View source for Tampa Stadium

{{Short description|Demolished stadium in Florida, USA}}
{{For|its successor|Raymond James Stadium}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Tampa Stadium
| nickname = ''The Big Sombrero''
| image = [[Image:Tampa Stadium1.jpg|250px]]
| caption = Tampa (Houlihan's) Stadium in early 1999
| fullname = Tampa Stadium
| address = 4201 N Dale Mabry Hwy
| location = [[Tampa, Florida]]
| coordinates = {{coord|27|58|44|N|82|30|13|W|type:landmark_region:US-FL|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = October 9, 1966
| opened = November 4, 1967
| expanded = December 4, 1974 – June 5, 1975
| renovated = 1983, 1990
| closed = September 13, 1998
| demolished = April 11, 1999
| owner = Tampa Sports Authority
| operator = Tampa Sports Authority
| surface = [[Bermuda grass]]
| construction_cost = US$4.4 million<br />(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|4400000|1967}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})<br />US$13 million (renovations)<br />(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|13000000|1983}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect = Watson & Company Architects, Engineers & Planners
| general_contractor = Jones-Mahoney Construction Co.<ref>{{cite news |title=Local $ Needed For Stadium|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19660728&id=SnYxAAAAIBAJ&pg=3377,4296157|newspaper=[[St. Petersburg Times]]|date=July 28, 1966|access-date=March 31, 2012}}</ref>
| former_names = Tampa Stadium (November 4, 1967 – December 28, 1995)<br />[[Houlihan's]] Stadium (January 16, 1996 – April 11, 1999)
| seating_capacity = 46,481 (original)<br />74,301 (final)
| tenants = [[Tampa Spartans football|Tampa Spartans]] ([[NCAA]]) (1967–1974)<br />[[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] ([[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|NASL]] / independent / [[American Soccer League (1988–89)|ASL]] / [[American Professional Soccer League|APSL]]) (1975–1986, 1988–1990, 1993)<br />[[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] ([[National Football League|NFL]]) (1976–1997)<br />[[Tampa Bay Bandits]] ([[United States Football League|USFL]]) (1983–1985)<br />[[Outback Bowl]] ([[NCAA]]) (1986–1998)<br />[[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] ([[Major League Soccer|MLS]]) (1996–1998)<br />[[South Florida Bulls football|South Florida Bulls]] ([[NCAA]]) (1997)
}}

'''Tampa Stadium''' (nicknamed '''The Big Sombrero''' and briefly known as '''Houlihan's Stadium''') was a large open-air [[stadium]] (maximum capacity about 74,000) located in [[Tampa, Florida]], which opened in 1967 and was significantly expanded in 1974–75. The facility is most closely associated with the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] of the [[National Football League]], who played there from their establishment in [[1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|1976]] until [[1997 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|1997]]. It also hosted two [[Super Bowl]]s, in [[Super Bowl XVIII|1984]] and [[Super Bowl XXV|1991]], as well as the 1984 USFL Championship Game. To meet the revenue demands of the Buccaneers' new owners, [[Raymond James Stadium]] was built nearby in 1998, and Tampa Stadium was demolished in early 1999.

Besides the Bucs, Tampa Stadium was home to the [[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] of the original [[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|North American Soccer League]], the [[Tampa Bay Bandits]] of the [[United States Football League]], the [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] of [[Major League Soccer]], and the [[college football]] programs of the [[Tampa Spartans football|University of Tampa]] and the [[South Florida Bulls football|University of South Florida]]. It also hosted many large concerts, and for a time, it held the record for the largest audience to ever see a single artist when a crowd of almost 57,000 witnessed a [[Led Zeppelin]] show in the facility in 1973.

==Origin and design==

===Pre-history and construction===
The land on which Tampa Stadium was situated had been the perimeter of [[Drew Field]], a World War II-era airfield which was the precursor to [[Tampa International Airport]]. In 1949, the city of [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]] bought a {{convert|720|acre|adj=on}} grassy parcel between the airport and [[West Tampa]] from the federal government with the idea of eventually building a community sports complex.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tampapix.com/tampa1940s4.htm|title=Tampa in the 1940s page 4|website=www.tampapix.com}}</ref><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wMhOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Fk4DAAAAIBAJ&dq=drew-field%20tampa%20land&pg=2037%2C3866632 "Big Deeds Need Big Plans"] ''St. Pete Times'', June 9, 1949</ref> [[Al Lopez Field]] was the first phase of the project, opening in 1955. However, further development stalled for several years after that.

