Raymond James Stadium broke ground in 1996. The stadium hosted its first game on September 20th, 1998, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted the Chicago Bears. Since undergoing a $160-plus million multi-phase renovation in 2016, the stadium now boasts the most technologically advanced HD video system in use today. It is comprised of two massive 9,600 square-foot boards on the north and south ends of the stadium and four large 2,300 square-foot HD tower walls. The sound system has 400+ speakers throughout the stadium and together with the new video boards it takes a fan’s game experience to an exciting new level.
The Raymond James Stadium opened in 1998 and is a multi-purpose stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) and the University of South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium also hosts the annual Outback Bowl and other events such as concerts and festivals. The seating capacity for most sporting events at Raymond James Stadium is 69,218.
How to Get to Tampa
The nearest airport to Raymond James Stadium is Tampa International Airport (TPA) which is around 2 miles away. Several airlines offer direct flights from London with a flight time of 9-10 hours.
If you are already in the US and looking to travel to/from the arena, then you have the choice of most US domestic airlines including Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, American Eagle, Frontier Airlines, Jet Blue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airways and WestJet. You also have the option of using St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) which is 16 miles away from Amalie Arena.
Public Transport
There are several public transportation options available around Raymond James Stadium. The TECO Line Streetcar (free) is a free streetcar service that operates in Tampa’s urban centre. It connects Downtown Tampa and Ybor City and has several stops along the way. The Cross Bay Ferry is a ferry service that operates between St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay. It offers a convenient and scenic way to travel between the two cities.
You could also make use of apps such as Moovit to get directions to the arena using public transportation. Rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft are also available in the vicinity.
Staying in Tampa
Beyond the Airbnb and Sonder options there are many hotels nearby to suit all budgets, which can be booked directly or via one of the hotel reservation booking sites.
Downtown Tampa’s Channelside District offers tourists a variety of attractions. The skyline is constantly changing as high-rises fill with residents, shops and restaurants. It’s a pedestrian-friendly area with everything you need, from chic waterfront eateries to popular family attractions and recreation areas. Another popular neighbourhood to stay in when visiting the Amalie Arena is Harbour Island. The Westin Tampa Waterside is a highly rated hotel located on Harbour Island, just 0.4 miles from the arena.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tickets
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers sell their tickets via Ticketmaster.
Ticketmaster is the official ticket outlet for the NFL.
For most teams, Ticketmaster sells tickets on behalf of the team and resells tickets on behalf of ticket sellers. You can tell the difference on the site as the Blue dots are tickets from the team themselves, and the pink dots are from verified sellers.
Here are links to the main ticket resale sites. Click on the link, which will open up a new window, and you can compare the prices on the different ticket resell sites, bearing in mind that the prices shown may have further selling platform fees added, so take time to read my tips to Buying Tickets in North America.
- SeatGeek
- SportsEvents365 (Click on the Search Button)
- StubHub International
- StubHub US
- Ticketmaster US
- TicketNetwork
- Viagogo
- Vivid Seats
I recommend downloading the team’s Mobile App to your phone as it contains much Gameday information for the stadium.