Good news, Buc Fans! It's that time of the year again, when instead of talking X's and O's, we get to talk attendance.
↵Speaking with St. Petersburg Times reporter Stephen Holder during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers successful night practice at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday evening, team Co-Chairman Bryan Glazer suggested that the front office was anticipating a second round of home game blackouts for this upcoming season.
↵↵↵"We're hoping (for sellouts) this year," Glazer said. "Obviously, the economy here is still in bad shape in the Tampa Bay area. But we think as the team wins and we move forward and the plan continues, the fans will start coming back."
↵Asked about the early signs from single-game ticket sales, which began Friday, Glazer said: "There's an increase, obviously, with the popularity of the two night games (Oct. 3 against the Colts and Dec. 17 against the Cowboys). But there's still a ways to go."
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Just a season ago, Tampa Bay was the only franchise in the NFL to have every home game blacked out on local television, and while their is optimism going into 2011 it appears that fans may have to experience similar pains this season as well. There should be at least three Buccaneer home games televised this year; early signs point towards the two night games being very popular among fans, as well as the 'home game' that is being played in Wembly Stadium in London, against the Chicago Bears.
↵As for the mid-day affairs against the Carolina's and Atlanta's of the world in the swealtering heat, well, we'll just have to wait and see if fans choose the pirate ship or their recliner.