TAMPA, Fla. — Nearly 14 years ago to the day, Jeff Attinella was on set inside the WFTS studio promoting the upcoming season for the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
“The Rowdies have been around for a long time. Ticket prices are actually $7.50, the price they were for the Rowdies back in the day,” the Tampa Bay goalkeeper told the studio news anchors in April 2012.
The club has been around for more than 50 years.
That 2012 season was a special one for the Rowdies. Attinella, a Tampa Bay native, was in the net for the Rowdies, helping the club win its second title in franchise history.
“The Rowdies were a huge part of my life, helping me have the life and career that I’ve had,” he said.
Attinella has returned to his Rowdies’ roots.
“For me, it’s honestly been blowing me away just how far the club has come,” he said.
His new role is Director of Content Strategy and Development with a goal of helping the hometown professional soccer team reach a wider audience.
“I think there are a lot of people who know the Rowdies, but there are a lot of people who don’t know a lot about the Rowdies,” Attinella said. "We want to be able to give the Rowdies a voice, something more behind-the-scenes, something that allows fans to connect with the players.”
He’s doing that through the Rowdies television broadcast as the color commentator, host of the Rowdies podcast, and on social media.
“If we can give this as a platform that raises those voices, and connects to the community more, there’s going to be more people in the stands and buying into what the Rowdies have going on,” he said.
The Rowdies will host Pittsburgh for their home opener on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. inside Al Lang Stadium.
“As we are moving into this new chapter of Rowdies soccer, there’s new ownership, we have a lot of new players on the team, I feel like it’s the right time for me to give back to the club and try to help move it forward as best as I can,” Attinella added.
Share Your Story with Kyle Burger
For Tampa Bay 28 Sports Anchor Kyle Burger, pride in our local teams goes beyond college and the pros. Sports connect us as communities and families. You can connect with Kyle to share your passion for your local athletes below.
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