1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season
| 1975 indoor season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner |
 George W. Strawbridge, Jr.
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| General Manager |
Beau Rodgers |
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| Manager |
 Eddie Firmani
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| Stadium | Bayfront Center | ||
| North American Soccer League |
Regional: Champion League: Runners-up |
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| Top goalscorer |
Doug Wark (10 goals) |
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| Highest home attendance | 4,437 (Feb. 14 vs. Diplomats) |
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| Lowest home attendance | 4,032 (Feb. 16 vs. Comets) |
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| Average home league attendance | 4,235 | ||
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The 1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the first indoor season of the club's existence. It also marked the first time the expansion Rowdies participated in any North American Soccer League sanctioned competition.
The Rowdies' jersey used during the 1975 indoor season was different than later indoor and outdoor years in that the neckline was merely a cuff rather than the full collar style that became so familiar in all of Tampa Bay's later NASL campaigns. Photographic evidence also indicates that the cuff-style jersey saw limited use during the 1975 outdoor season, but by season's end it disappeared altogether.
*amateur player
In part because of the success of the Spring 1974 indoor tour by the Red Army team the NASL decided to hold an indoor tournament of its own. Of the 20 franchises in the league, 16 participated. Teams were separated into four regional groups of four. The Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida was chosen as one of the Regional venues, with the Rowdies as hosts for Region 3. The San Jose Earthquakes were given the honor of hosting the championship semifinals and finals at the Cow Palace.
The winner of the Region 3 would gain an automatic place in the Championship tournament four weeks later in California. In their first tournament game the Rowdies had no trouble with the Washington Diplomats, winning by a score of 7–2. Two nights later Tampa Bay had a tougher task in coming from behind to defeat the Baltimore Comets, 8–6. Those two victories left the Rowdies tied with the Miami Toros in the standings, however the tie-breaker was goal differential. Tampa Bay’s plus 7 goal margin narrowly edged out the Toros’ plus-6, and the Rowdies advanced. Ringo Cantillo was named MVP of the Region, edging out Miami’s Nico Bodonczy by one vote.
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