ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (March 21, 2017) – After months of preparation and planning, the Tampa Bay Rowdies will finally make their United Soccer League debut Saturday night in the 2017 season opener against Orlando City B at Al Lang Stadium.
This match marks the first of a three-game homestand to open the year, offering a good chance for the Rowdies to stake a claim at the top of the Eastern Conference Standings. Tonight’s match won’t look too different than matches in the past, with two halves of 45 minutes each plus stoppage time as determined by the referee. Each team is allowed up to three substitutions in the USL, down from five substitutions in years past.
The USL features 30 teams this season, split evenly into the Eastern and Western Conferences. The Rowdies will play 32 matches in the regular season, once at home and once away against each Eastern Conference foe. The remaining four matches will be extra matches against the Charleston Battery and Ottawa Fury FC at home, plus an extra visit to Orlando City B and one trip to the Western Conference’s San Antonio FC.
The top eight teams in each conference will qualify for the playoffs, a simple one-legged knockout tournament that begins the weekend of October 20-22. The Eastern and Western Conference Champions will meet in the USL Cup the weekend of November 10-12.
Western Conference
Colorado Springs Switchbacks
LA Galaxy II
OKC Energy
Orange County FC
Phoenix Rising
Portland Timbers 2
Real Monarchs
Reno 1868
Rio Grande Valley FC
Sacramento Republic
San Antonio FC
Seattle Sounders 2
Swope Park Rangers
Tulsa Roughnecks
Vancouver Whitecaps 2
Eastern Conference
Bethlehem Steel
Charleston Battery
Charlotte Independence
FC Cincinnati
Harrisburg City Islanders
Louisville City
New York Red Bulls II
Orlando City B
Ottawa Fury FC
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Richmond Kickers
Rochester Rhinos
Saint Louis FC
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Toronto FC II
The Rowdies’ match against Orlando City B kicks off Saturday night, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. at Al Lang Stadium. For tickets, call (727) 222-2000 or click here. Join us Thursday night at the Mahaffey Theater for our free season kickoff party. The event will include complimentary beer and hors d’oeuvre, so be sure to RSVP with your number of guests by emailing RSVP@https://www.rowdiessoccer.com!