Though the city of Tampa already had a long history with amateur and minor league professional sports and had undergone tremendous growth after World War 2, it did not yet have a modern football stadium as the 1960s began. The two largest extant venues were both located across the [[Hillsborough River (Florida)|Hillsborough River]] from [[downtown Tampa|downtown]]: [[Plant Field]], which had been built in the 1890s and consisted of a single grandstand and a large open field, and [[Phillips Field (Florida)|Phillips Field]], which had been built in the 1930s as the home of the [[Tampa Spartans football|University of Tampa's football team]]. Some of Tampa's civic leaders began to discuss plans for attracting an expansion or relocated [[Professional gridiron football|professional football]] franchise to the area by the early 1960s and arranged an exhibition game between the [[American Football League]]'s [[Buffalo Bills]] and [[New York Jets]] at Phillips Field on August 8, 1964. Though temporary bleachers were installed to increase capacity to 17,000, actual attendance was less than 6000.<ref>Bill Kirby, "Only 5,827 See AFL Duel," Tampa Tribune, August 9, 1964, 1-C</ref> Realizing that the venue was too small and primitive to support a professional football franchise, the city decided to construct a large modern football facility which could be used by the Tampa Spartans in the short term and could be expanded to serve as the home field for an NFL or AFL franchise in the future.<ref>[http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/comments/tampa-football-all-began-at-phillips-field/ "Tampa football all began at Phillips Field"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716195149/http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/comments/tampa-football-all-began-at-phillips-field/ |date=2011-07-16 }} ''The Tampa Tribune''</ref>

Construction of Tampa Stadium began in the fall of 1966 just beyond the left field wall of Al Lopez Field, which was by then the home of the [[Tampa Tarpons]] of the [[Florida State League]] and the spring training home of the [[Cincinnati Reds]]. The plot purchased by the city in 1949 was large enough to host separate football and baseball venues, training facilities for the Reds, and several acres of parking spaces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tampasportsauthority.com/tsa/timeline.htm|title=Tampa Sports Authority<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=January 8, 2008|archive-date=May 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528010732/http://www.tampasportsauthority.com/tsa/timeline.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Original design===
When it opened in 1967, Tampa Stadium consisted of a matching pair of large [[arch]]-shaped [[concrete]] [[grandstand]]s with open endzones. The seating consisted of long, backless [[aluminum]] benches that were accessed via short tunnels ([[vomitorium|vomitoria]]) which connected the seating area to wide, open [[concourse]]s at the rear of the grandstands. The benches were arranged in two large tiers divided by a horizontal walkway about halfway up the grandstands. The slope of the grandstands was relatively steep, giving every seat a direct and unobstructed view of the field. The official capacity was 46,481, though temporary [[bleachers]] could be placed in one or both endzones if needed.<ref name="originalcap">{{cite news |title=Redskins Regain Beban For Exhibition at Tampa|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WTsgAAAAIBAJ&pg=5424,708448&dq=en|newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|date=August 4, 1968}}</ref>

