Natasha Flint during Tampa Bay Sun FC’s match against Lexington SC at Riverfront Stadium in Tampa, Florida Nov. 2, 2024 Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern
Tampa Bay Sun FC‘s push for the playoffs kicks back off when the spring schedule starts on Feb. 8 but the Bay area’s first professional women’s soccer team is going to get one hell of a matchup a month later.

Today in Tampa, the team announced plans to host a spring match against Gotham FC, the 2023 champions from the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

The friendly marks the first matchup between teams from the 12-year-old NWSL and the USL Super League, which launched its inaugural season last summer.

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The match is a huge get not just for Blake High School’s Riverfront Stadium, but for local fans of the game who may very well get to see Gotham FC stars—including 2019 USWNT World Cup winners Rose Lavelle, Tierna Davidson, and Emily Sonnett—play in downtown Tampa.

The Sun, for its part, includes three of the USL Super League’s top goal scorers, Carlee Giammona, Cecilie Fløe Nielsen, and Natasha Flint.

Tampa Bay Sun FC, which is starts the spring campaign just one point out of the playoffs, made the announcement today, with Christina Unkel, the team’s President and General Manager, saying, “This game represents a significant milestone for both leagues and serves as a testament to the growing strength and visibility of women’s professional soccer in the United States.”

Unkel was flanked by Gotham FC midfielder and Florida State University alum Jaelin Howell (who has five caps for the USWNT) and Sun FC midfielder Jade Moore who’s made 50 caps for England’s national team.

Season ticket holders will get first dibs at tickets to see Tampa Bay Sun FC v Gotham FC at Blake High School’s Riverfront Stadium in Tampa on Sunday, March 2.
It’s been a busy winter for the Sun, too, which said goodbye to a lot of players after the fall season—but also unveiled its new mascot last month.

A press release says, “Solé (pronounced “so-LAY”) is a stylized lizard with bright colors that represent the vibrant Tampa Bay area and the vibrant light of the Sun—the star that inspired her name. Her cheerful, smiling face is bright yellow with electric blue accents and fiery flames to resemble the strength of the community and the female athlete.”

Solé served as the Grand Marshall of the Gasparilla Children’s Parade after her unveiling, and this weekend—when the Sun takes on Fort Lauderdale United FC for a match rescheduled due to the hurricanes—is the first time the mascot will be in front of fans at the stadium.

“You can expect Solé to show the same passion for engaging with the community and sharing the love of ‘the beautiful game’ as our team has shown since its very beginning,” Unkel added.

A press release says, ‘Solé (pronounced “so-LAY”) is a stylized lizard with bright colors that represent the vibrant Tampa Bay area and the vibrant light of the Sun…” Credit: Photo via Catalyst
UPDATED
02/02/25 10:50 a.m.  Updated with information on the team’s new mascot.
01/31/25 5:50 p.m. The Sun’s spring campaign kicks off Feb. 8, not in late March.

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This article appears in Jan 30 – Feb 5, 2025.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...