To read Part 1 of the interview, click here.
John Frusciante (JF): Where do you see the league in 5 years?
Jason Bruzzichesi (JB): It’s amazing what a difference five years can make. If you look at the product that the league put on the field when it broke away from USL, and the one that you see now, it’s like night and day. While it lacks a lot of the bluster and flash of the MLS’s brilliant marketing, you don’t walk in to an NASL match feeling like you’re going to be deprived of an incredibly entertaining evening. There are several teams in our league, that can stand toe to toe with most of MLS, and walk away victorious. That may sound a little improbable, but I think that every year the NASL has grown leaps and bounds over its previous season, and it’s only getting better.
Minnesota, a team that was on life support just three years ago, has now become a powerhouse. The Cosmos are a contender every year. San Antonio just won a Championship, playing lights out in the final. While individual teams have struggled at times, you never get the impression that anyone is satisfied with being called 2nd Tier of the soccer pyramid in the US. Winning isn’t even enough anymore. The NASL is demanding to be respected, and I think in 5 years, no one will consider this league as a lower division. I’m hoping that in that time period, the people at the USSF will have to take a good long look at the way we structure divisions of soccer in this country, and reassess it.
If the NASL continues growing and playing at a higher level, there’s no reason to think that we won’t be talking national broadcast deals, or major marketing campaigns. I personally want to see a resurgence of the NASL that rivals what my father’s generation once experienced.
JF: What does the Mob have in store for the 2015 season?
JB: The Mob has grown and changed significantly this year. We’ve gone from the fantastic foundation that previous leadership created – fun, outgoing, rambunctious and entertaining fan experiences in the stand, and we’re going to build on it both inside and outside the stadium. We already hope that we’re the section that everyone wants to come hang out with, but we’re going to add more to it by both expanding our presence with merchandise and creativity, but through community involvement as well. We’ve recently incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit, and are reaching out to different members of the Tampa Bay community to help foster not just the growth of the Rowdies, but soccer as a whole. You’ll see us as different entities throughout, either at Tampa Bay Marauders games, Women’s Premier Soccer League games, and even youth and amateur games. Our presence has grown to the point were we’re crossing over in to other sports, like the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL), where you’ll hear a lot of our chants and enthusiasm up in section 307 with the Sticks of Fire supporters group (who we share several members with). We love our teams, but we also love our region and our cities too.
Channeling that sense of community is exactly what we’re all about. So if you’re not a soccer fan, or even an opposing team’s supporter, you’ll know that if you’re going to a Rowdies game, and you’re hanging out with Ralph’s Mob, you’re going to have a great time.
JF: How many members does Ralph’s Mob have?
JB: The Mob had a little over 230 paid members last year, and a reach of over 700 people over the course of the last few years. We’ve gone from tracking everyone on a notepad, to spreadsheets, to now using a pretty sophisticated CRM solution in order to stay in touch and grow our fan base. There were times last year where we were unable to get people t-shirts, or flags, or scarves that they wanted to purchase and show support, but we’ve overcome that now, and changed things up so that we’re much streamlined and organized than before. We’re still growing, but I think we’ve built the infrastructure so that as the Rowdies grow, we can grow with them, and not go through the difficulties of being popular but disorganized. My goal is double if not triple our membership base from last year, which I admit is pretty ambitious, but I believe, completely within our reach. We have a great group of volunteers who have really gone above and beyond to make this not just a bunch of enthusiastic supporters in the stands, but really build this into something amazing.
JF: What team are you excited to welcome to Al Lang?
JB: I know this seems like a cop out on your question, but the truth is, there is really only one team I’m incredibly excited about seeing this year – and it’s ours. We carried over maybe 8 players from the previous season, and with a whole new coaching staff, a whole new roster, and really, a completely refurbished stadium, this has been the most arduous offseason I can remember. We are just itching to walk through those gates, feel the electricity of the game again, and absolutely lose our minds the first goal we score. Every single chant, or song will carry with it a sense of coming home, of belonging, and knowing that you’re surrounded by good friends, and a great time, win or lose. I’ve been to professional sporting events at the highest levels, NHL, NBA, MLB, and NFL, and as fantastic as those leagues may be, there is nothing like walking into your home stadium, and singing your heart out for the team you love. There’s a reason why we call this a beautiful game.
JF: Last season the club didn’t have a great year. What are your predictions for this year?
