademark back at all costs is because it belongs to us. I hate seeing a brand that represents the Glory Days of not only Tampa Bay Soccer, but also of American Soccer just end up used to only sell cheap-a$$ shirts that no one will buy!

It's a slap to the face of every Tampa Bay Soccer Supporter and I'm surprised that there aren't more people outraged by it.

 

I think it matters alot. Will it ultimately make a major difference? No one can say for sure, but we have to assume it would. 8k showed up to the home opener last season thinking they were getting the Rowdies back. I think there are far more people turned off by the fact the team isn't really the Rowdies than you believe.

But in the end, why mess around? Just get the trademark. It certainly won't hurt.

They chose this market specifically because of the Rowdies heritage and now they need to put their money where their mouth is.

Just really unfortunate that when they attempted to buy it the first time things went sour. Who makes these deals? ffs

 

Boycots only work if they know they are losing business. Just like yu can't prove a negative, how do they know that 300 people are boycotting them if we don't tell them?