FIFA World Cup Soccer Game

Bill Clinton is helping bring the World Cup to the United States!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010 by Tampa Bay & Company

Lisa here to share Bill Clinton's spin on why we are a worthy nation, to win the FIFA World Cup Bid.

When Bill Clinton was president in 1994, the World Cup was played on American soil. This is the last time in 16 years the game has been here. Former President Clinton has a few solid reasons now is the time for us.

In the last 16 years the United States has created the MLS professional league, we have expanded our fan base to more than 90 million, and four million youth are registered to play soccer. One other interesting fact: for the 2010 World Cup, the United States was second only to South Africa in tickets purchased for the tournament. If that doesn't show you something, I'm not sure what else would.
Our country is more diverse than ever before. The mix of ethnicity's and cultures within our borders makes us a desirable place to be the FIFA World Cup 2022 Host. Because of our diverse nature, other countries would feel more at home on our ground.
This is also an important moment for the future of soccer. With the FIFA World Cup Soccer Game in the United States, we would be able to help and address the economic, social and environmental challenges facing our world in the 21st century. A portion of every ticket sold at the FIFA World Cup 2022 will go to the World Cup of Life Campaign. This campaign is designed to provide drinking water for millions of people.

Former President Clinton makes quite a few great points. He is Honorary Chairman of the USA Bid Committee, and will be part of the presentation on the 2nd. With his help hopefully we can see the United States as the FIFA World Cup 2022 Host. There is also still time to vote so get out there Tampa and show your support! Text TampaBay to 22442 if you've already voted online!

That's all for now Tampa, but stay tuned for more Tampa Florida News Updates!

The Game is in US, SO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 by Tampa Bay & Company

Ok Tampa Listen up! This is IMPORTANT!

Lisa here, to talk numbers related to the World Cup United States. I did some looking around to see what some of the statistics are from the last World Cup we hosted. I found out some very interesting information.

In 1994 (The last time the World Cup was in the United States), we set the record for the highest attendance. This record still stands today, making that the most successful World Cup. There were an average of 69,000 fans at each game, and about 3.6 million people attended overall.

So currently the United States is working on the 2022 World Cup Bid. At this point we want FIFA to say Congratulations United States, you are hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022. Here's where we need YOUR HELP!

Currently there are 18 different cities in the United States who want to host the World Cup should it come to the US. Within that list of 18, Tampa is currently number 5, which is AWESOME. There's only one problem. Los Angeles is RIGHT BEHIND US! And with only 21 days before decision time, we want to solidify our rightful spot in the top 5.

I am calling everyone to action Tampa so listen up! It is so easy to vote that you can do it in less than 1 minute. You can sign the petition (use every email you have), or you can text until your fingers fall off (I know you are on your phone ALL DAY anyway, so this is great practice (Text 22442 and put Tampa in the body of the message, and send as many as you want). Also once you've done it, pass it along to everyone you know; your entire facebook friend base, your email lists, your grandparents, anyone who has a phone or an email or both!

I think you get the picture (and if you don't, watch our video to see just how awesome it would be), I want to see the number of votes for FIFA World Cup 2022 in Tampa skyrocket.

That's all for now, but rest assured more World Cup Soccer News will be posted soon! And stay tuned for more Tampa Florida News updates.

Start Spreading the News! 30 Day Countdown for FIFA World Cup 2022 Decision...

Tuesday, November 2, 2010 by jeremy fairley

Hello folks! Jerm here with an important announcement about the 2022 World Cup Bid!

My how time flies, as it seems like only yesterday we were posting our first blogs to get the word out about Tampa Bay as a potential host city for games in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Now it's t-minus 30 days until what could be one of the biggest days for soccer in Tampa Bay's history.

Thirty days from today on Thursday, Dec. 2, FIFA, the governing body for World Cup soccer, will announce which countries will host the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup games.

These last 30 days are oh so important for Tampa Bay's bid to host World Cup soccer for the first time ever! So let's pull together for one last push!

We are currently in 5th place with roughly 68,000 votes, and we need your help to make one final push as we try to wrastle 1st Place away from the top cities and get to 100,000 votes before it's over!

Wondering how you can help us do that? Well wonder no more, as here are some things to do:

Text TampaBay to 22442 to cast your vote in support of our bid,
Do this as many times as you'd like...standard data and messaging rates may apply (but go crazy if you have an unlimited text plan), and continue to do this each day.
Go to www.GoUSABid.com/Tampa and sign the on-line petition to support the bid,
Go back and enter your other e-mails.

