ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Despite the Tampa Bay Rays ending their run for the World Series, playoff season isn’t over for Bay area sports fans.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies have clinched a spot in their league’s playoffs for the USL Championship.
- Rowdies currently 4th in USL Eastern Conference
- Fans hope to get second look from Major League Soccer
- More Tampa Bay Rowdies stories
Rowdies head coach Neill Collins says despite a tough field his team's chances are good.
“The league is so tight,” Collins said. “There's nothing between the teams, so it's going to be whoever comes in with the most momentum and who can handle the big occasion.”
Fans at Saturday night’s last home game of the regular season hope the added attention will get Major League Soccer to give the team a second look.
“Well, we've got to get the fans out here,” said Rowdies fan Scott Overstreet. ”That's what the MLS wants to see — some more fans.”
St. Petersburg mayor Rick Kriseman isn’t as optimistic.
“There hasn’t been much talk in a couple years,” Kriseman wrote in a statement to Spectrum Bay News 9, “and there’s no indication of that happening anytime soon.”
Still fans like Aaron Retkes are hoping for great things once the playoffs get underway on Oct. 23.
“We have to play our own game,” Retkes said. “We've got to get excited and we've got to bring the noise here and that's all it takes.”