The Tampa Bay Rowdies are officially back.
The pro men's soccer team known the past two seasons as FC Tampa Bay has acquired an exclusive license to the Rowdies trademark, with full rights to come later, team president Andrew Nestor announced Thursday.
The club will drop the FC Tampa Bay name, as well as the traditional European soccer crest logo, in favor of the Rowdies wordmark and logo for the 2012 season, which begins in April.
"The Rowdies is synonymous, and has been for decades, with the highest level of soccer in Florida and in this country," Nestor said. "It's about bringing back Tampa Bay's first-ever professional sports franchise."
The news marked the end of a three-year legal battle with Classic Ink, Inc., of Dallas which previously owned the trademark. Nestor wouldn't reveal the price of the transaction, but he said it was "significant, but reasonable."
Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn and North American Soccer League commissioner David Downs were among those who attended the announcement.
"I can remember when I arrived here in Tampa in 1981, the legend of the Rowdies," Buckhorn said. "Almost every game, Tampa Stadium would be packed and there would be an excitement. … I am so happy the Rowdies are home."
The Rowdies will host FC Edmonton on April 14 in the 2012 home opener at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg.
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