Free Tickets!
November 29th, 2018
Season ticket holders can obtain a free pair.
You could have an extra pair of Bucs tickets. Free!
And you won’t have to hope someone leaves a pair on your windshield.
The old wives tale (?) of years ago, when the Bucs were in the midst of their 24-game losing streak to open their NFL existence, says someone left two tickets on their windshield for anyone to take. And when the owner returned to the car, they found four tickets.
Well, that doesn’t apply here.
Now the Bucs are offering season ticket holders an opportunity to receive an extra pair to Sunday’s game against the Stinking Panthers at no additional cost.
Joe is a season ticket holder and got the email yesterday with the subject line, “An early holiday gift for you – 2 complimentary tickets.”
Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times seems to think this likely is in response to the smallest Bucs crowd in eight years last Sunday, a perfect weather day.
The actual attendance recorded by the Tampa Sports Authority was 40,682 for the Bucs-49ers game Sunday, the lowest for any regular-season home game since November 2010, when a game against the Panthers drew 39,781.
The email says there’s “a very limited amount of tickets” available.
Joe cannot ever remember an NFL team giving away tickets on this scale. Tossing season ticket holders a gift isn’t new though for the Bucs, such as a free upgrade to a much better seat for a game or two.
A gimmick like this new one is usually connected to minor league baseball (Joe remembers how some stores on Fourth Avenue in St. Petersburg used to have a small stack of free tickets near the cash register for St. Petersburg Cardinals games at Al Lang Stadium before that famed baseball crib was desecrated.) The fact this marketing (?) ploy comes days after a sparse attendance on a perfect weather day suggests the event isn’t a coincidence.
Hey, the Bucs are looking at their 11th-straight season without a playoff berth, and quite possibly the eighth season in the last 11 with a losing record. Add to that the holidays are upon us and blackouts are a chapter of NFL seasons past.
Joe cannot blame anyone who doesn’t want to go to a Bucs game and drink $8 lukewarm Miller Lites.
November 29th, 2018 at 5:11 am
This is hilarious and exactly what TEAM GLAZER deserves. The Bucs are the most poorly ran professional sports franchise in the four major sports in North America. I love the spin they are trying to put on it with Brian Ford claiming it’s a present to fans. Hahahaha what a crock of Sh&t!!!! They are so afraid that come this Sunday the stands are empty and embarrassing to a NFL team. Nice try TEAM GLAZER. Fire #KLUELESSKOETTER
November 29th, 2018 at 5:41 am
The sad thing is is that Cleveland has sucked for way longer n their attendance has probably never been as bad as the bucs but u know we dont have a strong fan base unless we’re in playoffs for a few years straight. One thing u wont here about us is we have dedicated fans SMMFH
November 29th, 2018 at 5:59 am
Rodney it’s because most fans in Florida are transplant fans and have second teams. I’m a sixth generation Floridian and well the Bucs are my only team. So I live and die a Buc. Go Bucs! Oh I jumped on the free tickets and am bringing my sister so looking forward to the tailgate and game!
November 29th, 2018 at 6:18 am
I’d go to a game if Team Glazer fronted me $2k…….
November 29th, 2018 at 6:39 am
It brings back fond memories of the good old days when the Bucs had a promotion with Kash n Karry. After your grocery receipt printed, there was a promo receipt printed with buy one get one free for upcoming home games. When you left the store they were littered all over the ground outside. The Big Sombrero was still half empty each game.
November 29th, 2018 at 6:40 am
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2018/11/29/buccaneers-resort-to-giving-tickets-away-for-free-after-8-year-low-in-attendance/23604191/
This is embarrassing……..
November 29th, 2018 at 6:58 am
The difference between Florida, California teams attendance and the northern teams is that we have better weather. Plenty of things to do down here. If I was stuck inside all week because of the weather then yes I would come out to watch a football game. Heck I can go fishing, golfing, and biking on Sunday. I don’t think Buc fans are any less passionate about our squad, it’s just we have other opinions.
November 29th, 2018 at 7:05 am
Well, lets see. I could spend ~$100 for me and the wife on tickets, pay $25 for parking, buy 2 beers each at ~$40, stand in long lines to use the restroom all while watching a crappy product on the field for ~$200
OR,
I could go to Popeyes and get an 8 piece for ~$14, go to Publix and buy a 12 pack of Cigar City Jai-Alai for $14, park in my driveway, pee when I want to, sit on my couch in my drawers, and watch the crappy game on my TV for ~$30.
