History of Raymond James Stadium in Timeline
Raymond James Stadium, located in Tampa, Florida, opened in 1998 and serves as the home field for both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL) and the USF Bulls (college football). Its seating capacity is approximately 69,218, expandable to 75,000 for large events. Built as a replacement for Tampa Stadium with public funding, the stadium is recognizable for its prominent replica pirate ship situated behind the north end zone. Raymond James Financial maintains the naming rights to the stadium.
1995: New Ownership Declares Tampa Stadium Inadequate
In 1995, shortly after purchasing the Buccaneers, Malcolm Glazer deemed the then-28-year-old Tampa Stadium insufficient and began lobbying for a replacement.
September 3, 1996: Community Investment Tax Approved
On September 3, 1996, the Community Investment Tax passed with 53% of the vote. However, the Buccaneers' offer to pay half of the stadium costs was withdrawn, and the facility was built entirely with public funds.
1996: Community Investment Tax Proposed
In early 1996, Tampa and Hillsborough County proposed a Community Investment Tax to fund public improvements, including a new stadium for the Buccaneers. A referendum on the tax increase was scheduled for September.
June 1998: Naming Rights Bought by Raymond James Financial
In June 1998, Raymond James Financial purchased the naming rights to the stadium for $32.5 million.
September 20, 1998: Stadium Officially Opens
On September 20, 1998, Raymond James Stadium officially opened with a Buccaneers victory over the Chicago Bears.
1998: Stadium Opening
In 1998, Raymond James Stadium officially opened as the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and USF Bulls, replacing Tampa Stadium. The stadium's most recognizable feature is the replica pirate ship.
1998: Naming Rights Deal with Raymond James Financial
In 1998, a 13-year naming rights agreement was reached with Raymond James Financial for the stadium.
March 20, 1999: First Major League Soccer Match
On March 20, 1999, Raymond James Stadium hosted its first Major League Soccer match after the Tampa Bay Mutiny relocated.
1999: Tampa Bowl
Since 1999, Raymond James Stadium has been the home of the annual Tampa Bowl.
September 9, 2001: Tampa Bay Mutiny's Last Home Match
On September 9, 2001, the Tampa Bay Mutiny played their last home match at Raymond James Stadium, a 2–1 loss to the Columbus Crew.
2001: Super Bowl XXXV
In 2001, Raymond James Stadium hosted Super Bowl XXXV.
April 2003: Ownership Transfer Proposal
In April 2003, the Tampa Sports Authority proposed transferring ownership of Raymond James Stadium to Hillsborough County to avoid property taxes.
December 2003: Stadium Declared a Condominium
In December 2003, Hillsborough County legally declared Raymond James Stadium a condominium and took ownership, granting the Buccaneers ownership of portions of the structure in exchange for the county refunding the team's property tax payments annually.
2003: Lawsuit Filed Over Seat Fading
In 2003, the Buccaneers pleaded with the TSA to sue Hussey Seating due to the seats fading.
2003: Rotating Trilon Billboards Installed
In 2003, the corner billboards in the stadium were replaced with rotating trilon billboards.
May 2004: Hussey Seating Initially Denies Responsibility
In May 2004, after testing samples of the seats, Hussey Seating initially denied responsibility for the fading seats at Raymond James Stadium.
October 22, 2006: Largest Crowd Prior to Temporary Seating
On October 22, 2006, the Buccaneers game against the Philadelphia Eagles had the largest crowd (65,808) at Raymond James Stadium prior to the installation of temporary seating.
2006: Seat Replacement Completed
In 2006, all of the faded seats at Raymond James Stadium were replaced with new ones after a $1.5 million agreement with Hussey Seating.
2006: Naming Rights Deal Extended
In 2006, the naming rights deal with Raymond James Financial was extended for 10 years.
2008: ACC Championship Game
In 2008, Raymond James Stadium hosted the ACC Championship Game.
2009: Second-Best Turf in the NFL
According to a 2009 biannual players' survey, Raymond James Stadium was ranked as having the second-best turf in the NFL.
2009: Super Bowl XLIII
In 2009, Raymond James Stadium hosted Super Bowl XLIII.
2009: U2 Concert
In 2009, Raymond James Stadium hosted a U2 concert with the largest attendance of 72,000 people.
June 8, 2012: USMNT World Cup Qualifying Match
On June 8, 2012, Raymond James Stadium hosted the United States men's national soccer team's opening qualifying match against Antigua and Barbuda for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which the United States won 3–1.
