TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League announced Tuesday the addition of the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Ottawa Fury to the USL for the 2017 season, with both expected to join Louisville City FC’s Eastern Conference.
As one of the country’s most historic soccer brands, the Rowdies were the first professional sports franchise in the Tampa Bay area and remain one of the most recognizable teams in soccer. Originally established in 1975, they won the Soccer Bowl championship in their inaugural year, and then again in 2012.
“With our league headquartered in Tampa, we are pleased to welcome the Rowdies to the USL for next season,” said Alec Papadakis, the USL’s chief executive officer. “This allows us to expand our footprint into the Southeast with a storied soccer brand while meeting our key tenets of market size, committed local ownership and stadium development.”
Current Fury FC president and Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group partner John Pugh purchased the Fury W-League franchise in 2002 and spent the next decade building one of the most respected youth academies in North America, a successful PDL (2005-2013) program that has seen players move on to the professional ranks, and the W-League’s most storied franchise that captured a long-sought North American Championship in 2012.
“We’re excited to be joining the fastest growing soccer league in the world,” Pugh said. “The USL’s goal is to be the top second division league in the world. and we are thrilled to be part of it. Our growing and loyal fan base deserves and can expect a very high caliber of play and tremendous competition.”
Tampa Bay is the country’s 11th-largest media market, and the Rowdies joined the largest professional soccer league in North America.
Situated on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, the iconic Al Lang Stadium, capacity 7,227, has transformed over the past two seasons. Edwards took over management of the city-owned facility historically known for baseball spring training and invested millions of dollars turning it into a proper soccer venue. The diamond was removed, the pitch leveled and new turf, drainage and irrigation systems installed. The entire venue was pressure washed and painted, new seats were installed both in the stadium bowl and along the touchline, and the locker rooms were completely refurbished. A team store was added and a state-of-the-art videoboard was installed.
In addition to their pro club, the Fury also boast several grassroots, skill development and community programs. In June 2011, the team was awarded a professional expansion franchise and began play in 2014.
The Fury share TD Place Stadium, capacity 24,000, with the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Redblacks. Originally known as Lansdowne Stadium, the facility dates back to the 1870s and went through a total renovation in a two-year period leading up to completion and reopening in June 2014. The stadium has played host to five Grey Cup games; hosted soccer for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal; was one of six hosts for the 2007 FIFA U20 World Cup; and hosted nine games, including a quarterfinal match, for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The 2016 USL season saw the league record a total attendance of almost 1.5 million for its 29 teams, a 33 percent increase from 2015. The USL has more than doubled in size since 2014 and has built a stable, highly-competitive professional soccer league positioned for long-term success.
This year, the USL introduced six teams. For 2017 along with Tampa Bay and Ottawa, Reno 1868 FC will enter the league. Nashville SC is set to begin play in 2018.