Tough choice!
Put a quality product on the field and people will come to the games. It’s Business 101.
November 29th, 2018 at 7:20 am
This game may set the record for lowest attendance as Panthers fans are not in a huge # here in SW Florida and the bucs have not shown any improvement this season from coming off a 6-10 franchise in over 10 years
November 29th, 2018 at 7:31 am
Al Lang Stadium is looking better than ever these days! Probably higher attendance to capacity ratio than the Den of Dep since ALS got the upgrade.
November 29th, 2018 at 7:48 am
This is like when I used to go to games at the old Sombrero in the late ’80s to watch the Ray Perkins’ led Bucs go 6-10 or so playing in the old NFC Central. Normally the Bucs would go 3-5 at home and the only time they drew more than 50K was when the Bears, Vikings and the occasional game where a NFC East like Philly, the Giants or Cowboys came to town. Attendance for a game such as the Bucs playing the equally bad Lions or Packers usually drew an announce 40K but the actual attendance would be at least 10K below that. I think the Glazers Buc team led by Licht/Koetter has gotten down to the level of those Hugh Culverhouse cut-rate under budgeted teams of 30 years ago and that is very sad but certain teams tend to lose a helluva lot like the above said Lions and Yucks so eventually one has to look at ownership as the main culprit and lets face it, the Bucs only had a long string of success when Malcolm Glazer was running the team with all his marbles and that changed abruptly back in 2006 or so when he had the strokes and the kids took over. Coincidentally the Bucs last playoff berth was shortly after this tragic event…….
November 29th, 2018 at 8:02 am
Good morning football said if panthers can’t get a turnover on Jamies something’s wrong.
This should get Tampa fired up!
November 29th, 2018 at 8:07 am
It’s across the league guys, ppl have had enough. It shows more here cos our team sucks… We have a QB who. half the fan base want run out of the state, who will earn $20M next year (little finger in mouth, palm pointing forward aka Dr Evil) That’s a lot of money my friends. I have a great job and paid well, I will never see that in a life time… This game is getting out of the reach of the “family man”!!!!
November 29th, 2018 at 8:08 am
The argument over fan loyalty is absurd….Football is a form of entertainment, plain and simple. And in football, the best entertainment is a winner. This isn’t high school ball, where you cheer for your buddies playing or college ball where your getting or got your education….Its professional football, where you compete for discretionary income….The Bucs haven’t put out a decent product in a decade, consumers have plenty of other choices particularly when you factor in the commitment to attend a game both financially and for your time.
The team plays like they don’t care…..that’s been well documented on this site and with the local media, particularly the defense. So why should the fans who work hard for their money, give it to a bunch consistent losers who appear to be just cashing checks and going through the motions? Produce a consistent winner, people will show up. Its interesting that Winstons first game back as a starter, against a team we should excel against, produces the lowest attendance in years. Maybe the fans are sending a message.
November 29th, 2018 at 8:15 am
I don’t understand why fans don’t go out. Look to see if D can hold a team to under 40. See if our QB can surpass last years win total of 2. See if our kicker can make 100% of xtra points…. exciting stuff.
November 29th, 2018 at 8:16 am
Bucsfanman
Spot on my brother!
November 29th, 2018 at 8:16 am
I guess there would be people out there that would complain if they found a $20 bill, why wasn’t a hundred.
Any time the Bucs or anyone wants to give me free tickets i’ll take them. My daughter and grandson are on a tight budget and can’t afford to go to the Bucs game. With the free tickets, I will take her and my grandson. He is so excited.
If anyone wants to get rid of tickets you now who to give them to.
November 29th, 2018 at 8:21 am
I used to get tickets that way Joe. Its a true tale. I’d go down there as a 16 yr old, usually by myself since nobody else wanted to go, and look at windshields around the parking lot. Think i found tickets 3 times if my memory serves me correct. If not tho I paid the $6 at the ticket counter and went in.
