The Fan Capacity Lottery
“BEFORE YOU GET DOWN, YOU GOTTA GET IN”
This NFL season is gonna be a weird one. At least, for me it is.
As a season ticket holder for the last 10 years, I’ve missed a total 6 regular season home games. This year, it’s possible I, along, with many other dedicated season ticket holders, may miss the entire season at Raymond James. As of today, 44 days until the Home Opener, we don’t know how many of us are actually going to be allowed to attend. And that’s if any of us are allowed at all.
Just 7 days ago, weeks after some other teams had already done so, the Buccaneers finally rolled out their plan of intent for season pass members. In an email, the team thanked members for their patience while they devised a plan. They also notified members that the 2020 invoices could be refunded in full, used as credit towards the 2021 season OR used as credit to buy single game tickets for the 2020 season if/when the level of capacity is determined.
Now, that last one is a doozy.
We don’t know if we’re gonna be allowed to attend games as of yet. We also don’t know the system for determining who’s allowed.
Something we do know is that the Team will be facing some opponents on the road where it’s been determined NO fans will be in attendance. The primetime Monday Night clash with the Giants is now scheduled to be played with no fans. New Jersey has ordered a 500 person limit for outdoor events.
The brand new Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas also won’t be opening its doors up to Raiders fans this season.
Something else we do know is that the League has implemented a policy that would allow the teams to sell the lower 6-8 rows to local sponsors to offset the loss of ticket sales. Around the NFL, some teams have entertained limiting seating capacity to 20% or lower. That would leave Raymond James to around 13,000 before tarping off seats in the lower level.
Do season pass members in those lower rows get priority in what I’m calling the “capacity lottery”? Does that just move everyone else down the ladder according to how close they sit to the field??
Does tenure matter?
What about the season ticket holders that have had their seats for 15+ years? For the last 8yrs, my neighbors at the stadium were all parts of 3 separate families that held their season tickets for 20yrs or longer. About 25% of my row were all 1 family. Do they get split up?? Do they get priority being that they’ve had tickets since 1977?
One of the biggest aspects of this possible capacity lottery is the limitation or prohibiting of resale. If you are allowed to buy tickets, would you be able to resell them as you would in a normal season? This could be one of the most slippery of slopes.
Three seasons ago, the Buccaneers made an attempt to start cracking down on scalpers. They looked into accounts that sold their season tickets at a higher rate. They ended up revoking some passes. It was reported many of those that were revoked were highly questionable. Yet, the intention of the organization was understood by lots of us long time fans. Some us waited in that long que for the possibility to become season ticket holders. In 2001, the waiting list was nearing 100,000.
I signed up on that list. And I didn’t get my seats until 2006.
So, the feeling of seeing half the stadium in the opposing team’s colors due to someone posing as a BUCS fan to purchase tickets only to become a broker has been infuriating at times. But it’s the nature of professional sports and especially football.
Still, imagine that in these times. This season. A season when our BUCS are at the talk of the League.
Last season, they were middle of the pack as far as average ticket prices go, according to the the Tampa Bay Business Journal. But with the surge in season ticket demand mostly due to the signing of Tom Brady, the BUCS are likely well above average now. It’s the beginning Brady’s 32 Game Farewell Tour.
That makes the Team is must-see. It’s a hot ticket no matter where they play.
And with 5 prime time scheduled , 2 of which are being played without fans and the other 2 of them being in Tampa(vs New Orleans/ vs Los Angeles) , it’s gonna be teeming with plenty of fans willing to pay top dollar to see it in person.
And to think, it’s all gonna come down to a capacity lottery….”ITSABUCSLIFE”.
If I’m not able to attend games this season, I’m gonna certainly miss more than a few things that made Sundays in Tampa worth looking forward to over the last 10+ years…….
The What The Buc Tailgate.
The ONE and ONLY Hall Of Fame Tailgate in the area.
No matter the result of the game, this tailgate remains undefeated.
Tailgate proceeds gifted to a different charity each month. Tailgating with a purpose.
The flyovers……
The LIVE Crowd reactions……..
The custom t-shirts….
A visitor’s 1st time being scared by the cannons….
“Buc Wild”.
There’s one in every section.
Win, lose or draw, he’s giving the visiting team and their fans tha business. And at the end of the game, it’s a good laugh and a high five, handshake or hug.
….or more talkin’ crazy.
And This View