===Expansions and renovations===
{|class="wikitable" style="float:right;"
|+ <big>'''Tampa Stadium Capacity'''</big>
! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"| Years
! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"| Official capacity 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"| 1967–1975
| 46,481<ref name="originalcap"/> 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"| 1976–1978
| 71,951<ref name="originalcap"/> 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"| 1979–1981
| 72,126<ref>{{cite news |title=Tampa Stadium Sold Out|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uFAfAAAAIBAJ&pg=3235,3736753&dq=en|newspaper=Daytona Beach Morning Journal|date=August 10, 1979}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"| 1982–1984
| 72,812<ref>{{cite news|title=Detroit Has a Gay Day at Sacking Tampa Bay|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MP8sAAAAIBAJ&pg=5805,3951683&dq=en|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=September 5, 1983}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"| 1985–1988
| 74,315<ref>{{cite news |title=Bucs' Season-Ticket Sales Dip Sharply|author=David Steele|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BXNQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6356,3814777&dq=en|newspaper=The Evening Independent|date=August 15, 1986}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"| 1989–1992
| 74,296<ref>{{cite news |title=Buccaneers|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UEpWAAAAIBAJ&pg=1858,8977022&dq=en|newspaper=Gainesville Sun|date=September 26, 1989}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"| 1993–1998
| 74,301<ref>{{cite news |title=Ticket Sales Up With Threat of Bucs Move|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bzUdAAAAIBAJ&pg=6858,1955532&dq=en|newspaper=The Tuscaloosa News|date=December 21, 1994}}</ref>
|}
Tampa Stadium underwent an extensive expansion project in 1974–1975 after the city was awarded an NFL expansion team. Over 27,000 seats were added by completely enclosing the open [[end zone]]s with seating areas that blended into the existing two-tiered grandstands and created two walkways that completely encircled the seating bowl at ground level and about 40 rows up. The finished stadium had the largest capacity in the NFL (71,908)<ref name="expansion">{{cite news |title=Bucs Return to Scene of First Victory|author=Ron Martz|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q2pQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6428,2691084&dq=en|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|date=August 19, 1978}}</ref> and was not in the shape of a simple bowl. The top of the stadium was in the shape of a wave which was highest at the center of the two sideline grandstands and gently sloped downward to a rounded corner where it met the endzone sections, which were a little more than half as tall. Much later, the stadium was dubbed "The Big [[Sombrero]]" by [[ESPN]]'s [[Chris Berman]] for the unique undulating hat / wave shape created by the 1975 expansion.

The last major renovation took place in the early 1980s when, in preparation for its first [[Super Bowl]] in January [[1984 Super Bowl|1984]], the [[press box]] atop the west grandstand was expanded and updated and a large new suite of [[luxury box]]es was added atop the east grandstand. This configuration gave the facility its maximum [[seating capacity]] of 74,301.

For the [[1990 NFL season|1990]] season which culminated in the stadium's second Super Bowl, large flagpoles were mounted on the upper rim of the stadium as part of a stadium update that included the addition of a [[JumboTron]] screen in the south end zone and smaller scoreboards above the field-level tunnels in two corners of the stadium. The poles were used to fly large flags for each of the NFL's teams until [[1997 NFL season|1997]], when the Buccaneers adopted a uniform redesign featuring a red flag on their helmets. Large versions of the flag were hoisted on the stadium's flagpoles when the Buccaneers penetrated their opponents' 20-yard line. The franchise continued this practice when it moved to [[Raymond James Stadium]] next door a year later.

===Playing surface===
Over the lifetime of Tampa Stadium, the natural grass turf consisted of several varieties of [[Bermuda grass]], most notably Tifway 419. The playing surface was consistently one of the best in the NFL, and was regularly named a players' favorite in surveys conducted by the [[National Football League Players Association]].<ref name="goodfooting">{{Cite web |url=http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-1/Good-Footing/69e793c6-df1d-4f7f-9304-0ffa0bac507f |title=Good Footing |date=4 February 2011 |access-date=10 August 2016 |website=buccaneers.com}}</ref><ref name="turfexpert">{{Cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LucbAAAAIBAJ&pg=6770%2C209500 |title=Field in Tampa Stadium Draw Raves from Expert |date=21 January 1984 |work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |access-date=10 Aug 2016 |via=AP}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=On the Field-A team Update|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34591438/|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|page=28|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=January 29, 1999|access-date=August 5, 2019}}{{Open access}}</ref>

