1982 Tampa Bay Rowdies season

Tampa Bay finished their preseason exhibition schedule undefeated with three victories over other NASL teams, one victory over an NCAA Division I squad, one victory over an NCAA Division II squad, and a draw versus the Honduras National Team as that squad prepared for the upcoming 1982 FIFA World Cup.^[4][5][6][7]

The Rowdies finished the regular season with 112 points placing them in 3rd place out of four teams in the Southern Division, and 12th out of 14 teams in the league overall. It also marked the first time Tampa Bay failed to qualify for the NASL playoffs in eight seasons. Predictably, as the losses mounted attendance dipped, with only a handful of home games reaching the 20,000 mark. Two of those were rivalry games against Fort Lauderdale and New York. One match was followed by a massive Fourth of July fireworks display, while another preceded a free concert featuring music legends, Chuck Berry and The Drifters.^[9] The remaining 20,000+ crowd showed up for the opening night of the season.

The Sunshine International Series was the first international competition to use the NASL’s point system to determine the standings. As such, teams were awarded six points for wins in regulation or overtime, four points for a shoot–out win, and up to three bonus points for each goal scored in regulation. All four teams faced one another. The Rowdies netted four goals and were winless in the series.^{[10][11][12][13][14][15]} On the final day of the competition a double header was played at Tampa Stadium with all four teams in action, followed by a concert featuring country-pop crossover singer, Crystal Gayle.^[16]

• 1982 North American Soccer League season
• 1982 in American soccer
• Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993)

• 1982 Rowdies results