Lastly and as always, we need your help spreading the news about the petition to friends, family, colleagues, coworkers, employees, soccer fans and anyone who will listen! To keep up with where the count is, feel free to check out www.VisitTampaBay.com to see a countdown counter on the home page!

Let everyone in Tampa Bay, and and other areas of the country, know about the petition and how important it is to our area.

Okay that's all I got for now, but be sure to keep voting, and be sure to tell all of your friends to vote. Stay tuned in for more updates as we will for sure be talking more about this and other Tampa Bay events.

The Game is in Tampa! Check Out This Awesome Video About Our FIFA World Cup Bid...#GoUSABid #Tampa#WorldCup

Monday, August 30, 2010 by jeremy fairley

Hello there everybody! Jerm back here again with a super sized update of epic monumental proportions! Wow, I guess you can tell by my gratuitous use of big words that I am really excited about this post! Well enough of me rambling, lets get to the point.

You may have heard a thing or two about this tiny little event (insert sarcasm here) we are trying to bring to Tampa called the FIFA World Cup! This has been an ongoing effort over the last few months! Its been a long road with plenty of milestones as we await the announcement from FIFA as to the host country on December 2nd.

We have had tons of fun promoting this great event with social media giveaways, text campaigns, websites, and anything else we could think of. This time though we outdid ourselves and put together a great promo video to demonstrate how ready Tampa is to host this great event, and more importantly how much passion there is for soccer in the Tampa Bay area.

Special recognition goes out to Tampa Bay & Company's own Travis Claytor for being the lead on this project, as well as the amazing group of curatives at Tampa Digital Studios!

Take a look at the video below and let us know your thoughts on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or on this blog! In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned in for updates on our FIFA World Cup Bid, and other updates on things to do in Tampa Bay!

Landon Donovan and Bob Bradley at the NYSE and on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart... #GoUSABid #Tampa #WorldCup

Thursday, July 1, 2010 by Bay Bloggers

Hello out there to all my USA Soccer fans! I know its been a while since I last blogged, but I must admit that I was rather heartbroken to see the USA bow out of the FIFA World Cup last weekend vs Ghana.

I have sense recover though and I am extremely proud of the quality of soccer we played and the effort the guys and the coaching staff gave on behalf of their country.

Having said that, its just been amazing to watch the outpouring of support for the game here in the US in recent weeks, and we have seen that at an even higher level in recent days as the team has returned from South Africa.

So much so Landon Donovan and Bob Bradley were given the honor of ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange yesterday, in addition to being guest of Jon Stewart on the Daily Show who is an avid soccer fan and former play at William & Mary. If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to check out the embedded video below...

Once you viewed the video, be sure to log on to www.GoUSABid.com/TampaBay and show your support for our FIFA World Cup Bid to be a host city in the years 2018 or 2022! That's all for now, but enjoy the video and stay tuned in for more updates on things to do in Tampa Bay!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Landon Donovan & Bob Bradley

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

Jerm's Match Report USA vs Slovenia... #WorldCup #Tampa #GoUSABid

Friday, June 18, 2010 by Bay Bloggers

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I am an emotional wreck! What a game that was, and we almost had it if not for a dubious call from the officiating crew. As upset as I am about the call, I want this blog to focus on the great game!

It was definitely not the desired outcome for the USA going into halftime as they walked into the locker room down 2-0 in a first half completely dominated by the Slovenians. First half goals by Zlatan Ljubijankic and Valter Birsa, had USA fans with their heads in hands and thinking it would be a long day.

Bradley Scores the Equalizer. Image Courtesy
of FIFA.com

But I guess Coach Bradley lit a fire under the team at halftime as they came back out firing with Landing Donovan pulling a goal back in around the 49th minute.

We took the initiative in the second half and were able to fight back with an 82nd minute Michale Bradley goal that tied the game up at 2-2, at which point I think I may screamed so loud that the entire office hear me!

I think we all have our own feelings about the disallowed goal at the end, but lets not let that overshadow the great effort and grit it takes to fight back from a 2-0 deficit and almost take the game!

Major pat on the back to Coach Bradley, his staff and the US team for a great fightback. I think we all realized how emotional and great this game is by watching today's match. I actually saw a guy in the stadium with a face full of tears when the US equalized and that about sums up World Cup Soccer!