===Heat===
The minimalist bowl design of Tampa Stadium lowered construction and maintenance costs and allowed for very good sight lines, but the lack of a roof or overhang of any kind also exposed both spectators and players to the full brunt of Tampa's [[Climate of the Tampa Bay Area|subtropical climate]]. This was especially true after the stadium was fully enclosed for the Buccaneers' 1976 inaugural season, cutting off breezes which had flowed through the open endzones.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IAgnAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eF0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6798%2C675555 "Florida Heat is Tampa Bay's Real Home Field Advantage"] ''St. Pete Times'', Aug. 25, 1976</ref>  The structure was built almost exclusively of [[concrete]]. The exterior walls were painted light tan or white or left bare, which reflected heat and light, and the seating consisted of long aluminum benches which became very hot to the touch.<ref>{{cite news |title=TAMPA STADIUM MEMORABLE MOMENTS |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/09/11/memorable-moments/ |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=September 11, 1998 |language=en}}</ref>

While fans could retreat under the grandstands to the shade of the wide concourses where concessions and restrooms were located, players and personnel on the field had no such recourse. Cooling equipment was usually placed near the sideline benches.  On hot days, usually at the beginning of the season, the Buccaneers usually chose to wear their white jerseys at home, as NFL home teams choose whether to wear their team color or white uniforms.<ref>{{Cite web | title=NFL Rulebook {{!}} NFL Football Operations | url=https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/nfl-rulebook/ | access-date=2025-08-18 | website=operations.nfl.com}}</ref>  This forced their opponents to suffer in their darker (and hotter) jerseys. During the summer and early autumn, events in the stadium were often scheduled in the evening hours to avoid the often oppressive afternoon heat and humidity. In another nod to local weather, the natural grass playing surface was highly crowned to provide rapid drainage during Tampa's intense thunderstorms, with the sidelines almost 18 inches lower than the center of the field.

==Sporting history==
{{See also|Sports in the Tampa Bay area}}

===First tenants===

==== University of Tampa Spartans ====
{{Main|Tampa Spartans football}}
Tampa Stadium was completed just in time to host its first sporting event – a football game between the [[University of Tampa#Athletics|University of Tampa Spartans]] and the #3 ranked [[Tennessee Volunteers football|University of Tennessee Volunteers]] on November 4, 1967.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wMhOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Fk4DAAAAIBAJ&dq=drew-field%20tampa%20land&pg=2037%2C3866632 "D-Day Arrives for Tampa"] ''St. Pete Times'', Nov. 4, 1967</ref> While the Spartans lost that game 38-0, they would enjoy later success in their new home, moving up to [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|Division I football]] in 1971, defeating several established programs, and sending several players to the NFL, including [[Freddie Solomon]] and [[John Matuszak]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2009-01-25/sports/tampau25_1_university-of-tampa-tampa-spartans-tampa-bay |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727182158/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2009-01-25/sports/tampau25_1_university-of-tampa-tampa-spartans-tampa-bay |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 27, 2011 |title=University of Tampa Spartans used to be the toast of the town|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=2009-01-25 |access-date=2010-01-18}}</ref> However, university officials were unsure of continued community support after Tampa was awarded an NFL expansion franchise. "Tampa U" president [[B. D. Owens]] ended the football program after the 1974 season, saying that the school would face bankruptcy if it had to subsidize the sport.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ut.edu/uploadedFiles/Alumni,_Development/UT_Journals/UTJournalWinter07.pdf|title=''UT Journal'' – Winter 2007 – ut.edu}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==== Tampa Bay Rowdies ====
{{Main|Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993)}}
The [[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]] were the stadium's first professional tenant, starting play in 1975 and winning their only (outdoor) championship in their inaugural season. (The team also won several [[indoor soccer]] championships playing at the [[Bayfront Center]] across [[Tampa Bay]] in [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]].)

