Tampa doesn't deserve a sports Franchise.

[tatmanfish]

Well based on the blackout rule, the adoption of the 85% rule, discounted tickets, new staff, free parking, half off concessions, big name FAs, and all the other things the Bucs have done to put a full court press on getting people in the door......they dont deserve to watch them on TV.

Tampa has long forgotten what team support is. Unless they find it again soon, they will continued to be labeled the worst fans in the NFL and for good reason.

If this thread offends you, you are missing the point or you are part of the problem. Anyone who loves this team and supports it by going to as many games as they can legitimately afford to shouldnt be taking any offense to this thread because they are doing their part as a fan.

[BucsFan4090]

We have 35-40,000 season ticket holders that are loyal to the team.

Are there that many out of state fans who fly into Tampa to see game?

Doubt it.

There should be more then that in season ticket holders....

A team should have a season ticket waiting list....not begging and screaming for people to sign up for seats.

Stop trying to make it out like you are a superfan morgan....all you ever do is **CENSORED**ing complain about how you are going to stop paying for season tickets then still pay anyways. Just stfu already.

[Skull and Bones]

Seems to me the more die-hard fans of the Bucs are the ones that live out of state and try to go to as many games as possible.

The out-of-towners like to think so, at least.

Well seeing as how I live near FedEx Field which holds 90,000 people and that always seems to be packed and Tampa can't even get 85% capacity for a 65k stadium....yeah...I do think the fans in Tampa suck.

in a 50 mile radius from where you live are close to 9 million people.  Tampa is what 3 mil.

[Bucpride5]

Ask yourself this question would cities like Pittsburgh, Dallas, or even Boston be 100% behind their team if they had the losing history of the Bucs? Before you answer look at the Pittsburgh Pirates, brand new stadium, have stunk for years (until this year) and had horrible attendance yet the Steelers thrived. The hockey team in Pittsburgh was almost moved. This city is a bandwagon city, they have a national following mainly because, of their winning ways in the Chuck Knoll era. Dallas was the same way with the Mavericks basketball team, not drawing in fans while they suffered through losing season after losing season. I never once saw a Patriots jersey or flag prior to 2001.

American sports build their following through tradition, if your team has a tradition of winning, they cultivated a national following, then that generation passes down their fandom to their kids and so on. The Bucs for a large part of their history were a joke. They had very little success, for people in the bay area or the transplants to get behind, so the fans here turned to winners (Steelers, Cowboys). I'm as prideful as anyone in my hometown and the teams that play here, but don't act like it's only Tampa, America is a bandwagon country.

[BucsFan4090]

Are you saying 3 million people can't fill out a 65k stadium?

the Meadowlands new stadium is 82k and has over 20 million people in that area. So its not like DC has the largest amount of people to hold. Plus its only 25 miles to Baltimore and nobody is traveling from above Baltimore to see the Redskins over the Ravens.

[jerseybucsfan]

Ask yourself this question would cities like Pittsburgh, Dallas, or even Boston be 100% behind their team if they had the losing history of the Bucs? Before you answer look at the Pittsburgh Pirates, brand new stadium, have stunk for years (until this year) and had horrible attendance yet the Steelers thrived. The hockey team in Pittsburgh was almost moved. This city is a bandwagon city, they have a national following mainly because, of their winning ways in the Chuck Knoll era. Dallas was the same way with the Mavericks basketball team, not drawing in fans while they suffered through losing season after losing season. I never once saw a Patriots jersey or flag prior to 2001.

American sports build their following through tradition, if your team has a tradition of winning, they cultivated a national following, then that generation passes down their fandom to their kids and so on. The Bucs for a large part of their history were a joke. They had very little success, for people in the bay area or the transplants to get behind, so the fans here turned to winners (Steelers, Cowboys). I'm as prideful as anyone in my hometown and the teams that play here, but don't act like it's only Tampa, America is a bandwagon country.

+1.
I'll go one step further. You get a lot of big support in the NFL from cold-weather cities. Warm locales often have problems with attendance: Arizona, Jacksonville, Atlanta (before this recent run), Tampa, Los Angeles, San Diego. Cold-weather cities are more provincial because people don't go NORTH for the winter. That doesn't make them better fans. In fact they are more cliquish, meaner to outsiders. But when you combine older established NFL franchises and really nothing else to do, it works in their favor.
I would never want to live in Green Bay. Would you?