2014: World Cup Qualifying Match
In 2014, Raymond James Stadium hosted a United States men's national soccer team's opening qualifying match against Antigua and Barbuda for the FIFA World Cup.
September 2015: Renegotiations for Renovations
In September 2015, negotiations for Raymond James Stadium renovations were extended by Buccaneers lawyers demanding additional concessions.
December 2015: Renovation Agreement Reached
In December 2015, an agreement was reached between the Buccaneers and the Tampa Sports Authority for over $100 million in stadium improvements and renovations.
January 2016: Renovations Begin
In January 2016, renovations began on Raymond James Stadium, with the first phase completed in time for the 2016 football season.
2016: Clemson vs Alabama Championship
In 2016, Clemson and Alabama faced each other in the championship.
2016: Naming Rights Deal Extended
In 2016, a contract extension was signed, extending the naming rights deal with Raymond James Financial through 2028.
2016: Video Displays Replace Trilon Billboards
In 2016, high visibility video displays replaced the rotating trilon billboards in Raymond James Stadium.
2016: Video Displays Replaced
In 2016, the 2,200-square-foot "Buc Vision" video displays were replaced with larger 9,600-square-foot HD video boards.
2016: Extensive Facelift
In early 2016, Raymond James Stadium underwent an extensive facelift, including the replacement of video displays and upgrades to the sound system and luxury boxes.
2017: College Football Playoff National Championship Hosted
In 2017, Raymond James Stadium hosted the College Football Playoff National Championship, with Clemson defeating Alabama in a rematch of the 2016 championship. The attendance of 74,512 was the largest crowd for a football game in stadium history.
October 11, 2018: Colombia vs. USMNT Soccer Match
On October 11, 2018, the Colombia men's national soccer team played against the United States men's national soccer team, winning 4–2. This game set the current attendance record of 38,361 for a soccer match at Raymond James Stadium.
2018: Agreement for Home Game at Another Site
Beginning in the 2018 season, as part of an agreement for stadium renovations, the Buccaneers were granted the right to play a home game at another site.
2018: Gasparilla Bowl
Since 2018, Raymond James Stadium has been the home of the annual Gasparilla Bowl.
March 11, 2020: WWE show with fans in live attendance
On March 11, 2020, WWE hosted their last show with fans in attendance for over a year.
January 2021: WrestleMania 37 Announcement
In January 2021, WWE announced that Raymond James Stadium would host WrestleMania 37 on April 10 and 11, 2021. This event was originally announced as being hosted by SoFi Stadium.
April 2021: WrestleMania 37
In April 2021, Raymond James Stadium hosted WrestleMania 37.
2021: Super Bowl LV
In 2021, Raymond James Stadium hosted Super Bowl LV, where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became the first team in NFL history to play and win a Super Bowl on their home field.
2022: Temporary Seats Added for 2022 Season
Before the 2022 season, temporary seats were added to Raymond James Stadium, raising the capacity to 69,218. These seats were later removed following Tom Brady's retirement.
2022: Installation of Temporary Seating
In 2022, temporary bleachers were erected in the south endzone of Raymond James Stadium, raising the stadium's capacity by approximately 3,600 additional seats.
October 15, 2023: Largest Crowd Since Removal of Temporary Seating
On October 15, 2023, the largest crowd (65,854) since the removal of temporary seating in 2023 was recorded during the Buccaneers game against the Detroit Lions.
February 14, 2025: Orlando City SC vs. Inter Miami CF Preseason Game
On February 14, 2025, Major League Soccer returned to Raymond James Stadium for a preseason game between Orlando City SC and Inter Miami CF. The game ended in a 2–2 draw with 42,017 fans in attendance.
February 1, 2026: 2026 NHL Stadium Series
On February 1, 2026, Raymond James Stadium will host the 2026 NHL Stadium Series game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins, marking one of Florida's first outdoor NHL games.
2027: Naming Rights Deal Expiration
The naming rights deal with Raymond James Financial is set to expire in 2027.
2028: Naming Rights Deal Extended
The contract extension signed in 2016 extends the naming rights deal with Raymond James Financial through 2028.
2029: Future College Football Playoff National Championship
In 2029, Raymond James Stadium will host its second College Football Playoff National Championship, replacing the original host AT&T Stadium.
