Followers and historians look again on Tampa Bay’s sports activities historical past after Bucs’ Tremendous Bowl providing

TAMPA, Florida – With the Bucs looking to race for the Lombardi Trophy, we can’t forget when the team last won the big game.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took home their first Super Bowl title at the end of the 2002 season. In the nearly 20 years since then, the Tampa Bay area has changed a lot.

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“If we go back to when the Tampa franchise first came here in 1976, the Bucs were seen as a means to give Tampa a national name,” said Brad Massey, public history curator for the Saunders Foundation at the Tampa Bay History Center. “A lot of people didn’t think of Tampa when they thought of Florida. Many Americans couldn’t find it on the map. “

Massey explains that Tampa changed in the early 2000s and many people were talking about redeveloping the downtown area, especially the waterfront. This area has now changed and will offer a Super Bowl experience along the Riverwalk in the coming days.

RELATED: The Free Super Bowl Experience opens on January 29th on Tampa’s Riverwalk

“I think your recent success really speaks for this ‘growing up’ in this city over the past 50 years or so,” said Massey.

On February 7th, the Buccaneers face Raymond James against the Kansas City Chiefs, with the Bucs making history in the Super Bowl.

“It’s great to think they’ll play in our hometown’s fifth Super Bowl, and for the first time in 55 years a home team will play when their community is hosting,” said Rob Higgins, the Tampa Bay Super Bowl President and CEO of the LV host committees.

Undoubtedly, it was a time of excitement for Tampa Bay sports fans that gave new meaning to the term “Titletown”.

“Literally every professional franchise here, from the Bucs to the Blitz to the Rowdies and the Rays, every one of them has made their most recent championship game,” Higgins said. “It just goes to show that the Tampa Bay team is on fire. We love to be up to date across the country and it’s just great to see these franchises make it to the top of their sport. “

Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, the Bucs are giving fans in the Tampa Bay area a reason to band together again.

“It’s really special to just see the passion and excitement for the playoffs of these Bucs and see them raise many spirits and our entire community goes out of their way to support them,” said Higgins.