Before the largest crowd ever to witness a soccer match at Raymond James Stadium, the Tampa Bay Soccer Hall of Fame on Friday night unveiled its full-scale plans to honor the game’s history and heritage with the Tampa Bay Soccer Hall of Fame Inaugural Dinner.
The TBSHOF established its presence with an announcement on Ray-Jay’s massive video board as Major League Soccer rivals Orlando City SC and Inter Miami CF battled to a 2-2 draw as a wildly enthusiastic crowd of 42,017 looked on and enjoyed a 75-minute performance by the great Lionel Messi.
TBSHOF Board of Directors member Perry Van Der Beck, a Tampa Bay Rowdies legend and former U.S. National Team stalwart, also conducted pregame media interviews on the field to outline the organization’s first-year goals.
Public nominations are being accepted for the Hall of Fame’s first class, which will be formally inducted during an Aug. 14 dinner at Tampa’s Higgins Hall. The event will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Rowdies franchise, which had its initial splash with the 1975 North American Soccer League championship.
Group tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and membership packages are available to all those who are seeking a ground-floor chance to contribute to the game’s local legacy.
To participate or learn more information, log into www.TampaBaySoccerHallOfFame.org.
