The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tend to play the majority of their games at Raymond James Stadium, which has a regular 65,890 capacity and a 75,000 capacity for exceptional Bucs events.
After the Bucs unexpectedly acquired Tom Brady for a three-season contract, it seemed like they had the moon on their hands. They expanded the Stadium’s capacity as a result of their elation. However, after Brady left, the franchise saw a sharp decline in its overall performance, and the viewership numbers along with attendance shortly followed.
Bucs modify capacity at Raymond James Stadium in post-Tom Brady era
The 46-year-old boarded his ship in Tampa Bay after nearly two decades with the New England Patriots, helping them amass six Super Bowl victories. In his three seasons with the Bucs, the now-retired star assisted them in winning a Lombardi Trophy and left the NFL as the team’s hero.
Like his leaving, his entrance was also a sight to behold. The Buccaneers knew after adding Tom Terrific to their roster that they already gained a huge fan base which led them to take a second thought on Raymod stadiums’ capacity as almost all of their match would be played here.
The Bucs management idealized their wish in Bradys’ final season with them and the new seats ballooned the stadium’s capacity from 65,618 to 69,218. Nevertheless, as the seven-time Super Bowl champion left the franchise, the Tampa Bay team began to lose a lot of its charisma; as a result, 3,600 seats had been evacuated before the Buccaneers’ preseason opener.
No more @TomBrady, no more Krewe’s Nest.
The #Bucs removed the temporary seating that was installed last year at @RJStadium that increased stadium capacity for what would be Brady’s final NFL season.
@ProFootballTalk
@NFL_DovKleiman pic.twitter.com/IsmVIfszlV— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) August 11, 2023
How old is Bucs Raymond James Stadium?
On September 21, 1998, the multipurpose stadium, also referred to as “The New Sombrero” or the “Ray Jay,” made its formal debut. The stadium’s journey got started with a contest between the Buccaneers and Chicago Bears, which Toms’ former team won 27-15.
Along with hosting the Buccaneers game, the stadium also hosts the New Year’s Day Outback Bowl and a football matchup between the University of South Florida Bulls. On March 20, 1999, the stadium was host to its first-ever soccer match, which was also the home of the former Tampa Bay Mutiny of Major League Soccer.
However, the Buccaneers’ second Super Bowl victory game, which drew over 65,000 spectators, stands out among all the games played there. By defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9, they successfully defended their Lombardi trophy. The NFL world got to witness the explosiveness of TB12 on the field one more time.
Do you see Bucs reaching the Brady-era hype ever again? Let’s discuss in the comments.
