Bucs Gameday

Buccaneers Downgrade Stadium Capacity Following Tom Brady's Retirement

A lot can change in a year. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, losing Tom Brady as their quarterback comes with changes that stretch beyond just the field of play.

Collin Haalboom

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When Tom Brady chose to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent in 2020, the implications of his decision were monumental. 

Not just because the team went on to experience great success on the field — including a Super Bowl victory — but because the franchise immediately experienced an incredible surge in popularity.

New fans, primetime games, a massive hoard of social media followers, surging merchandise, and ticket sales, the list of benefits that came from signing the greatest quarterback of all time were extremely lucrative for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their owners.

READ MORE: Kurt Warner's Son Makes Debut With Bucs In Stadium Where He Played In Super Bowl XLIII

As a result, the team made the decision in 2022 to install 3,600 extra seats behind the end zone at Raymond James Stadium. The seating section was marketed as the 'Krewe's Nest', and it was one of many decisions made to try and accommodate the increased demand for tickets to see the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers live in action.

But when the Buccaneers took the field to play the Pittsburgh Steelers at home last Friday evening, Raymond James Stadium looked a little different. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided to backtrack on the additional seating that was added in 2022 in order to better suit the stadium's demand for tickets in 2023.

This isn't some sort of groundbreaking decision, though. In fact, it isn't surprising at all. With a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Buccaneers' roster — primarily the quarterback position — there has been a massive shadow of doubt cast on the team's chances at success this season.

Although many fans and local reporters have claimed that the team is being overlooked by the national media, it appears as though the fans who are willing to shell out their hard-earned money to watch the team play has decreased from a season ago.

READ MORE: ‘Nothing Has Been Said’ About Buccaneers Week 1 Starting Quarterback

But again, this is not a surprise. It's just another layer of reality for a team that no longer has the greatest quarterback in the history of the sport throwing touchdowns on Sundays.

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.