November 29th, 2018 at 8:26 am
The Bucs routinely did ticket giveaways until year before last. Lovie’s last year they did at least two. The latest issue is prices have gone up so much in the past two years due to hopes the community would get on board with Jameis, the new stadium renovations, etc. This was part of a multi-year plan to reinvent gameday top to bottom. Now they find themselves with a bad football team, and QB the community isn’t solidly on board with for a myriad of reasons, especially character (his selfish actions hurt this team more than many know), and high prices well past the demand. Last Sunday’s crowd was the smallest since the Raheem Morris era and 2010 Panthers at Bucs.
November 29th, 2018 at 8:28 am
Piss poor franchise ran by moroons simple as that.. you cant blame the glazers the bucs fanbase is content living in a failed past slobbering over has beens and 500 coaches with a pathetic 2-6 play off record. As long as they throw you low standard fools a bone every 2 decades you guys are happy.
November 29th, 2018 at 8:34 am
I always get free tickets. And sideline passes, too. Occasionally an All-Access pass. But that’s just me.
November 29th, 2018 at 8:36 am
Dooshlarue- I rail because once a year I get a wild hair and have an extra couple of bucks in my pocket. I take my hard-earned dollars over to Ray-Jay to watch a game. They’re cheap seats, always cheap seats scaling the stairs to sit shoulder to shoulder with a complete stranger.
Went to the Steelers game and it was a full house….of Steeler fans! We scored on the 1st or 2nd possession when I turned around to high-five someone. Nothing but Steeler fans, AND they laughed at me! They laughed at the BUCS fan in the Buccaneers stadium!
I went to the concessions to get a beer and waited through just about half a quarter. When halftime rolled around I braved the restroom. I’ll put it to you this way, the lines for the restroom and the concessions were so long that there was nowhere to move. I turned around and went back to my seat to the throng of terrible towel waving Pittsburgh fans who, I can only assume, don’t even know where Pittsburgh is!
As the Bucs do what they have done all season and embarrass themselves, I was left wondering why I bothered to come. I could’ve watched this crap-show in the comfort of my home without the stupid Steeler fans twirling their ridiculous rags and enjoyed a few more beers to help wash the memory away.
Oddly, I abuse myself once or twice a year this way. Oh the humanity!
November 29th, 2018 at 8:42 am
Bucsfanman
RayJay is the visiting teams safe space…. cancer93 wants all visitors comfortable and happy
November 29th, 2018 at 8:51 am
fire dirk and hire kris richard and fans will fill the stands…
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
November 29th, 2018 at 9:00 am
813bucboi
honestly… please answer me this…. Why would Kris Richard consider this franchise when he will have options to work for owners who actually are willing to field a competitive football team… very fair question… it’s simply undebatable this is the worst job in pro sports working for glazers. it’s where careers come to die… 42 years of history backs this up so you can NOT be rewriting history when answering. it will take a huge ego to throw a career away by accepting a job with glazers… it won’t be about money all teams throw around money and no job goes unfilled. it will take an egomaniac that actually believes he can overcome these bumbling idiot owners. is kris richard willing to throw his life away????
November 29th, 2018 at 9:05 am
I got my free pair. FYI, USF outdrew the Bucs this past weekend.
November 29th, 2018 at 9:15 am
>>> UCF outdrew the Bucs this past weekend. <<<
Fixed it for you.
November 29th, 2018 at 9:17 am
I can’t give away my two free tickets. No one is Sarasota wants to go to the Bucs game. After 21 seasons I won’t be renewing next year!
November 29th, 2018 at 9:27 am
Lmao
#RunJameisRun
I’m sure the stadium will be full next year when Will Grier is the starting QB 😂
November 29th, 2018 at 9:45 am
tmax
Kris will want this job because we have a solid core and lots of young talent….
a couple years ago Kris witnessed mike evans and winston cook richard sherman…..he knows he would have a QB and elite WR in place….
he would have JPP & nassib on the line with a talented secondary(1st, 2nd, 4th round picks)……
the bucs are in a similar situation now then when he entered the NFL as a coach under pete carroll……the seahawks were a mess once mike holgrem left…..kris was a coach on petes staff when he came in, set a standard and changed the culture…..
kris knows what it takes…..
good organizations dont let their HC go if he’s producing wins……if Kris wants to become an HC, he has to do it the same way most HC have done it since the beginning of the NFL…..take over a bad team and build a contender……
if he comes to tampa, he wont throw his life away, he’ll bring winning into the lives of bucs fans!!!!!
