Blackout Tour On Sale For Opening Day
August 26th, 2011
Every Bucs fan hopes opening day against Detroit is sold out. But the reality is that it will take a minor miracle for that to happen 72 hours before kickoff in order to get the game on local TV.
So Joe has revived the Blackout Tour for the home opener on Sept. 11, to give Bucs fans an opportunity to watch the game live in HD-TV in Fort Myers at Lee Roy Selmon’s, if they can’t swing getting out to the game in Tampa.
Joe ran the Blackout Tour last season with his great partners at Paradise Worldwide Transportation. And this year the price has dropped and there will be stops in Tampa (Lee Roy Selmon’s near International Plaza) and at Derby Lane in St. Petersburg for the chauffeured luxury bus that will take fans fans to Fort Myers to catch the game.
The cost is only $22.95 per person, which includes roundtrip transportation and a FREE draft beer and a FREE plate of wings at Lee Roy Selmon’s in Fort Myers, plus free soft drinks on the bus.
Joe is pleased to offer this stunning deal. The Blackout Tour was a blast last year and is a fun, affordable way to catch the game. Visit BlackoutTour.com to grab your seat and get all the details. The luxury bus will sell out and another bus will NOT be added.
August 3rd, 2011 at 10:44 am
as a blackout tour member last year I really enjoyed it!! and hey Joe I remembered at one point you mentioned going to the jacksonville away game this year, were you still planning on doing that? I would love to go to a bucs road game! Thanks
August 3rd, 2011 at 10:58 am
awesome!
August 3rd, 2011 at 11:59 am
Don’t expect the ticket situation to improve Joe when two of the most recognizable faces on the Bucs, Ruud and Cadillac, departed in the same offseason. Especially Cadillac, who was loved by everyone in Tampa Bay. More rookies starting + no big name proven stars being brought in= blackouts. I feel sorry for you guys in Tampa, honestly I do.
August 4th, 2011 at 2:38 am
I’m So Going…. can’t go the first game tho.. It’s the one of only 3 games i get to go to this year. My father and I go to 3 games a year(we can’t afford season tickets). Just for the fun of it. We normally pick em out as soon as the schedule gets released. Before the draft and FA. that way it makes it a bit more exciting to see how story lines play out. Like 2 years ago we luckily picked the Greenbay game simply cuz a friend is a huge GB fan and we wanted to make fun of him for being able to go… Little did we know it was going to be a throw back game, Josh Freeman’s first start, and his first win. So i got to see the (hopefully) start of a legend in the making. Was my first ever live game also. Since then we’ve been making a point to be all aboard with the Bucs and see where this Ship sails.
August 15th, 2011 at 11:05 am
Maybe if the people on the bus went and bought a ticket to the actual game instead, we would be a little bit closer to actually selling out a game! Thanks for perpetuating and encouraging the cycle of blackouts Joe!
August 15th, 2011 at 11:27 am
Joe here,
@Joel — Get over yourself, dude. You’re nuts if you think the 25 or so people Joe will take to Fort Myers perpetuates blackouts. From experience, the people on the bus last year simply don’t have the cash to go to the stadium for EVERY game and enjoy the experience. Good luck getting a game ticket, a beer and some food and parking for $22.95. You pretty much need $50 minimum to experience a Bucs home game. And that’s doing it on the cheap…And there are a lot of people who can’t handle the walking and heat associated with a September game.
August 15th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
@Joe- It just seems silly to me to complain about how Tampa is unable to sell out a home game, then promote something that takes away potential ticket buyers from the stadium… Do I think that your 25 people will actually make a difference in preventing a blackout? No… But I do think that every person in the stands is getting us one step closer to our next sell-out. Go Bucs!
August 15th, 2011 at 3:23 pm
Joel:
Simply put, Paradise Worldwide Transportation and Lee Roy Selmon’s are both sponsors of Joe’s. Not all people have the means or even health to go to the games. Hence, The Blackout Tour. Joe really doesn’t see a connection between the Blackout Tour and the Bucs unable to sell out games. That’s like saying because a bar in south Tampa offers beer specials during Rays games means the establishment is keeping people from going to the Fruitdome.
Once again, Joe doesn’t make a red cent off The Blackout Tour.
Now if the Bucs want to sponsor a party bus from St. Petersburg to The CITS, the Bucs know how to reach Joe.
Joe knows of other places that are busing people from St. Petersburg to The CITS so you can’t lay blame to the blackouts on Joe.
August 15th, 2011 at 6:50 pm
I think the tour is great Joe, keep it up. I will be on my front porch, drinking beer, and driving the neighbors nuts…Last year I had to move my chimania out there to keep warm. I left some donations for the vets out, and they took the cminania too! I hope I can watch on TV this year during the cold months. I do go to a game or two a year, but I am low vision and heave to listen to the radio there too. I love the crazy feel of a live game though.
