Bolts’ Stanley Cup Rating Can’t Top 2013 Bucs
June 6th, 2015
Joe enjoys hockey, even played as a kid on streets, driveways and tennis courts with their nets removed for winter.
But Joe’s really getting annoyed by all the loudmouths spouting how Tampa likes the Lightning more than the Buccaneers.
Stop the nonsense.
Remember the MRSA-infected, 0-8 start of the New Schiano Order in 2013? Remember how dreadful that 4-12 team was with the NFL’s worst offense? Well, the average local television rating for a Bucs game that season was higher than the Lightning rating for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup in prime time Wednesday night.
Per, CBS Sports, the Bolts pulled a stunning 17.9 Nielsen rating Wednesday in the greater Tampa-St. Pete-Sarasota market, the 13th largest in the nation, just ahead of Seattle and one behind Detroit.
Schiano’s Bucs in 2013 averaged a 19.1 rating per game in the market. Under Lovie Smith last year, the miserable Bucs sank to a 17.2, something America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, should jack up at least 20 percent.
Tampa is a football town in a football world.
God Bless America. And Go Bolts!
June 6th, 2015 at 2:43 pm
I have grown to really enjoy Hockey and the Bolts but Football and the Bucs are first for me. I went to see the Bucs as a young boy with my parents and the Bolts did not exist obviously. So, yes the Bucs are # 1 in my heart.
June 6th, 2015 at 2:48 pm
Football long ago surpassed baseball as America’s pastime. Now that we have a legit OC and a QB we can rally behind, the Bucs will rise to relevance once again. Not just locally, but nationally.
GO BUCS
June 6th, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Hockey is the 4th major sport and historically the national ratings reflect that fact. That the Bucs, no matter how bad they are, draw better ratings than the Lightning comes as no surprise.
On the positive side for the Lightning is that they draw well and their attendance aiming the best in the NHL. If only the Rays drew as well as the Bolts.
June 6th, 2015 at 3:03 pm
Oh btw, I hate auto correct.
June 6th, 2015 at 3:08 pm
I think the Rays have a few things going against them.
1. Baseball is such a slow sport and can get really boring.
2. The location of the Trop sucks. I have honestly turned down free tickets because I did not feel like driving out there.
3. See reasons 1 and 2.
Now, the Rays ticket prices are not bad and it is a really family friendly environment for taking kids to a sporting event, but even when they are playing competitive baseball, I think they will always have a tough time competing with the Bolts and Bucs. I personally prefer fast paced full contact sports over baseball.
June 6th, 2015 at 3:20 pm
Growing up in CT and playing hockey, hockey has been in my blood since I was like 5. But I’ll still agree that football rules this town… and America, and to be honest it’s probably better that way.
If the NHL was the NFL, I can promise you it would be a “toe-pick” away from figure skating… there would be no fights, all players would wear full face masks, and checking would turn into what tackling (or lack thereof) has become in the NFL. There would’t exist a “good hit” and a “goon” would be fined into bankruptcy, not celebrated.
The big debate: which sport is better live? I’d have to say NHL, but nothing beat being in the pits during a MNF game with Sapp and Brooks on the field.
June 6th, 2015 at 3:40 pm
Hockey is behind the NFL,college football,baseball and the nba. Bolts are a nice story but tampa will always belong to the bucs
June 6th, 2015 at 4:21 pm
Tampa is chock full of Yuppie, bandwagon Fans, who want to be associated with a winning team.
The Lightning are winning right now, so go figure.
If The Buc’s return to the playoffs, you will see the bandwagon fans return.
June 6th, 2015 at 5:03 pm
Football has always been king in the deep south, even before the Bucs existed. There was no pro baseball outside spring training, and certainly no hockey. When the Bucs came that was a huge happening for Tampa town. A winning Bucs team could not contain all the jubilation.
June 6th, 2015 at 5:12 pm
Is that Buc1987 in the pic with the sign and a bag over his head?
June 6th, 2015 at 5:30 pm
@Bucfan37
No that’s not 87…..87 has large breasts….
June 6th, 2015 at 5:31 pm
The Lightning are a Class organization and the best at taking care of their fans. Hockey is growing amongst the kids in the community and even if it never overtakes the losing Bucs seasons we have had year after year, the Lightning are more fun to watch. The Bucs can take a page from the owner of the Lightning and how he treats his fans. Nntil then the Bucs will always be second class, but they will win the TV ratings war.
June 6th, 2015 at 5:43 pm
That’s not me. I’m too original, I’d never copy cat everyone else.
LOL TBBF…I’m 6 ft 180 pounds. I wish I had large breasts. If I did I play with them all the time.
June 6th, 2015 at 6:05 pm
Ratings aside, the Bolts are a better run organization.
June 6th, 2015 at 8:15 pm
Bunch of bandwagoners.
June 6th, 2015 at 8:31 pm
Stanley Cup Lightning Ratings > BUCS off Season News
June 7th, 2015 at 12:08 am
I watch the Lightening when they play for the cup and wish them well, but I watch all the Bucs games no matter their record year after year and follow their news year round and have done so from their beginning.
June 7th, 2015 at 9:00 am
Stupid article. Stop it Joe’s. Why not mention the Rays terrible attendance while your at it? Football is the most popular sport in the United States and they play once a week on a day meant for relaxing. Football is designed to appeal to the casual fan. It’s the most marketed sport and most covered.
I will say this though, I’ve been to more Lightning games than every other sport combined (convenience of location plus great prices). When the Lightning were struggling, they were still almost at full capacity most nights. Like I said, it’s a stupid argument. Most of the Lightning fans are also Bucs fans. Tampa is not a football town, it’s a bandwagon town.
June 7th, 2015 at 9:58 am
What is the point of this article Joe? I have not heard one person saying Tampa likes anything better than football. If you’re going to have an article about the lightning on the verge of possibly winning the Stanley Cup, shouldn’t it just be a fricking positive article?
Instead most the time you bring up the Bolts you always seem to try to knock them down by talking about Tampa liking football more.
Personally I like football the best, with the bolts and Rays right behind them. But I root for them all. I don’t feel the need to knock one down so the other looks better.
….and nothing compares to live hockey playoffs.
June 7th, 2015 at 11:34 am
Lightning have been hugely popular here since 93. They set all-time attendance records in ST Pete back in the 90’s, do a little better research. It’s a huge hockey town why is there is soon to be 6 skating rinks within 45 minutes of Tampa. Just because many on this board didn’t follow doesn’t mean others did.
June 7th, 2015 at 12:06 pm
Joe…..your not thinking this through.
The reason the tv ratings are higher for the bucs over the lightning is becasue lightning fans are going to every single hockey game. Subtract 20000 fans not watching the tube becasue they want to support theyre team in person and you have you true stat.
When the bucs start winning the fans will come. Nobody goes down to the county garbage dump to stare at a pile of crap at 1oclock in the afternoon for entertainment last time I checked
June 7th, 2015 at 1:57 pm
The original Kevin,
Don’t forget the fans outside the arena as well. I haven’t heard any numbers but from the shots they showed, it looked to be in the thousands easy.