Raymond James Stadium, a multi-purpose arena in Tampa, Florida, commonly called “Ray Jay”, is the home stadium for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL team. It is also the home ground for the NCAA South Florida Bulls football teams, as well as the XFL’s Tampa Bay Vipers.
The current capacity of the stadium is 65,618, but there is the possibility to expand this arena to 75,000 seats for certain events. Two Super Bowls have been held at Raymond James Stadium, as well as the College Football Playoff National Championship game in 2017. It is also set to play host to the Super Bowl again in 2021, as well as Wrestlemania, also in 2021.
History of Raymond James Stadium
The Raymond James Stadium was constructed in order to be the replacement for the old Tampa Stadium. Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer requested this new stadium, which is built across the way from the old home ground.
The total cost to build the stadium was $168.5 million, all of it coming from the public. The naming rights were sold in a 13-year agreement to Raymond James Financial in a deal worth $32.5 million. This deal has been extended a number of times and is now in place until at least 2028.
The stadium was officially opened in September 1998, with the Buccaneers beating the Chicago Bears in the first home game of the season. The venue hosted its first soccer game in 1999.
The record attendance for a fixture at Raymond James Stadium is 69,383 in a 2012 game between the Florida State University Seminoles and the University of South Florida Bulls. Up until 2010, the new stadium sold out all its home games but in 2010 no regular-season Buccaneers games attracted full capacity crowds.
Features of the stadium
One of the standout aspects of Raymond James Stadium is the pirate ship replica found in the north end zone that is 103-foot high. Replica cannons are fired whenever the home team score points or get into the red zone of their opponents. There are also regular pirate-related songs that play during the game.
There are a couple of massive video displays that are among the largest in the NFL. The most recent renovation came in 2016 when even better displays were installed.
Other uses for Raymond James Stadium
As well as various NFL and college football games, the stadium also hosts soccer games, with the former Tampa Bay Mutiny MLS team having played their home games here for a couple of years. The stadium has also held a couple of games involving the men's United States soccer team.
Major concerts have taken place here, with the likes of U2, Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift all having performed. It has also held WWE’s Wrestlemania, with plans to do so again in the future.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were established in 1976 play in the NFC South division as an expansion team in the NFL along with the Seattle Seahawks. The team have had significant losing streaks, including suffering a run of 26 consecutive losses in their first couple of seasons.
However, they went on to become the first expansion team to capture a Super Bowl title, winning the big game in 2002 with one of the best defences seen in recent years. The team has struggled to get back to the playoffs ever since this victory.
Betting on games at Raymond James Stadium
The Raymond James Stadium is certainly a great home arena, putting on a fantastic spectacle for fans. The stadium hosts an exciting team, with plenty of action for each of the Buccaneers’ home games.
As a result, you will have loads of great betting opportunities. To find the best betting sites, you can head on over to Roger.com and read the expert reviews of the leading options.