August 15th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
Joel,
Joe doesn’t work for the Bucs and is under no obligation to turn down an opportunity to both make a little profit and to get his name out there a little more in order to adhere to some misguided philosophy of “taking one for the team”. If the Bucs want to hire Joe to coordinate activities in such a manner to increase ticket sales so be it. Short of that, this is a free capitalistic individualistic country and he is free to conduct his business in whatever manner he sees fit to suit his own interests.
Get over it. This isn’t a communist country (yet) and no one is under any obligation to subvert their own desires & interests to a bigger corporate agenda. Your position is ridiculous and childish.
August 16th, 2011 at 12:24 am
FLBoyInDallas:
Thanks for having Joe’s back, but honestly, Joe doesn’t make a red cent off of The Blackout Tour.
August 16th, 2011 at 8:50 am
I live in the ft myers area and have read JBF for a couple of years. I think the blackout tour is an ingenious idea and if I lived in Tampa, I would certainly be trying to find any way I could to get to see the game live (including going to some of the games).
BUT I have to say when i read about the blackout tour it does cross my mind that you’re really not helping the anti-blackout cause. Sure 25 people on a bus is a drop in the bucket, but surely a lot more fans read your site and contemplate the idea/issue. You’re positioning yourself as a Bucs authority / uber-fan, yet you’re technically creating incentives for hometown fans to avoid the stadium on gameday. I understand these are people who otherwise probably wouldn’t go to the game, but I’m talking more about the principle of the situation…
We try to get to a couple games a season, and treasure it as a special opportunity. It’s hard to make it happen because of the drive and logistics. Decide on a game, get baby sitter, drive 2+ hours, tailgate, game, sober up, drive 2+ hours home, etc.
But it’s still worth it every time.
Sorry, but the thought of bussing serious Bucs fans out out of Tampa on game day just doesn’t sit well. I don’t know, there’s obviously no easy answer or they would have figured out how to get butts in the seats by now.
—
Jason
August 16th, 2011 at 10:35 am
Thanks Jason. My point exactly.
August 16th, 2011 at 10:52 am
Joe here,
@Jason & @Joel — You guys need to stop into reality.
First, anyone who spends roughly 6 hours traveling to and from a bus stop in the Bay area then to a sports bar in Fort Myers is a super hard core Bucs fan, unless they’re accompanying a friend. Don’t you think these people would go to the game if they could, rather than do that? It is mind-boggling to Joe that some of you can’t get that money is an issue for many people. For a lot of these riders, it’s The Blackout Tour or the radio.
Frankly, your energy should be directed at the NFL and the Bucs that PROHIBIT businesses like JoeBucsFan and sports bars and car dealerships, etc. from buying tickets and promoting ticket giveaways as part of marketing. … You know how many car dealers would jump at the chance to give away a $35 Bucs ticket to the next 50 people who test drive X car?
Joe can’t buy 100 tickets and run a contest giveaway here with a sponsor. You see any electronics retailer offering up a pair of Monday Night Football tickets to those who buy X big-screen TV in August?
Paradise Worldwide Transportation can’t promote a chance to win two Bucs tickets and a limo ride to the game if you join their e-mail list or like them on Facebook.
Directing your anger at Joe for helping people watch the game and enjoy their passion is preposterous, considering Joe is not permitted to engage in the alternative.
August 16th, 2011 at 11:07 am
Joe here,
To continue … When Joe saw three generations of men in a family on The Blackout Tour a couple of times, Joe knew he had done the right thing. These guys watch every Bucs game together as part of a family tradition, but they can’t afford to go to every game and huddling around a radio wouldn’t have been the same.
Then there’s the guy who called out Joe from the stands at training camp two weeks ago to specifically ask when the Blackout Tour would be back because he can only afford to do one or two live games a year.
Then there was the woman who did a couple of trips on The Blackout Tour last year after shoulder surgery. She had no desire to risk getting bumped into in the crowd at the stadium.
Then there’s a happy drunk guy on the Blackout Tour who rides solo with his cheap beer and decked out in Bucs gear. Every nickel counts to that guy, who never stops talking Bucs football.
Joe realizes readers can’t see that, but it should be obvious that the Blackout Tour doesn’t represent an opportunity to undermine ticket sales but an opportunity to help real fans.
August 16th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
I understand Joe and I’m not trying to point fingers or anything of the sort. Just sharing some of my (misplaced?) opinions on the matter. From what I understand the seats that need to be sold are “luxury” anyhow not us average “Joe” seats?
Admin says:
August 18th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Maybe im crazy but it seems like this would help folks who cant go to the game see the game.
Way to go Joe, i say.
August 19th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Joe its the Glazers and Buc organizations responsibility to get fans in the seats not yours. If their product isn’t selling well enough, they need to fix it. Not you. Good job with your tour.
August 19th, 2011 at 8:26 pm
Jason,
My Son and I HAD seasons tickets that cost us over 2200.00, last year. Though we are good at what we do, to say the Bad Tampa Economy has not effected us would be lying.
