TAMPA, Fla. – Leadership from the Tampa Bay Rowdies, including owner Bill Edwards, praised the USL’s organization and business model during a presentation at the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Business of Sports event last week at One Buc Place, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“I felt we belonged somewhere that was organized and together, because we’re an organized team and we do things that a lot of people don’t do,” said Edwards. “I needed to surround myself with people I could count on at the league level. USL is like night and day between the two of them. … It cost money to do that, but it was the best money we spent at that particular moment because we’re very happy with where we’ve landed.”

The Rowdies and Ottawa Fury FC elected to join the USL this offseason and are now moving full steam ahead toward their first seasons in the league. For Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Lee Cohen, the move was a necessary step to pushing the Rowdies and soccer forward in the Tampa Bay market.

“We felt like from a business model, and a business decision, this was the path we needed to go down,” said Cohen. “I won’t say it didn’t hurt that the league office is right here in our back yard, so we see them once a week. They’re constantly bringing over prospective franchise owners and current franchises to say, ‘look, this is a flagship team.’

“The top of our stadium says ‘We Stand For Soccer,’ and that doesn’t mean just for this area. It means whatever we can do to help the game, and it’s nice to be in the back yard of the USL office and constantly be helping them develop the game.”

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The Rowdies kick off their first USL regular season on March 25 when they host Orlando City B at Al Lang Stadium. Prior to that, the side will host the second edition of the Suncoast Invitational, which includes five Major League Soccer clubs visiting the region to conclude their preparations for the new season. Tampa Bay will meet the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night as part of a doubleheader at Al Lang Stadium, and then the Montreal Impact as part of a tripleheader on February 25.

Cohen said getting the chance to host MLS squads on an annual basis has helped raise the Rowdies’ reputation as an organization in North American soccer circles.

“The feedback we’ve received from every single team, it’s not just about the market, but it’s about the professionalism that our organization has portrayed to each one of their teams,” said Cohen. “We treat them with the same respect that they’re treating us, and the entire area just really everybody loves. Their owners are the decision-makers, but it’s always helpful when they come into town and have a great experience. Bill really takes care of them when they’re in market. It’s just a good word-of-mouth feeling.

While Tampa Bay has applied to join MLS in its next round of expansion, Edwards said the club is keen to make its presence felt on the field in the USL this season.

“The bottom line to it is we’re focused on today, and today we’re preparing for our season in the USL,” Edwards said. “We’ve got a great team this year, we plan on winning everything we can, and we’re focused on soccer.”