I can only imagine what it would be like to witness that kind of emotion first hand, and to think there is a chance we here in the USA as well as Tampa could potentially be World Cup 2018 Host, or possibly even host the games in 2022! The only way that is going to happen is if we all go to www.GoUSABid.com/TampaBay and show our support for the USA Bid by signing the on line petition!

Oh well, guys, have a great rest of the day and be sure to check back for more FIFA World Cup soccer news from Jerm and the rest of the Tampa Bay team!

Get Your Go USA Bid Tampa Bay T-Shirt... #GoUSABid #Tampa

Monday, June 14, 2010 by Bay Bloggers

Hey guys, jerm here with a USA related FIFA World Cup Bid update for you on how you can support our efforts even more!

Last week I wrote a post about the USA Bid Committee updating their website and all of the new features. If you missed that post, first off, shame on you, and secondly here is the post so you can get caught up.

Now, in addition to going on line signing the petition, and also sending a text message to show your support, you can now order yourself some Go USA Bid "Swag" gear from the website!

I just ordered mine, so you should follow suit and go to the website and get yours as well!

Show your support for the game in the USA and Tampa Bay. I don't know about you guys, but I'd like to see the world's ultimate soccer tournament to come to Tampa in 2018/2022.

That's all for now folks, but stay tuned in for 2018 FIFA World Cup Bid updates from us as well as updates with the 2022 World Cup Bid!

Opening Weekend of the 2010 FIFA World Cup for the #USMNT... #GoUSABid #Tampa #WorldCup

Monday, June 14, 2010 by jeremy fairley

Hello there all of my soccer fanatic friends! Boy what a weekend it was for the world as after it seems like FOREVER, the 2010 FIFA World Cup kicked off in South Africa!

Now you guys know that Jerm is a huge soccer fan, having played the game since I was 9 years old, so I have been waiting for this for a very long time. Not just for sporting reasons either, as you could imagine, but also for the significance of the game being held on the African continent for the first time in the tournaments history!

For many people in the USA, the game that we were all anticipating the most was the USA vs England Group C match to be held at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenberg S. Africa. Plenty of reasons for fans to be pumped about this match, with the most notable having been that the last time we played England in the World Cup was back in 1950 when a squad of American amateurs walked away with a 1-0 victory over one of the world's then super power of soccer!

Image
courtesy of © Joe Toth/isiphotos.com

In front of a crowd of just over 38,000 fans, the majority of which seem to be pulling the the Three Lions, the American team earned a hard fought draw over one of the teams many have picked to win the tournament!

Of the many talking points you will hear about this game, the one that won't be going away anytime soon will be the once in a lifetime error by England net-minder Robert Green. Green fumbled what was thought to be a routine save on a Clint Dempsey shot from just outside the box. This leveled the score at 1-1 canceling out a Steven Gerrard goal four minutes into the game.

From my view, it was a hard fought game with chances created by both sides, but in the end the play of the goalkeepers played a significant role in the outcome, with USA goalkeeper Tim Howard making a number of key saves, while his counterpart in the English net didn't have as good a performance.

Goalkeeping errors seemed to be a theme in this group however as Algeria goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi had his own issues in coming up with a tame effort from Slovenian Robert Koren from just outside the box. The results from this weekend leave the Slovenian team in pole position in group see with the full three points, followed by England and USA locked up at second place with Algeria at the bottom of the group.

The USA's World Cup will continue play on Friday (June 18) vs Slovenia at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, and then on June 23 against Algeria in Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria. England will play Algeria this Friday as well.

It doesn't get much more exciting than this folks! Or can it? Imagine what it would be like for the Tampa Bay area to host a FIFA World Cup game, or possibly even 3-5 of those games. Well that is a real possibly as the USA is one of a host of countries vying to be the FIFA World Cup 2018 host countries or possibly the 2022 games!

We will find out this December 2 if that is the case, but in the mean time, we need everyone to show their support for our bid and go to www.GoUSABid.com/Tampa!

That's all I got for now, but be sure to check back early and often for more updates and FIFA World Cup soccer news from jerm and the Tampa Bay team of bloggers!

New Website Launch for USA FIFA World Cup Bid... #GoUSABid #Tampa #WorldCup

Friday, June 11, 2010 by jeremy fairley

Hello soccer fans! Fresh off of watching the opening game for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Jerm is here with an update for ya!

