It’s been a rough year for the USL Super League’s defending champs Tampa Bay Sun FC. The Bay area’s first pro women’s soccer team sits at the bottom of the standings (below Fort Lauderdale United FC, which the Syn beat to win the title last year), with just 21 points after falling 0-4 to second-place Lexington SC last Saturday. In postgame comments, Sun gaffer Denise Schilte-Brown admitted it was tough not to hang heads low after the defeat, but the resilience of her group. “We will fight for every point left and support each other through this challenging season,” DSB added.
The team comes home this weekend for a match against third place Carolina Ascent FC, and while fans will have to wait for the game to unfold to see how their side looks, the Sun will be decked out proper for the pregame thanks to a new, water-color-inspired Pride warm-up jersey. The Capelli threads say “Community” on the back collar and will be worn ahead of the game on Pride night celebrating, “community, inclusivity, and the game we all love.”
The team unveiled the design last week in a photoshoot featuring a mural by Bay area artist Chad Mize. Mize told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that he did not design the shirt, and the team did not respond to queries about the designer of the shirt.
The design is on Tampa Bay Sun FC’s TB Sports store page for $74.99 and will be available both at Suncoast Credit Union Field this weekend and at a pre-match Pride Night happy hour at Tampa Heights’ Best of the Bay-winning Strandhill Public just across the river.
Tampa Bay Sun FC (home game)
Time Sat., April 25, 7:30 p.m. and Sat., May 9, 7:30 p.m.
Location Blake High School, 1701 N Blvd., Tampa