TAMPA, Fla. - To play the part, you’ve got to look the part.

Tampa Bay Thunder president Jake Moore knows the importance of branding. Especially when you’re a brand new football team. 

He knows an eye-catching logo can help draw new fans in. And it could help fill the stands when the season kicks off. That’s why at a recent practice, he was painstakingly applying decals to helmets.

“Equipment manager, president, I do it all,” he said.

Even football players get excited about wardrobe. Wanna see a bunch of guys turn into fashionistas? Present them with new uniforms.

“It’s like the first day of school,” Thunder defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie said. “You get your uniforms so now you know the season’s about to start. You know it’s about to get underway.”

Starting a football team from scratch isn’t easy. The Tampa Bay Thunder are the newest members of the Football Federation Alliance 2.0 league. They kick off their season on January 22.

“It’s been a long process trying to get the team off the ground, trying to recruit the players, bring everybody to practice,” Jake said. “And now that we’ve been out here, we finally got the uniforms in, it feels like it’s finally coming together.”

This is Jake’s baby. He’s raised it from infancy and he’s looking forward to showing it off. The field is familiar territory to this former Jesuit High offensive lineman . He was raised on a football field. Thanks to his dad, former Tampa Bay Buccaneer tight end Dave Moore, football is in his blood. 

“I knew there was some way I had to be around football,” Jake said. “And this has been a great opportunity to still have a career and be out her with the guys and be around the sport that I love.”

That’s why all these guys are out here. They just love football. And this new team gives them a platform to still perform at a high level. And for former Tampa Catholic head coach Bob Henriquez, it’s opportunity to reconnect with an old love.

“You miss the arena, you miss being around the guys,” he said. “And this is fun.”

That’s what Thunder officials want you to know. This team is fun. And stacked with talent. So if you’re in the mood for some football featuring guys with a genuine love of the game, check them out.

“It’s come to an idea, to actually being in fruition on having a real team,” Jake said. “It’s been incredibly exciting getting to meet all the players and getting close to them and watch them finally go on the field and show everybody what they have.”