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Report: Tampa Bay Rowdies seeking investors to boost MLS bid

Tampa Bay Rowdies owner Bill Edwards is looking for additional investors for the USL club.

When presented with a reports indicating he was trying to sell the team, Edwards refuted them and said he was looking for additional investors for his team.

“We are looking to put together an ownership group and we have five or six groups talking to us right now,” Edwards told the Tampa Bay Times. “We are trying to take it to the next level, which is Major League Soccer. But it takes a lot of money to be in MLS.

“I don’t plan on walking away from anything. I’ve poured five years of my life into the Rowdies and look where they’ve come. Why would I walk away?”

Edwards, 72, has owned the Rowdies since 2013. He plans to renovate their current home of Al Lang Stadium in order to bring it up to MLS standards with the eye of getting into the league. Tampa was not named as a finalist for MLS expansion, but was in the initial bidding process.

He’s hoping additional investors can boost his chances at getting into the league.

“In order to be in MLS it takes an ownership group, so all we’re doing is trying to put together an ownership group,” Edwards said. “There’s been a high degree of interest from people who want to be part of the ownership group. I would still be involved no matter what league we are in. I’m not running away at all.”

Comments

  1. In normal countries, the team that finishes top in the 2nd division, in this case USL, would get promoted to the 1st division, MLS…as opposed to buying a spot in a closed system that promotes and encourages mediocrity…

    Reply
      • You would think some counter-balancing measure would need to be in place lest, over time, all those 2nd division teams would graduate to the 1st.

    • i know what you mean but “normal” is a moving target in soccer these days, prepare to do some idealogical yoga.

      Reply
    • I find it hard to believe you actually follow MLS with that statement. True MLS is single entity, but the meteoric rise of MLS the last few years is anything but mediocre and static.

      Reply
  2. I live a couple hours from Tampa, but I’m not sure Florida can support 3 MLS teams. Let’s see if Miami can finally get up and running and determine how the rivalry develops with Orlando.

    Reply

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