The CITS Is Great, But For How Long?
March 2nd, 2011
Seems as though someone at the National Football Post likes the pirate ship.
Joe Fortenbaugh of the NationalFootballPost.com decided to rank his favorite NFL stadiums and lists The CITS as the ninth-best in the NFL, via video star Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune. This also seems to please the Bucs.
Recently, a poll of more than 1,600 players from the NFL’s 32 teams revealed the field was regarded as the second-best grass playing field in the league behind University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
“We’re pleased that Raymond James Stadium has been recognized as one of the league’s top places to enjoy a game and also that its playing surface has also earned high praise,” Bucs spokesperson Jonathan Grella said. “Couple those distinctions with an emerging young Bucs team that plays a thrilling brand of football and it’s clear Tampa Bay has a lot to be proud of and look forward to.”
As a former season ticket holder and a veteran tailgater, Joe believes the stadium’s lower bowl is fantastic and who can complain about the weather? Only women without the NFL Network (sorry for being redundant) whine about it being too hot outside in Florida. Stop it. Don’t like it, feel free to move to Nebraska.
Believe it or not, Joe has found better tailgate stadiums, Jacksonville and Pittsburgh spring to mind. And while Joe finds The CITS fine, lower bowl great, access and ease to get to the stadium perhaps the best in the NFL, the pirate ship is overblown. Fans aren’t allowed up there so that’s a major negative, but it does make for a great TV prop. That written, the cannons are cool.
Joe has written about this several times in the past couple of years: The NFL gave Miami an edict that the Dolphins had to upgrade Joe Robbie Stadium (or whatever cheap beer or boring, has-been, fossil of a dime store musician it’s named after now), or South Florida will not get another Super Bowl. Joe Robbie is not that much older than The CiTS.
The Falcons, unless that damned bus runs off a cliff, look like they will get a new stadium in a few years and the Georgia Dome is not that old either. How long before the NFL tells the Bucs that The CITS needs to be upgraded before another Super Bowl comes to town?
Joe guesses not that long. And that’s not a Bucs problem, that’s a Tampa Sports Authority problem.
If Joe had to wave a magic wand to make a gameday experience better at The CITS, it would be that the stadium has a Bud Zone-like sports bar (that could be open year-round), which is what is in place in Jacksonville and Joe has learned Miami has been added to Joe Robbie Stadium.
March 2nd, 2011 at 11:19 am
Joe that is the best idea I have heard in a long time.
March 2nd, 2011 at 11:44 am
Jumbo Trons need an upgrade
March 2nd, 2011 at 11:47 am
“Couple those distinctions with an emerging young Bucs team that plays a thrilling brand of football and it’s clear Tampa Bay has a lot to be proud of and look forward to.”
When was the last time a statement like that was true?
The era of winning with field goals and 9-6 scores are no more!!!
March 2nd, 2011 at 11:49 am
Joe, the Chicago Bears hijacked that Bus. Have you heard?
March 2nd, 2011 at 11:51 am
The CITS Film/Jumbotron crew never show any replays or challenge reviews on the big screens. Those guys suck and should all be fired. At the CITS, you either see it live, or you don’t see it at all. No instant replay at this dump. Sad but true.
March 2nd, 2011 at 1:06 pm
My guess is that we’ll start to hear a lot about this around ~2018.
March 2nd, 2011 at 1:49 pm
“The Falcons, unless that damned bus runs off a cliff…”
Ha ha! That was good. I do like the Atlanta bus jokes Joe. Keep ’em coming.
Joe, one question, you said “As a former season ticket holder and a veteran tailgater…”
What made you not buy season tickets since?
March 2nd, 2011 at 3:46 pm
Joe will try to keep this brief.
Joe was one of the very last people to get season tickets (actually ticket — just one) in The CITS when it opened. Joe got upper deck, corner. Hey, Joe was happy. He was in.
After maybe five years, Joe began to realize that his seat, on an aisle, was always being blocked by people coming back and fourth and when no one was, the seat wasn’t that good. Joe also began reading on the old Buccaneers.com message board how people on the waiting list began getting their numbers called and got lower bowl seats.
Joe began pestering the Bucs season ticket reps about how he wanted one lower bowl seat, anywhere. At the time Joe told the sales reps he didn’t care if he had to cough up a grand, he wanted one lower bowl seat, anywhere.
Joe was always told, “Put your deposit down and we will see.” Each year, no dice.
Finally Joe got tired of it and told the Bucs either he got upgraded or he would not renew. Joe got the same response, “Put your deposit down and we’ll see.” Joe told them, “If I don’t get upgraded, you don’t get a check. It’s real simple. No more jerking me around. You are giving people on a waiting list lower bowl seats. I’m already a season ticket holder. I don’t care where in the lower bowl, 100-level or 200-level, just one seat.”
Joe was told by the Bucs they could make no promises; Joe told the Bucs he promised he wouldn’t cut a check.
Two years later, Bucs ticket reps were begging him to come back. Hey, where were you when Joe was looking for help?
Now the shoe is on the other foot.
March 2nd, 2011 at 3:54 pm
Joe
Don’t you mean? The “surgically removed” shoe is on the other foot! LOL!
March 2nd, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Good story. Totally unexpected.
My story is simple, I don’t want to waste my money on season tickets when I can watch it in other ways. But I still watch the games, one way or the other. Every snap.
March 2nd, 2011 at 7:45 pm
I just hope they will not put the burden on the Taxpayers again, to build the Glazer’s a new stadium ?
March 2nd, 2011 at 8:40 pm
Hey Joe, if fans aren’t allowed on the pirate ship, then who are the people that are on the pirate ship whenever I watch the games on TV?
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:28 am
Joe,
I hope you were joking when you said Jacksonville is a good place to tailgate. The only good thing about Jacksonville’s stadium is the Bud Zone, the rest of it is a dump.
However, next year if there is a season (fingers crossed). When the Bucs come to Jacksonville, It would be cool to have 1 big Bucs tailgate party.
March 3rd, 2011 at 10:54 am
St. Augustine Buc:
I hope you were joking when you said Jacksonville is a good place to tailgate.
It’s outstanding. Party at Jacksonville Landing and take a boat to the game or tailgate at the stadium and set up under the overpasses where you have shade.