No WAY can my Son and I both go to the Tampa VS Detroit Game for under 50 dollars, and we would be listening on the radio, if not for this.
We are SO looking forward to meeting all our fellow Tampa Bay Fans on the Bus from JBF, and thankful to Joe for providing this affordable sports adventure opportunity for us.
We are the proud owners of 2 tickets:)
You just completed your payment. chris, you just completed your payment.
Your transaction ID for this payment is: 9LU60731B8782735P.
We’ll send a confirmation email to Ka7niq@Yahoo.com.
Thank You Joe !!!!!!!!!
August 19th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Joe, I am also president of a free, not for profit singles activity group here in Brandon http://www.facebook.com/groups/brandonsingles/ and posted this event there, in case some of our members (mostly women) want to go ?
LOL, our women are always asking “where are all the guys”, since we have 5 women to every guy in our group. I tell them the Men are doing what Men do, watching Tampa Football Games.
August 19th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
Joe here,
Thanks, Apple. President of the singles group. That should help you pull some action. 😉 There were a good handful of hotties on the trips last year.
August 26th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
Mixed feelings on the blackout tour. Nice for those who cannot afford to go, but ultimately, if the Low attendance continues for a couple more years, how long before the NFL and Glazers determine that Tampa Bay is no longer a viable pro football market and look for relocation options. I’m aware of the stadium lease, but that won’t ultimately prevent a move if the NFL/Glazers are willing to pay the damages from breaking the lease.
August 26th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
Yeah. Team Glazer will uproot the Bucs and spend countless millions of dollars in doing so because 29 people choose to ride to Fort Myers to watch Bucs games. 🙁
SMDH
August 26th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Apple Roof Cleaning…. I always thought you were the guy in the picture? Is this true?
August 26th, 2011 at 5:03 pm
Joe,
Nothing against helping the locals see the Bucs on TV. My bigger worry is the overall state of the Bay area economy. It would be nice if the Glazers came out publicly to express their ling term commitment to the area.
I know Gary Shelton wrote an article the other day saying the NFL should consider pay per view. By selling via pay per view and maybe over the Internet, NFL could make a lot more $$ then maybe lower ticket prices for those who want to be at the game.
Also, why don’t they show the Redzone channel in the stadium during timeouts. That would do a lot to improve the stadium experience IMO. Anyway, Joe, your work is much appreciated.
August 26th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
Joe here,
@Micronole — Why would the Glazers come out publicly about a long term commitment to the area? Considering they have been proactive in bringing Super Bowls here (2015 seems like a lock for Tampa), just built a major museum, built a new team facility and do all kinds of community stuff, that would be almost silly.
August 26th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Joe,
Come out publicly to put to rest media speculation about relocation. See link below:
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/08/26/some-think-bucs-should-move-to-l/
August 26th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Micronole:
THAT is an excellent question and Joe has heard this same complaint from long-time, diehard Bucs fans who have had season tickets since the old stadium was around.
Perhaps that will change with the new JumboTrons?
Joe has written many times The CITS needs a sports bar much like the Bud Zone in Jacksonville where all the games can be shown in an air conditioned area. Miami has built one such place as well for Whateverthehellthatstadiumiscallednow.
August 26th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Micronole:
Joe wrote once before, last year about this time, that the Bucs moving to London is silly.
August 27th, 2011 at 1:49 am
@ WeNeedADefensiveCoordinator , yes, that’s my ugly Mug in the picture, and a pretty girl I dated for a long time. Unfortunately (for me) she moved back to St Louis to be closer to her daughter and grandkids, leaving me single again.
August 28th, 2011 at 9:37 am
I have to say I strongly agree with Jason and Joel.
August 28th, 2011 at 9:39 am
You promote that Damn blackout tour too much.
August 28th, 2011 at 9:58 am
I’m all about it. Probably going to go at some point this year. Thanks for setting up this tour, Joe. Sounds like a lot of fun. Probably a lot more fun than paying over $100 to marinate in my own sweat stink at a 1pm game in September.
August 28th, 2011 at 10:25 am
Joe here,
@jdog — Joe works 24/7 to fire up Bucs fans and keep them addicted to their team, and that likely and hopefully drives their passion to buy tickets and support the Bucs. Thinking The Blackout Tour somehow undermines the team and the community is just stupid.
August 28th, 2011 at 11:31 am
Hey Joe first I’d like to say I love your site(best unofficial bucs fan site imo). I also generally agree with or respect your opinions. For some reason I see you promoting that blackout tour more than encouraging fans to go to game. It just Orlando me that fans would rather hop on a bus to ft meyers than spend 20 extra bucks to go to a game and support the BUCS. If u don’t have money for beer than don’t drink and eat before the game.
August 28th, 2011 at 11:33 am
I meant it irritates me not Orlando. Damn Droid!
September 11th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
I think the blackout Tour is GREAT! I would love for it to be availbale every game that is blacked out because Joe is right & every BUCS Fan can’t afford tix to the game. Blackout Tour 2011 Season…who’s with me?