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The Tampa Bay Rowdies are proud to announce the 2013 Soccer Summit hosted by JP Dellacamera from FOX Soccer. Joining him as a distinguished guest will be former U.S. Men's National Team star, current FOX Soccer analyst and Atlanta Silverbacks Technical Director Eric Wynalda. This event will officially kick off the 2013 Fall NASL Season on August 8 from 7:30-10:00 p.m. at the new Birchwood Inn located on the waterfront in St. Petersburg.
Host Dellacamera is a play-by-play veteran of seven consecutive FIFA World Cups, and the last three Olympics. He is currently the play-by-play announcer for the North American Soccer League’s New York Cosmos and Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union.
This one-of-a-kind event is an opportunity to meet and hear from soccer leaders about the rich history and future growth of the North American Soccer League and the iconic Rowdies, leading into the Rowdies historic game on August 10 against the New York Cosmos.
Starting in 1975, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the New York Cosmos transformed the soccer landscape in the US, with world-class talent, sell out crowds, iconic celebrities and a cultural impact that resonated across the world. Never before, andnever since, has soccer so captured the hearts and minds that the reverberations have lasted 25 years after theteams stopped competing. On August 10 at Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Pete, these two icons will take the field against each other for the first time since 1984.
Rowdies CEO & General Manager Andrew Nestor will address the 2013 Soccer Summit crowd followed by a panel discussion featuring Nestor, Wynalda, Rowdies Technical Director Perry Van Der Beck, and Rowdies Head Coach Ricky Hill. They will discuss the NASL Spring Season and the outlook for the Fall Season.
NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson will also attend and address questions from fans and local constituents regarding the growth of NASL and its significance to St. Pete and in the global soccer landscape.
The Rowdies Soccer Summit will be highlighted by an interactive Q&A discussion with NASL legends. The panel will consist of former Rowdies and Cosmos head coach Eddie Firmani, as well as legendary Rowdies defender Mike Connell, who will be honored by having his #6 jersey retired on August 10th against the New York Cosmos. The panel will also include Van Der Beck and current Rowdies star midfielder Luke Mulholland.
Pre-submitted questions will be allowed for the first panel (Nestor, Hill, Van Der Beck and Wynalda), as well as Commissioner Peterson’s discussion on the NASL. Fans must submit their questions for the first panel by Friday, July 26, while questions related to Commissioner Peterson’s discussion will be accepted until Wednesday, July 31. Please submit your questions to media@rowdiessoccer.com. The final panel including former and current NASL personalities will feature a live town hall meeting style to conclude the event.
After the program, guests can enjoy meeting all special guests in the Grand Ballroom, while enjoying the beautiful St. Pete views from the new downtown gem, The Birchwood Inn.
This exclusive event will be open to 2013 Rowdies Season Ticket Holders who express interest in attending. With the expected popularity of this exciting event, those who look to attend must RSVP (Max. 2 tickets per account) before August 1 by clicking here. After the deadline, a lottery will determine those Season Ticket Holders who were awarded tickets to the Rowdies Soccer Summit. In the days leading up to the event, the Rowdies Front Office will reach out to those accounts to confirm their attendance.
If you’re not a Rowdies Season Ticket Holder, you can still be eligible to attend this event by purchasing a Fall Season Ticket Package. Fall Season Tickets start at $98.
The historic rivalry between the Rowdies and the Cosmos will reemerge just two days after the Soccer Summit on Saturday, August 10, with Tampa Bay hosting New York at Al Lang Stadium. For more information on Fall Season Tickets or to secure your seats for the home opener, call (813) 287-1539 or click here.