When Major League Soccer contracted both teams in the state, Florida has been left out of the professional soccer ranks. Following the 2001 season the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny were contracted, the latter due to lack of ownership.
At the time, MLS commissioner Don Garber complained the league has spent an “enormous amount of time” trying to find an owner even though the league was set up as a single-entity league that owned all teams with investors buying it for the right to operate them. The Mutiny lost money each year of its operation.
Prior to that, the area had the Rowdies of the North American Soccer League and played from 1975 to 1984 when the league dissolved. The Rowdies name lived on in different forms including a stint in a short lived indoor league. Now the team and league are back for another try.
Two weeks ago the Rowdies were formally re-introduced and were slated to begin play this spring in a 5,500-seats stadium to be constructed in Tampa. At the time it was announced they would play in the established United Soccer League’s First Division as a 2010 expansion team.
That was then and this is now.
The Rowdies stay in the USL was short lived because the revival of the NASL prompted the team to switch allegiances and hope to join eight other teams in the new league. Franchises expected to begin play are as follows: Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Miami FC, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, St. Louis Soccer United, the Rowdies and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The league has submitted an application to the United States Soccer Federation for sanctioning as a Division II Men’s Outdoor Professional League.
“By becoming the NASL, we are paying respect to the players, coaches and leaders who were pioneers for men’s professional soccer in North America, many of whom remain involved and committed to the growth of our game in various capacities throughout the U.S. and Canada,” said Selby Wellman, newly appointed president of NASL, LLC. “For that, we honor and thank them with a new era for the NASL.”
However, Tampa Bay is not the only team to make the switch as Baltimore has committed to the NASL as well and that is not sitting well with officials at the USL as they issued the following statement:
“Both the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Crystal Palace Baltimore have contractual commitments to USL to play in the 2010 USL First Division (USL-1) season. USL will pursue all actions to protect its interests and those of the USL-1 teams from any breach of contract caused by Tampa and Baltimore.”
Both soccer clubs are still listed as franchises in the United Soccer League’s official website.
“USL further believes TOA (Team Owner’s Association) is tortuously interfering with USL-1 team owners that are contractually obligated to participate in the 2010 season. TOA has made several misleading statements in a variety of press releases to taint the reputation of USL and its long history of developing the sport of soccer in the United States and Canada. USL will vigorously defend its legal interests against the TOA’s tortuous interference in contractual relationships with its team owners.”
The NASL has a rich history itself with legends such as such as Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia, Johan Cruyff and Karl Heinz-Granitza playing there when soccer was in its heyday but when the stars left, interest in the sport waned in the United States. Since then, the sport is still trying to find an audience.
Major League Soccer had 15 franchises in their just completed season and while there were positives in Seattle as they drew a shade under a half-million fans averaging 31,203 per match, the other 14-clubs ranged from a high of just over 20,000 (including Los Angeles, which boasted league MVP Landon Donovan and international superstar David Beckham) to a low of 9,883 for FC Dallas.
It would seem somewhat illogical that two potential Division II rival leagues would squabble over a pair of clubs who have yet to field a team but that appears to be the case even though American soccer fans are at a premium.
Should the NASL begin operating as planned it could be without Tampa Bay and Baltimore because of threatened legal action. The USL could also be absent those teams until the situation is resolved.
Comments
Can't wait for the Rowdies to come back to Tampa. Finally, some real football for a change.
Was that a slap at the Buccaneers? WAS THAT A SLAP AT THE BUCCANEERS? :-) But seriously, I covered a USA Friendly-Ecuador match at Raymond James Stadium where about 35K showed. There was a festival-like atmosphere in the parking lot and in the building and it gave me a sense that the sport could find its way in the Bay area with a possible return of the Rowdies.
I remember going to Rowdies games in high school and college at the old "sombrero" stadium before Ray Jay. They were VERY fun times. I would love to share that type of experience with my kids.
Didn't mean it like that, Ted :-)
Can't wait for professional soccer to come back to Tampa. They are yet to announce stadium plans, so I presume during their first season the team will play at either UT or USF.
As of now, though, there is a whole mess with the USL and a new breakaway league which the Rowdies joined last week, and apparently breached their contract w/ USL...hope they find a resolution sooner rather than later. Fragmentation of the lower-levels of pro/semi-pro soccer in the US can only be bad for the sport.
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