The USA Bid Committee just recently re-launched their website! Its got a ton more features now, allot of which have to do with the games going on in South Africa right now! Here are just a few of the new features that I noticed:

Upcoming game schedule for all matches
Team pages
latest news and photos about the S. Africa games
Twitter feeds and updates
Photo sharing uploads from watch parties

I am sure there are plenty of other features on the new site you can take advantage, so be sure to go and check it out for yourself at www.GoUSABid.com! While your there, please do not forget to show your support for Tampa Bay's FIFA World Cup Bid!

Also, to vote for Tampa Bay to host the World Cup, text TAMPABAY to 22442 (message and data rates apply). Then, spread the word to friends, family, colleagues, coworkers and others to let them know how important this is to our destination!

That's it for now folks, so stay tuned in for more USA World Cup Bid updates from Jerm and the rest of the crew!

MOSI OFFERING FREE ADMISSION TO DADS ON FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND

Thursday, June 10, 2010 by Tampa Bay & Company

Hey there! Julian here with another exciting thing to do on Father's Day weekend!

This Father’s Day, don’t spend money on another necktie or bottle of cologne. Instead, bring dad to MOSI and make it a Father’s Day to remember! From June 19-20, dads get in FREE at MOSI with the purchase of a full-priced general admission (includes admission to MOSI permanent exhibition galleries and one standard IMAX® Dome Theatre film) ticket in celebration of Father’s Day. Guests can add on admission to CSI: The Experience for only $5.

So head out with the family to our friends at MOSI on Father's day weekend and enjoy - they've got fun down to a science! For more info check out www.mosi.org. And come back soon for more updates on events in Tampa Bay or FIFA World Cup Soccer Game news!

Limited Edition Tampa Bay Rowdies Jerseys Go On Sale Today!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 by jeremy fairley

Hey guys Jerm here with another FC Tampa Bay Rowdies update for ya! First off I'd like to say congrats once again to our local TampaBay Rowdies who just seem to keep kicking butt and taking names here lately!

The FC Tampa Bay Rowdies extended their unbeaten streak to 7 games this past Saturday when they upended the Puerto Rico Islanders in front of a crowd of 5,000+ by a scoreline of 2-1 at George M. Steinbrenner Field!

In honor of the Memorial Day holiday the Rowdies sported a special edition jersey as part of the teams "Tickets for the Troops" program. The limited edition jerseys that the players each wore on Saturday night against the Puerto Rico Islanders that were auctioned off on Ebay.com yesterday.

Our friends at Lotto generously donated another other thirty limited edition jerseys are now on sale for $75 through www.fctampabay.newclients.com at first come, first served.

Proceeds from all of the 50 jerseys will benefit the “Tickets for Troops” program, which offers MacDill AFB military personnel complimentary tickets for FC Tampa Bay home games paid for by contributions from individuals and companies to the program.

Be sure to checkout the website and make sure you support a great cause and purchase one of these limited edition jerseys, as once they are gone, they are gone for good!

Speaking of soccer in Tampa Bay, please be sure to show your support to bring Have the FIFA World Cup in USA for the years 2018/2022 by signing the petition at www.GoUSABid.com/TampaBay.

That's all for now folks, but be sure to check back soon and often for more winning FC Tampa Bay Rowdies updates and things to do in Tampa Bay!

Show Your Support for World Cup Soccer and Enter to Win Big Prizes... #GoUSABid

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 by Bay Bloggers

Hello there soccer fans! It's getting closer to our big event this Friday, where in support of the USA Bid Committee handing over the official USA World Cup 2018/2022 Bid, we'll be doing giveaways every hour starting at 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. For more details on that, check out my previous post from yesterday. Just to be safe though, tomorrow I'll give you a re-cap of everything that is goin down!

As promised, for those of you that have been patiently awaiting to hear what prizes will be up for grabs, wait no more because here they are along with the breakdown of when we'll be doing each prize:

(10-11 a.m.) Sheraton Suites Tampa Airport - This lucky winner will receive complimentary accommodations for a (2) night weekend stay for (2) guests including breakfast. The newly renovated Sheraton Suites Tampa Airport boasts two-room suites with separate living room and bedroom complete with Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Beds, refrigerator and microwave. All surrounding a beautiful eight-story garden atrium with tropical trees and plants. This certificate is valid until 05/2011.

(11 a.m.-12 p.m.) Florida Aquarium Presents SudsFest 2010 - Once again its time to drink like a fish at the Annual Sudsfest Beer Festival presented by the Florida Aquarium! This event will feature hand crafted beers from Pepin Distributing and fine Anheuser-Busch Products. Over 35 craft beers, live music & entertainment and endless food await the lucky winner and 1 guest of this giveaway.

