After their first season, the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies were forced by Classic Ink to discontinue use of the "Rowdies" name, resulting in their name being FC Tampa Bay. Before the 2012 season began, however, the team came to terms with Classic Ink to purchase the "Rowdies" name.[4]
In the previous season, the Rowdies rallied to a third-place finish before bowing out in a first-round playoff match against eventual NASL Champions NSC Minnesota Stars. In 2012, the Rowdies finished second in the league with a 12–9–7 record. In the 2012 playoffs, they first defeated Carolina RailHawks FC, 5–4, on aggregate in the semifinals to advance to the Soccer Bowl. There they avenged the previous season's playoff loss by defeating defending champion, Minnesota, in the NASL Championship Series. They won the title in dramatic fashion, 3–2, on penalty kicks, after making up a two-goal aggregate deficit in regulation, and then surviving 30 minutes of extra time while short-handed.[5] For the region of Tampa Bay, it was the first North American Soccer League championship since the original Rowdies won Soccer Bowl '75.[6]
Source: NASL Standings Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored. (C) Champions; (X) Commissioner's Cup (regular season champion)
Results summary
Overall
Home
Away
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
28
12
9
7
37
30
+7
45
7
5
1
18
8
+10
5
4
6
19
22
−3
Last updated: September 23, 2012.
Source: Match reports
Round
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Stadium
A
H
H
A
H
A
H
A
H
A
A
A
H
H
H
A
A
H
H
A
H
A
H
A
H
A
H
A
Result
L
W
D
D
W
L
L
W
D
L
L
W
W
W
W
L
W
W
W
D
D
L
D
W
D
W
D
D
Updated to match(es) played on September 19, 2012. Source: Match results A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
The Ponce De Leon Cup was a fan-based derby and trophy that was created in 2006. Participants were originally United Soccer Leagues first division teams (later USSF-D2, then NASL teams) based in lands that Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de León, had visited; namely Florida and Puerto Rico. It was awarded to the club with the best record in league games versus the other participants. The trophy itself was purported to have been destroyed in 2010 in a warehouse fire. 2012 was the final year that the cup was awarded, as the Puerto Rico Islanders ceased operation following the NASL season.
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