The Rowdies played their home games in Tampa Stadium every summer until the [[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|original North American Soccer League]] disbanded in 1984. Subsequently, the Rowdies continued on, first as an independent team, then in other leagues ([[American Soccer League (1988–89)|ASL]], [[American Professional Soccer League|APSL]]) and used the stadium every year through 1990. In 1991 and 1992 they moved across town to the smaller [[USF Soccer Stadium]], before returning to Tampa Stadium in 1993 for their final season of play in the APSL.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-06-23/sports/9103050225_1_strikers-tampa-bay-rowdies-tampa-goalie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002045824/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-06-23/sports/9103050225_1_strikers-tampa-bay-rowdies-tampa-goalie |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 2, 2013 |title=Strikers Look Bad, But Still Sneak By Rowdies 1-0|work=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|first=Jeff|last=Rusnak|date=1991-06-23|access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://mytampabayrowdies.blogspot.com/2010/04/rowdies-memorabilia-1992-rowdies-season.html | title=TAMPA BAY ROWDIES APPRECIATION BLOG (1975 to 1993): Rowdies Memorabilia - 1992 Rowdies Season Ticket Pamphlet| date=2010-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1993-06-13/sports/9301180462_1_rowdies-goal-paul-dougherty |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220113738/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1993-06-13/sports/9301180462_1_rowdies-goal-paul-dougherty |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 20, 2014 |title=Eichmann Nets 2 In Striker Victory First Half At Tampa Gets Rowdy|work=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|first=Dave|last=Brousseau|date=1993-06-13|access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref>

===NFL expansion===
====Exhibition games====
After the disappointing turnout at Phillips Field for an AFL preseason game back in 1964, the city was eager to showcase its new stadium in the hopes of attracting a professional franchise and organized a dozen exhibition games in Tampa Stadium in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The first of these was a preseason game between the NFL's [[Atlanta Falcons]] and [[Washington Redskins]] in August 1968 that almost sold out the larger venue, and preseason matchups over subsequent seasons similarly drew large and enthusiastic crowds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucpower.com/crawford9.html |title=Bucpower.Com |publisher=Bucpower.Com |access-date=2010-01-18}}</ref> In 1972, the [[Baltimore Colts]] trained at Leto High School, West of Tampa, in unincorporated Hillsborough County during the preseason and played all three of their exhibition games in Tampa Stadium to large crowds.<ref name="coltstampa">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/02/29/archives/colts-plan-workout-in-tampa-add-fuel-to-baltimore-story.html?_r=0 |title=Colts plan workout in Tampa, add fuel to Baltimore story |last=Wallace |first=William N. |date=29 February 1972 |work=The New York Times |access-date=10 August 2016}}</ref>

These preseason games gave NFL owners and officials ample opportunity to assess the Tampa Bay area and the stadium, and on April 24, 1974, Tampa was awarded an NFL expansion team to begin play in the [[1976 National Football League season|1976 season]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jan/31/co-tampa-bay-proves-its-winning-way/ |title=Tampa Bay Proves Its Winning Way |publisher=.tbo.com |date=2009-01-31 |access-date=2010-01-18}}</ref>

====Tampa Bay Buccaneers====
{{Main|Tampa Bay Buccaneers}}
The Buccaneers' first regular season home game was held on September 19, [[1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|1976]], when the Buccaneers lost to the [[1976 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]] 23-0. That would become a trend, as the team began their existence with an NFL-record 26-game losing streak. They would not win a game on their home field until defeating the [[1977 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season|St. Louis Cardinals]] on the last game of the following season, December 18, [[1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|1977]]. Jubilant fans swarmed the Tampa Stadium turf and tore down the [[goal (sport)|goal posts]].<ref>Mizell, Hubert. "At last! A Tampa Stadium victory celebration". ''St. Petersburg Times''. 19 Dec 1977</ref>  After the game, head coach John McKay famously quipped “three or four plane crashes, and we’re in the playoffs” <ref>{{Cite web | title=The Wit of John McKay | url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/the-wit-of-john-mckay-2183573 | access-date=2025-08-18 | website=www.buccaneers.com}}</ref>

The Buccaneers had improved enough by the [[1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|1979]] season to host the [[1979–80 NFL playoffs#NFC: Los Angeles Rams 9, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0|NFC Championship Game]], which they lost 9-0 to the [[1979 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]]. The Buccaneers played 18 additional seasons in the facility but struggled through most of them. They would only host one more playoff game on their original home turf: an [[1997–98 NFL playoffs#NFC: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20, Detroit Lions 10|NFC Wild Card Game]] versus the [[1997 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]] on December 28, [[1997 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|1997]], which they won 20-10. This would be the last game the team ever played in Tampa Stadium, as they moved next door to Raymond James Stadium in [[1998 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|1998]].