(12-1 p.m.) Splitsville Luxury Lanes & Dinner Lounge - Bowling, billiards and dinner lounge featuring gourmet appetizers, sushi, and classic retro entrees are what awaits the winner of our noon slot. Enjoy a $50 Gift Certificate and six free games of bowling!

(1-2 p.m.) IPod Nano Giveaway - This giveaway will come with special instructions and a very specific Tweet in order to be entered to win. In order to make yourself eligible for this giveaway, all you have to do is Tweet the following... ".@goUSAbid gives FIFA their bid to host World Cup. Sign petition to support the USA! http://www.gousabid.com #goUSAbid PLS RT"

(2-3 p.m.) Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) Genius Ticket (2) - Tickets includes: Da Vinci - The Genius Exhibition, MOSI exhibit Galleries and one Standard IMAX Dome Film. The DaVinci event will run until May 31, 2010, so this prize package must be redeemed by that date. DaVinci - The Genius takes visitors on a journey through DaVinci's thoughts, with reproductions of his most famous renaissance art in actual size, a series of anatomical sketches, and entertaining and educational presentations in 3D of the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, the Vitruvian Man and the Sforza Horse.

(3-4 p.m.) Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (4) Pack Giveaway - Busch Gardens Tampa Bay combines world-class thrill rides, live entertainment and one of North America's largest zoos in an unforgettable adventure for the whole family. If your the lucky winner of this giveaway, you and your family and/or friends will receive a 4 pack ticket giveaway for entry into the park!

Well, as I was telling you earlier in the week folks, its a pretty stacked array of prizes that you could be on the receiving end of, so lets make sure that come Friday you are Tweeting us into a trending topic so that we can show the world that Tampa and the USA are ready to host this amazing event!

Be sure to go to www.VisitTampaBay.com/WorldCup, or www.GoUSABid.com/TampaBay, and sign the petition to show your support for Tampa Bay and the USA for 2018 or 2022! That's all I got for now, but I'll have more updates tomorrow and on Friday before the giveaways kick-off!

Stay tuned in for more on things to do in Tampa Bay and World Cup related Tampa Bay area events information!

Coach Bradley Announces Preliminary 30 Man Roster for USA World Cup Squad #GoUSABid

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 by Bay Bloggers

More updates on the United States Men's National Team picture as coach Bob Bradley named his preliminary 30-man roster for the World Cup, which is one month away! Not many surprises on this roster, and its is a very strong group that should be formidable in South Africa.

The team is highlighted by experienced veterans Landon Donovan, Tim Howard, and Captain Carlos Bocanegra.

From this list of 30, 23 of those will be chosen for the final roster that will travel to South Africa to compete against the likes of England, Algeria, and Slovenia in Group C. The 30 players will arrive in Princeton, N.J., on May 15 for the start of training camp. Here is the full roster below.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton)

DEFENDERS (9): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)

MIDFIELDERS (12): DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), José Torres (Pachuca)

FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla), Eddie Johnson (Aris Thessaloniki)

As you can see its been a big week for soccer in the US, as with the announcement of the World Cup lineup and the USA Bid Committee handing over the officially Bid to FIFA later on this week! As we approach the World Cup, its only gonna get better, so stay tuned for any and on updates we'll have for you on Tampa Bay area events related to the games!

Also be sure to head over to www.VisitTampaBay.com/WorldCup, or www.GoUSABid.com/TampaBay, and sign the petition to show your support for Tampa Bay and the USA for the year 2018 or 2022! Stay tuned in for more World Cup related things to do in Tampa Bay, and be sure to watch out for our blog tomorrow as we announce the prizes for Friday's Virtual Tweetup giveaways!!!

US Men's National Soccer Team Gets a New Uniform! #GoUSABid

Thursday, May 6, 2010 by Bay Bloggers

Hello gang! Jerm here with another US Soccer and World Cup update for ya! The U.S. Men's National Team recently unveiled its the new Nike home uniform, which they will be sporting during the upcoming Send-Off Series in May and at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

The team will debut the new digs when they take on the Czech Republic on May 25 in East Hartford, Conn! The new uniforms are white with cheeky grey sash across the front right shoulder to the left side, as well as having an obsidian blue round-neck collar.

The uniform design is a bit of a play off of the same uniforms the Men's National team wore back at the 1950 World Cup when the Americans upset England, which to date is still one of the biggest upsets in the history of the game!