JB: I predict nothing short of domination. I know, it’s funny. Everyone says that. What about the Cosmos, or Minnesota, or San Antonio, or even Carolina? What if Indy turns it around? Don’t count out the Canadians, or even Atlanta. They’re all fine teams. Good players. Great supporters groups, great fan bases. But when you watch your team suffer loss after loss, or settle for a tie, game after game after game, it makes you yearn for those fleeting moments of excellence. Those perfect combination passes or eye popping shots on goal that just kiss the inside corner of the upper ninety and send you into a euphoric frenzy in the stands. Those are the moments you live for, so if you’re not predicting that they are common place, or if you don’t have aspirations that your team won’t be the one standing there as Bill Peterson hands over the Championship Cup, well you’re following the wrong sport. Everyone starts with the same record, and from there it can only get better. Maybe it’s not even adding another star that matters at this point, it’s the roller coaster ride of emotions that I’m predicting, and looking forward to. I don’t think we’ll win every game. We may not even win the Championship. But man, if we do, there’ll be nothing like it in the world – and I could not have picked a better group of people to share the ride with.
JF: The Rowdies are building a practice facility not too far away from the stadium. What do you think this means for the club, and what are your thoughts on it?
JB: I’ve been by the practice field, and watched it rapidly progress from a nice place where you could kick a ball around and maybe play a pickup game, to a beautiful pitch of Bermuda grass that belies a professional sports team. It’s literally across the street from the University of South Florida’s St. Pete campus, compared to the older Walter Fuller Complex, which is about a 20 minute drive away. What this means to me is that the team has committed to being a part of the fabric of the downtown area of St. Pete, not just a weekend visitor. It also means that the students who would normally have to drive all the way into Tampa to watch their team play at Corbett field (which happens to house the 1975 Rowdies Championship Cup), can now literally walk across campus and not only seem a professional team practice, but play on the weekends. As the campus grows, and as our downtown area continues to boom, it will mean more and more younger fans will be exposed to that unique soccer environment. Hopefully, we can see that same patch of land grow from just a field to housing some stands, maybe play host to a developmental squad, or even high school and college level events. With the team renovating Al Lang and upgrading the locker rooms, facilities, gym and internal infrastructure, a player could literally walk from the practice field to the stadium, which means less travel time, less hassle getting around, and more focus on the training. I can imagine that as a coach, having the little things take care of themselves like that, means less distracted players, and an overall happier team that performs well.
JF: There were some meetings about the future of Al Lang and that area. What has happened so far? Are there anymore meetings planned? What is the future of Al Lang and one day would it be a soccer specific stadium?
JB: Ralph’s Mob has been at every single Downtown Waterfront Planning Meetings since it’s inception. It was decided by our board that we have to consistently remind people in the neighborhoods that the Rowdies aren’t some plaything of a wealthy business owner who lives outside the state like some other sports teams, but rather an integral part of our community, and our history. We’re also not a bunch of drunken hooligans who start fights and make a nuisance of ourselves, but are peoples friends, neighbors, coworkers and we’re invested both financially and emotionally in what happens in our downtown area. The goal has never been to force the narrative into a place where people are faced with a referendum on spending, but more of a diplomatic approach, encouraging those who have never been to a game, to come spend a Saturday night watching an exciting match with us. We listen to a lot of the questions, the fears, the concerns, the assumptions, and we do our part by staying both informed and positive about what having a professional soccer team can mean for our city. We’re actively engaging people and offering to share the game day experience, not demanding that they hand over their tax money. We want them to invest with us, to look at the team as a success story for all of us, and something we can all be proud of. I’d like to think we’ve turned a lot of heads by being involved in the process, so now people will see the Rowdies and Ralphs Mob not as outsiders, but as concerned citizens who only want what is best for the city, not just our pet project. I know we’ve learned a lot from the meetings. The process is ongoing, and there will be more input sessions, including sketches, rough drafts, and recommendations from the committee. I think when the final report is given later this year, you’ll see a lot of our influence in those findings, and I know we’re proud to have been part of the process.
Now, as for what the stadium would look like, I have a preference, and I’m sure Mr. Edwards has a plan on what he wants as well, but the future of Al Lang is definitely going to be soccer in one form or another. Whether they choose to renovate the 40 year old concrete structure, or maybe invest the money into a phenomenal soccer specific stadium, is unfortunately not up to us – but I’ll be damned if we’re not going to make sure our voices are heard when the matter comes up.
The only thing I would want to add is that we as a supporters group, are serious about embracing our past, and we’re going to be focusing on honoring all of our legacy players that still live in the area. We are fortunate enough to still have living legends like Rodney Marsh here, and more than willing to talk to the younger fans of what it was like to play in front of 40 or 50,000 people at once. The Rowdies have been one of those teams that actively embraces their legacy, and even incorporate it into their day to day operations (Perry Van Der Beck, for example). My goal is to one day soon, be able to incorporate a museum of the history of soccer in the Tampa Bay region as part of our new stadium push, as we’re coming up on 40 years of professional soccer this season. Once people realize just how important the sport has been here, I think it makes it an easier transition into making it part of our culture in the region for younger generations today.
Follow us on Twitter @TOTALNASL. We are going to talk to another supporter group next week so be on the look out for that.
Follow me on twitter @1team_John
(image courtesy of ralphsmob.com)
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