[Zsnore]

4.2 million in Tampa (urban area's included) should be enough to fill the stadium over 60x.

[Bucpride5]

4.2 million in Tampa (urban area's included) should be enough to fill the stadium over 60x.

How many of that over 4 million are from here? How many have allegiance's elsewhere? How many are retirees? Yes, the Tampa area has a large number of people to draw from but unlike Northern cities where hardly anyone relocates to, people come to this area. No one moves to Green Bay or Philly, unless you are made to do so.

Trust me I think the blackouts are on the fans with the 85% rule. But markets like Tampa, places in Cali, Miami, Jax, and other transient areas can't really be held to the standard norm for fans. San Diego has the same problem and they are a consistent winner. I train new hires at my job and one of the first questions I always ask is where are you from a the majority of the employees I ask aren't from Florida.

I'm done worrying about all the people here who don't support the team, it's a losing battle.

[dbucfan]

Don't bother T - some folks can handle the answers. 

[Ft Myers Buc Fan]

Are you saying 3 million people can't fill out a 65k stadium?

the Meadowlands new stadium is 82k and has over 20 million people in that area. So its not like DC has the largest amount of people to hold. Plus its only 25 miles to Baltimore and nobody is traveling from above Baltimore to see the Redskins over the Ravens.

Jets havent sold out their opening game as of today.....

[Freddy]

Seems to me the more die-hard fans of the Bucs are the ones that live out of state and try to go to as many games as possible.

The out-of-towners like to think so, at least.

Well seeing as how I live near FedEx Field which holds 90,000 people and that always seems to be packed and Tampa can't even get 85% capacity for a 65k stadium....yeah...I do think the fans in Tampa suck.

in a 50 mile radius from where you live are close to 9 million people.  Tampa is what 3 mil.

You realize that's not a defense but a reason why the team could benefit from a move, i.e. to an area that has 9mil people in a 50 mile radius,

[TB-BucFan4Life]

Tell me I am wrong.

We are unloyal.
The interest in any team is spread to thin, there is too many transplants. We don't display any backbone when it comes to this either. We allow the local and national media so degrade us. When a Cowboys fan moves next to a (so-so... that is most of you btw) Bucs fan, he then becomes more of a Cowboys fan(bet on it) We care more about past coaches(Gruden) and players not even on the team(Tebow) then are rookies Mark B, and Doug M. Gruden NEVER raised the standard of winning here btw. A hypocrisy of the "fans" that I fine disgusting

We are fairweather bandwagon types.
We put bags over are heads in the 70's and 80's, and only started caring after we started winning. Now that we aren't winning its time to jump ship(maybe not for SOME of the people here, but everyone of you knows somebody like this). The irony here is that we do have a winning franchise that still gets disrespected nonchalantly by the "fans". Once again the hypocrisy here is disgusting.

We make excuses for everything.
Its to hot. Its to expensive. Its to far. Its more exciting at home. Its a bad product on the field. The economy is bad. The QB is to big. The players on the team aren't interesting. The coaching is poor. The Glazers are cheap. The Rays need an open stadium. The Bucs need a dome.

The next thread I start will be one solely dedicated to excuses. Along the lines like "Which excuse is yours". This way everyone and come in and complain, and give their excuse and feel better about themselves for being a "fan"

How many times do people have to beat a dead horse. This is like the 50th thread on this crap this week. Geez O'Pete!

[Morgan]

The team is making a boat load of money.  The monetary value of the franchise continues to go up and up every year.  The Glazers have a stadium deal that they'll never get elsewhere. The franchise isn't going anywhere. The Glazers would be crazy to move 'em anywhere.

[olafberserker]

The truth hurts. 
Oh, and btw Dolores. The statement should run "The stadium isn't full. Somebody WILL take our team away". Which was the point of my OP. Over your head much?

Glazers are making money hand over fist ..... over your head much?

[olafberserker]

Are you saying 3 million people can't fill out a 65k stadium?

the Meadowlands new stadium is 82k and has over 20 million people in that area. So its not like DC has the largest amount of people to hold. Plus its only 25 miles to Baltimore and nobody is traveling from above Baltimore to see the Redskins over the Ravens.

Jets havent sold out their opening game as of today.....

maybe they should move the team to LA or Portland .......