Let's hope the guys can get off to a similar start in this years tournament and make some more history this go round. I suggest every one go and purchase one of these bad boys online and ship it in time for the tournament so you can sport it at your local watch parties.

I don't know about you guys, but I am getting more and more excited about this summer as each day passes! The only thing that can be better than watching World Cup soccer on TV, is dreaming about the prospect of actually watching it in person!

Nice segue huh? Speaking World Cup Games in Tampa Bay, be sure to go to www.VisitTampaBay.com/WorldCup, or www.GoUSABid.com/TampaBay, and sign the petition to show your support for Tampa Bay and the USA as we try and bring this amazing event here to Tampa Bay in the year 2018 or 2022!

Well that's it for now folks, but stay tuned in for more news on World Cup related Tampa Bay area events and things to do in Tampa Bay!

USA FIFA World Cup Send-Off Series Games... #GoUSABid

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 by Bay Bloggers

Hey guys, Jerm back here with another World Cup update, except this time I am talking about preparations the USA Men's National team is making for their trip to South Africa this June where they will face England, Slovenia, and Algeria in the first round of the tournament.

If you know anything about soccer, you know that this will not be an easy group to emerge from, so to get a leg up, Coach Bradley and the USA squad will face two top tier teams from Europe before they hop on the plane to South Africa!

The first match will put the US against a very tough Czech Republic squad. If you remember back in 2006 the Czechs were in the same group as the US, and gave us a very lopsided loss in the first group game by the score of 3-0. This should be a good tune-up for the guys and I will most definitely be looking to be at my local Official US Soccer Bar for this game!

The next game four days later will be against a very strong team as well from Turkey. Turkey made it to the 2008 European Championships semi-finals, before losing out to the German national team, so they as well should provide a good test for our guys heading into the opening rounds of the World Cup! I'll be at my Tampa bars for that game as well so I hope you will join me and have a beer (or six)!

Here are the details for both games, in case you wanted to catch them on tv at home, watch at a bar, or buy tickets and fly up yourselves! That's all for now folks, but stay tuned in for more watch party related Tampa Bay area events from us!

USA vs Czech Republic - May 25 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn.

USA vs Turkey - May 29 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.

Tampa Bay is Movin on Up in the Leaderboard Rankings! #GoUSABid

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 by jeremy fairley

Hey guys, just wanted to drop another World Cup 2018/2022 Bid update on you! As you have probably beard from us in previous blogs and other news releases, Tampa Bay is one of 18 potential host cities in line to host games for the 2018/2022 World Cup should the US be selected as the host country!

Now one of many criteria that will determine which cities are picked (assuming we are the host country), are the number of petition sign ups each city has. By petition sign ups I mean the number of people in each city who go to www.GoUSABid.com/TampaBay or www.VisitTampaBay.com/WorldCup and show their support by submitting their email address and zip code. The goal is for each city to get to 50,000 signatures to show FIFA (Soccer's World Governing Body) the high level of grassroots support our great nation has!

The Bid Committee website recently started a blog with a leader-board that tells each city where they lie amongst the 18 as far as who is in the lead! I am happy to announce that Tampa moved up one spot ahead of Washington DC this week to number 7 out of 18!

We are well on our way to getting to the top of that list folks, so lets make sure we are telling our friends, family, and anyone else who will listen to go to the Bid website and show their support by signing the petition! We'll be updating you as the weeks go by, so be sure to check in often to see where we are!

That's it for now, but stay tuned in for more World Cup related things to do in Tampa Bay updates from your Tampa Bay team of blog enthusiasts!

It's a World Cup City Wide Tweet-Up... #GoUSABid

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 by Bay Bloggers

Hello everyone! Jerm here with a very exciting update for you guys about an upcoming event I know you will be looking forward to! If you are a Twitter using soccer fan, then you will extra excited, much like I am as I type this!

In case you did or did not know, Tampa Bay is one of 18 cities competing for the chance to host matches for either the FIFA World Cup in the year 2018 or 2022! Long story short, it has been indicated by the USA Bid Committee that an FIFA World CupTM in the United States in 2018 or 2022 would expect to realize an economic impact of $100 million per game! Now that is a ton of coins folks, so you can see how big this could be for our community.

The overall impact of $6.4 billion for the FIFA World CupTM would be the most ever realized for a sporting event anywhere in the world. In the coming months we will be updating you on the progression of our bid and the overall process as we hope to know first whether or not the USA was chosen as the host country.