KRIS RICHARD 4 HC!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
November 29th, 2018 at 9:53 am
There are many reasons for the attendance including the losing, the heat, the prices etc BUT as long as Jameis is the QB, at least half of this town will not be coming.
I am not a Jameis hater but that is the reality. Tough position for ownership.
November 29th, 2018 at 10:59 am
This season has been another kick in the nuts. After 10 seasons I won’t be renewing next year. I mean, who wants to sit in the burning hot sun all day, pay $7 a beer, and have to drag their self into work the next morning (hungover) just to watch a bunch of over privileged and overpaid boys play with half ass effort. If they were WINNING it would be a different story, but Od rather do something else on Sunday. And that’s not even considering the ever increasing ticket prices.
November 29th, 2018 at 11:20 am
Lol! “But, but, but, but, but, you’re not a real fan if you don’t waste your hard-earned money on millionaires and billionaires“! LOL!!!
November 29th, 2018 at 11:22 am
Go to a fun sports bar watch the game have a great selection of great beers walk outside smoke a cigar or hang out on your front porch and invite friends over don’t waste your time with these primaddonnas
November 29th, 2018 at 11:24 am
It really is too bad the Bucs aren’t playing well because this is the best stadium and tailgate situation in the NFL IMO. I have been to several others including last week at MetLife just outside NYC. We have such an amazing setup here that cannot be appreciated without comparing it to other stadiums. I actually feel sorry for other teams fans who have no idea how good we have it here. Yes it’s nice staying at home but that’s what away games are for. I agree the September games are tough but while I was freezing my pom poms off at the Giants game I said to myself I wouldn’t complain about the heat again. Get off your arse, go to a game, enjoy being outside and around other people.
November 29th, 2018 at 11:42 am
It’s just a large rough patch the Bucs are attempting to navigate through. Stormy seas and such.
November 29th, 2018 at 11:54 am
I would love to free tickets to take my son to the came.
November 29th, 2018 at 1:52 pm
Fort Myers you are mistaken. The only two home games I was able to watch as a kid on TV were the Bears and Packers each year. That was obviously due to the opposing teams local fan base. I don’t remember a Vikings home game ever being televised during that ear. Bears and Packers were the two teams that drew big.
November 29th, 2018 at 2:41 pm
I remember 15 – 20 years ago we had a top 5 D year after year and would have all begged for a offense as potent like the one we have today. It’s unfortunate now we have the OTHER problem. Also, I’m tired of Jason Lichts drafts we’ve passed on many game changing defensive players!! Part ways with the GM and bring in a DC with a nasty edge. Go Bucs!!
November 29th, 2018 at 5:06 pm
Joe..its just deeyham hard to shell out cash to see these Bucs. Sure a kid or teen would enjoy the pro atmosphere. But us old timers would rather just watch’em on TV. That way, we can deown our sorrows in our fav beverages without driving or cursing all the way home. If I were the glazers, I’d give away quite a few freebies to ensure the stands did not look so empty. The NFL Direct-TV feed had parts of Ray Jay lookin like The..Tomb of Doom gainst them Niners.
November 29th, 2018 at 5:30 pm
ok so here’s the real issue…
our divisional opponent carolina panthers are consistently a poor drawer…i don’t know the exact reason for it – i’ve never really understood it – is it the uniforms, the disinterest in cam newton, or their lack of star power?…i really don’t know…but the panthers draw like sh!t…and after last weeks half empty stadium the higher ups are preparing for a low drawing panther’s disaster…last week the stadium was at best, half full…let’s be real, and not look at trumped up numbers – no pun intended…the panthers have always been an extremely low fan drawer and the stadium is often ghostly quiet when they come to town…it’s a real issue – watch the game replay last week…they cut the cameras away from the crowd quickly because the stadium was crazy empty…the glazers fear a 28k crowd floating about in ray jay this weekend and are trying to cover it up with the offering…usf is outdrawing the bucs and they have lost 5 in a row! – that’s wild!…there’s a real problem in tampa and it’s because of a solid decade of losing and shenanigans…anything you do for 10 years straight successfully is going to be impactful and reactive in culture and society…the bucs have been really successful at losing for a solid decade and are losing their core base fans, because we were all under the assumption that the early years of constant losing were just that, the early years…bucs fans simply just don’t have the urge to revisit it and relive it all over again…hence the past 10+ years