Wanna see a full stadium? Just Win, because they will come

At last, photo proof that all the Bucs need to do is win to get fans to come in the door! With Raymond James never having experienced a non-sellout /blackout, we have to go back to the old sombrero; Tampa Stadium! First up, a photo from week 4 vs the Seattle Seahawks. The Bucs were 0-3 at this point, and had suffered through 13 losing seasons. You can clearly see the empty corners as well as the empty tops around the 50 yard line and around it. The announced attendance by the NFL was 30,212.

Now that was Tony Dungy’s first year. There was some optimism, but 0-3 is 0-3 any way you look at it. Now lets FF to 1997, the birth of Pewter Power…and opening day vs the 49ers. Despite what I’ve heard on the radio all week, the game was NOT a sellout, nor was it close. You can see some emptiness in the upper corners, as well as some space available in the upper level.

The announced attendance was 62,554, so with a 74,000 seat Tampa Stadium, thats not too bad at all, but you can see the empty seats, so announced attendance and actual are two different things here, clearly. Mind you, that was after all the excitement surrounding the new uniforms, and all the new shirts and merchandise that was being distributed all over the bay area. But nothing cures attendance woes like winning. Just three weeks later, at 3-0, the Bucs sell out the Miami game on TNT, and there are virtually NO seats in the corners or upper bowl area around the 50. The attendance: 73, 314. No corners, no top row, everyone, Bucs fan, Bandwagon fan, at the game cheering for the Bucs! Lets gets some wins starting today, and those games will be back on TV!