Next week, the USA Bid Committee will be officially presenting our bid to FIFA (Soccer's Governing Body), at a ceremony next Friday May 14, 2010 in Zurich Switzerland, and to show our support, Tampa Bay will be one of 18 other potential host cities putting on a TWEETUP! The goal is to show FIFA and the Bid Committee how Tampa Bay does it and getting the entire community involved. The goal of the Tweet-Up is with the help of all of the other host cities, to get #GoUSABid as a trending topic.

This event will take place next Friday at 4pm at the following locations:

Jackson's Bistro
Splitesville
MOSI
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Now each of these locations will have special giveaways in the form of drink specials and even free admission into the venue, for those participating in the Tweet-Up! We'll be updating you more on that one each day, so be sure to stay tuned in! We may be even be doing giveaways for some very cool items!

That's it for now, but stay tuned in for more updates on Tweet-Up related Tampa Bay area events and things to do in Tampa Bay!

The US Continues Push for World Cup Soccer!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 by Tampa Bay & Company

Hey gang! Travis back with some information you may have heard, but then again, some of you may not, so I'm sharing anyways! I'll just share it as I got it -

The United States will face El Salvador on Feb. 24 in Tampa, Fla., in their second-to-last match before naming the roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Kickoff at Raymond James Stadium is set for 7pm, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN Classic and TeleFutura. Fans can also follow the match live online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker or twitter.com/ussoccer.

Tickets ranging in price levels from $18 to $68, plus special VIP On-Field Seats for $150, go on sale to the public Thursday, Jan. 21, at 10 a.m. ET through ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout the Tampa Bay area (including many FYE stores).

Groups of 20 or more can obtain an order form at ussoccer.com or call 312-528-1290. Ultimate Fan Tickets (special VIP packages which include a premium ticket, a custom made official U.S. national team jersey with name and number, VIP access to the field before and after the game, and other unique benefits) are also available exclusively through ussoccer.com.

As a sponsor of U.S. Soccer, Visa® is pleased to offer all Visa cardholders access to an advance ticket sale for this match before the sale to the general public. This advance sale starts tomorrow, Jan. 20, at 8am and runs until Thursday, Jan. 21, at 8 a.m. at ussoccer.com. Visa will be the only payment method accepted through the Visa presale and is the preferred card of U.S. Soccer. Terms and conditions apply.

“El Salvador proved to be a strong team in the final round of qualifying, and will pose a good test for this group,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “This game will be an important part of our preparations, providing us with one of the last opportunities to evaluate the players being considered for the World Cup roster. We are excited about the chance to return to Tampa, a community which has a long tradition of supporting soccer.”

The United States is 14-1-5 all-time versus El Salvador, with 45 goals scored and 13 surrendered. The only loss came Feb. 19, 1992, in a friendly in San Salvador. The teams last met during the final round of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying, with Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore scoring to earn a 2-1 come-from-behind victory on Sept. 5, 2009, in Sandy, Utah. El Salvador was one of the surprise teams in the CONCACAF region during 2010 qualifying, making it to the final round for the first time in 12 years and beating both Mexico and Costa Rica in San Salvador in 2009.

So, why is this a big deal you ask...well, in case you havent' heard, Tampa, one of 18 cities that will be included in the USA’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022, will be hosting the U.S. team for the fifth time. In the last visit, Landon Donovan recorded the second hat trick of his career in front of a record-setting crowd for a friendly in the state of Florida as the U.S. cruised to a 3-1 victory on March 25, 2007, against Ecuador at Raymond James Stadium. The U.S. has a 2-1-1 record in Tampa, with the other win coming in 1990 against Finland.

Following the match against El Salvador, the U.S. will travel to face the third-ranked Netherlands on March 3 in Amsterdam. Kickoff at the Amsterdam ArenA is set for 8:30 p.m. local time (2:30 p.m. ET), and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and TeleFutura. The match falls on the only international fixture date before the start of the tournament in South Africa, and will be the USA’s final game before naming the World Cup roster in early May.

So, hosting this game is a great thing for Tampa Bay. Make sure you head out and enjoy in the festivities!!! And as always, keep checking back for more great things to do in Tampa Bay and awesome Tampa Bay area events.

