Ladies and Gentlemen, The Tampa Bay Rowdies are officially back!

They are using the old Tampa Bay Rowdies facebook page again, be sure to like it: http://www.facebook.com/TampaBayRowdies

Their new twitter and youtube handle is: RowdiesSoccer

Hoops McGee is no longer our mascot, Garrett and I couldn't get an answer from Andrew or anyone else regarding potential new mascots.

WHAT SAY YE? Is this not ridiculously great news?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Francis Novoa on December 15, 2011 at 11:54am

Bye Hoops!

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Permalink Reply by Charles Cole on December 15, 2011 at 12:54pm

Be sure to get your limited edition retro Rowdies scarf and new Rowdies t-shirt from the online store!http://rowdiessoccer.newclients.com/default.asp

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Permalink Reply by Paul Peluso on December 15, 2011 at 1:13pm

Haha! I'm start the "Save Hoops Campaign"! This is of course incredible news. I actually found out about it on the front page of the sports section in the St. Pete Times!

Francis Novoa said:

Bye Hoops!

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Permalink Reply by Charles Cole on December 15, 2011 at 1:34pm

hehe, nah Hoops is gone for good.

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Permalink Reply by Jay Anthony on December 15, 2011 at 1:35pm

Best Christmas present all Tampa Bay area soccer fans could have gotten! Now the team has to build on the energy and buzz in the air today and grow and sustain it between now and spring when preseason starts. Let's hope for some outstanding preseason games at the ALF. The Swedish club, BK Hacken, will be back in Florida this spring, playing in the annual tournament at Disney; let's hope our FO can get them to come play in St. Pete also against...wait for it, let it build...THE TAMPA BAY ROWDIES!

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Permalink Reply by Charles Cole on December 15, 2011 at 1:50pm

haha, so sweet. Yeah a big friendly like that in the preseason would be great. I don't want to have to drive down to Ft. Lauderhell to see us play an international team. I'll obviously do it again, but it'd be nice to take one on here on our home turf.

From what we are hearing, it sounds like they do have a solid plan for rolling out more goodies and keeping the buzz going right into next season. Andrew hinted briefly to Garret and I about multi tiered marketing effort that they'll be unleashing after the new year, so we'll see what that is all about.

I hope they turn the traditional pre season party into a true blow out this time. Big party with unveiling of the new uniforms, etc. Really do it up big.

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Permalink Reply by Agim on December 15, 2011 at 2:02pm

Awesome news. We were the beginning of what is now a nightmare season for the Bolton Wanderers. Go Rowdies!

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Permalink Reply by Chris Dominguez on December 15, 2011 at 8:54pm

What does everyone think of the logo? Do you guys dig the classic look or did you wish to see an updated version? Personally, I think they went the correct route with it. From a marketing perspective, it should get the attention of people who grew up watching this team back in the day. It shouldn't turn off prospective fans, mainly because this logo represents the one thing we, as supporters, have been longing for: TRADITION.

LET'S GO ROWDIES!!! (It feels great typing this name out, knowing that it's ours again!!!) :-)

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Permalink Reply by Whitestar Warriors on December 15, 2011 at 9:55pm

awesome logo, I bet you some people didn't even know what fc tampa bay was....now their is no question.

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Permalink Reply by John Tyler on December 16, 2011 at 9:02am

Love the logo! Hopefully this means that they will blast the Rowdies anthem over the loud speakers just BEFORE kickoff in both halves (obviously I don't want them playing any music over the speakers during the action).

Chris Dominguez said:

What does everyone think of the logo? Do you guys dig the classic look or did you wish to see an updated version? Personally, I think they went the correct route with it. From a marketing perspective, it should get the attention of people who grew up watching this team back in the day. It shouldn't turn off prospective fans, mainly because this logo represents the one thing we, as supporters, have been longing for: TRADITION.

LET'S GO ROWDIES!!! (It feels great typing this name out, knowing that it's ours again!!!) :-)

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Permalink Reply by Charles Cole on December 16, 2011 at 9:30am

I love the logo and don't believe they should have gone any other way, not at first. That logo splashed across the chest of our jerseys is instantly recognizable to every single soccer fan in Tampa Bay and beyond. Smart move, kudos to them but it was the obvious move.

Still love it.