Spectator Sports

Tampa fans can cheer a variety of professional and college teams.

For football fans… the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Super Bowl XXXVII champs, enjoyed an unexpectedly successful 2010 season that has the Bay area excited about 2011. The USF Bulls blitz the Big East and bring big-time college football to Tampa Bay.

Baseball fans are still talking about the Tampa Bay Rays historic World Series appearance in 2008 and the playoff runs of 2009 and 2010. Battling the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays have finished atop the American League East two out of the past three years.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, Stanley Cup champs in 2004, are always fun to watch. We are Hockey Bay. Vincent Lecaviller, Marty St Louis and Stephen Stamkos are leading a resurgent Bolts team that is “All In” for 2011!

For basketball fans, Tampa and St Pete routinely host “March Madness” NCAA tournament games. The University of South Florida Bulls bring the best of the Big East basketball to Tampa. The University of Tampa Spartans offer a competitive Division II team. The NBA’s Orlando Magic are just an hour away.

Major League Baseball Spring Training offers Central Florida residents a chance to follow several teams, such as the New York Yankees who play at Legends Field in Tampa.

The Tampa Yankees are a AAA minor league team where top Yankee players can often be seen during rehab assignments.