Tell YOUR Story to FIFA for the World Cup

Thursday, December 10, 2009 by Tampa Bay & Company

Hi everyone! Travis back with a Tampa tourism update. We've told you all about the effort to bring the FIFA World cup to the US and Tampa Bay. Well, now you have YOUR chance to tell FIFA (the governing body of World Cup soccer) why the World Cup should be in Tampa Bay, and the US.

Over the past month the US Bid Committee has been collecting letters written to FIFA by U.S. soccer fans like you.

Soon they'll choose one of these letters to feature in the opening pages of its official Bid Book -- so you can tell FIFA in your own words why they should pick the U.S. to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

The deadline to enter is December 15th, 2009, so get those pens going! Don't miss this amazing chance to represent all U.S. soccer fans -- submit your letter and photo now.

Just go to: www.gousabid.com/LetterToFIFA

There are some incredible stories in the hundreds of letters they've already received. Here's one of those letters:

Greetings. For more than 35 years, I have lived and breathed soccer in the United States. As a player, as a high school coach, and even as a Political Science professor (yes, I have taught soccer at university), I have experienced first hand the meaning of the often-quoted phrase that "soccer is democracy on grass." Anyone can play, whether small or large, quick or slow, black or white, immigrant or native, rich or poor, tall or short. But what makes "democracy on grass" so special in the United States is that here it reflects the incredible diversity of the sport worldwide.

On soccer fields across America, you find virtually every type of person playing the game: whether you are in Iowa or Texas, Illinois or Florida, Oregon or New York, soccer in the United States unites people across languages, races and cultures in ways most other countries cannot. American soccer fields are little U.N. General Assemblies scattered throughout the American countryside where diverse people come together in a common bond, with a common purpose. I have learned Spanish, German, Arabic and even a little Ibo on American soccer fields. Soccer in America gives us the example of democracy as sport that is transferable to democracy as governance. What better lesson could I offer my students than in engaging them on the soccer field?

Can you do a better job of telling FIFA why the Game Is In US? If you think so, submit your letter before Dec. 15 to find out.

Help us bring the World Cup to the US and Tampa Bay...it'll benefit everyone in the end.

Thanks everyone. And keep checking back for more World Cup updates, as well as updates on great things to do in Tampa Bay and Tampa Bay area events and entertainment.

At the USF Bulls Soccer Home Finale Last Night...

Thursday, October 29, 2009 by Bay Bloggers

Yo, yo, yo! Whatsup peeps! Jerm here with a tiny re-cap last night of the USF Bulls Men's Soccer game I was at last night. It was in fact senior night last night as the USF Bulls took on the Depaul Blue Demons in Big East play last night.

I was out at the game last night drumming up some support for the Tampa Bay FIFA World Cup™ Bid and getting signatures for the petition. Which by the way, if you haven't done that, then you can hop over to our website and do so. I even got to meet Thomas Rongen last night, who is head coach of the US Under 20 Men's National team

It was a difficult game for the Bulls to break open last night as the Blue Demons seemed content to keep at least 9 guys behind the ball all night and just weather the storm, but USF finally made the breakthrough on an absolute rip of a bending free kick just outside the eighteen by Zak Boggs.

I had a feeling when he stepped up to take it that he was going to make it, and I almost started to take some video of it, but told myself, nahhhhhh he's not gonna make it. As a result I will never doubt Zak Boggs again, and neither should you!

Despite a valiant defensive effort by the Blue Demons and plenty of good chances by the Bulls to get on the board again, that is the way the game would end as the Bulls took their overall record to 12-2-2, 6-2-2 in conference play. For the second year in a row, the University of South Florida men's soccer team finished its regular season home schedule without a loss..., now that's impressive!

The Bulls will end the season on the road this weekend vs. a tough Rutgers team sure to be looking to knock off the #9 ranked Bulls in conference play! The following week the Bulls will try and defend their Big East Title against what will be a very tough field of opponents.

For more info on that and other Bulls soccer updates check out the Men's Soccer home page.

But that's not all guys, more soccer action for you tonight as the number 4 seeded Lady Bull's kick-off conference tournament play vs Depaul at 7:30! Coach Denise Schlite-Brown will be looking to start the postseason on a strong note after finishing the season strong with the teams best record since 03'!

Come out tonight and show your support for the Bulls and our World Cup Bid as we will be back out there collecting signatures! Who knows, the USF Athletic department may even feed you as, last night they gave a way free pizza from Papa Johns!

That's all I got for now folks, but stay tuned for more updates from Jerm on USF Tampa Bay area events and things to do in Tampa Bay!