====Krewe of Honor====
{{Main|Tampa Bay Buccaneers#Tampa Stadium Krewe of Honor}}

In 1991, the organization initiated the "Krewe of Honor", which featured a mural of the first class of three members.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1991/12/05/tampa-initiates-krewe-of-honor/|title=Tampa Initiates Krewe Of Honor|publisher=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|work=Tampa Bay|first=Ed|last=Werder|date=1991-12-05|access-date=2011-11-17}}</ref> Quarterback Doug Williams was inducted September 6, 1992 and owner Hugh Culverhouse on September 5, 1993. No additional members were added before Tampa Stadium was closed and demolished.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"|Tampa Stadium Krewe of Honor
|-
! style="width:40px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"|Year
! style="width:40px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"|No.
! style="width:150px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"|Name
! style="width:40px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"|Position
! style="width:100px; {{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Tampa Bay Buccaneers 76thru96}};"|Tenure
|-
|rowspan=3|1991 || 63 || [[Lee Roy Selmon]] || [[Defensive end|DE]] || 1976–1984 
|-
| — || [[John McKay (football coach)|John McKay]] || Head Coach || 1976–1984
|-
| 42 || [[Ricky Bell (running back)|Ricky Bell]] || [[Running back|RB]] || 1977–1981
|-
| 1992 || 12 || [[Doug Williams (quarterback)|Doug Williams]] || [[Quarterback|QB]] || 1978–1982
|-
| 1993 || — || [[Hugh Culverhouse]] || Owner || 1976–1994
|}

====Houlihan's Stadium====
[[Malcolm Glazer]] also acquired naming rights to Tampa Stadium when he purchased the Buccaneers in 1995. In October of that year, he had the [[Houlihan's]] [[restaurant]] chain, another business in his portfolio, pay the Bucs $10 million for those rights. This resulted in the official name of the facility being changed to "Houlihan's Stadium" in 1996 and in Glazer being sued by Houlihan's stockholders, who were not happy about purchasing stadium naming rights in an area in which the chain had no restaurants.<ref>[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/21388373.html?dids=21388373:21388373&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+02%2C+1995&author=JEFF+TESTERMAN&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&desc=Stockholder+sues+Glazer+over+%2418-million+deal&pqatl=google "Stockholder sue Glazer"]{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} ''St. Pete Times'', Dec. 2, 1995</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20120724134136/http://www.businessweek.com/archives/1996/b3496092.arc.htm "Is Zapata the Glazers' Toy?"] ''Bloomberg BusinessWeek'', Oct. 7, 1996</ref>

===Other tenants and events===
Tampa Stadium was the home field for several additional teams and hosted a wide variety of events during its lifetime.

====Home teams====
[[File:Tampa Stadium last event.jpg|right|thumb|225px|Promotional poster for the final event at Tampa Stadium – a soccer match between the [[MLS]] [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] and the [[MetroStars]].]]
* From 1983 to 1985, the [[Tampa Bay Bandits]], one of the 12 original [[United States Football League|USFL]] franchises, were the stadium's third professional tenant. The Bandits enjoyed strong ticket sales and fan support and were one of only two USFL teams (the Birmingham Stallions being the other) to stay in their original city and stadium and have the same head coach (former [[Florida Gators]] and Bucs quarterback [[Steve Spurrier]]) for the league's three seasons. However. the Bandits folded along with the USFL after the 1985 season.
* The [[USF Bulls football|University of South Florida Bulls football team]] played its initial season at the stadium in 1997, becoming the stadium's second and final collegiate tenant. The Bulls would play the final football game at the stadium on September 12, 1998, defeating [[Valparaiso Crusaders|Valparaiso]] 51-0 before moving to Raymond James Stadium for their next home game on October 3, 1998.
* [[Major League Soccer]] placed one of its original teams in Tampa in 1996. The [[Tampa Bay Mutiny]] were the stadium's fourth and final professional tenant. The Mutiny used the stadium as their home field for their first three seasons, and moved to [[Raymond James Stadium]] in 1999. They hosted the last sporting event at the stadium on September 13, 1998, when they defeated the [[New York Red Bulls|New York MetroStars]] 2-1 in front of 27,957 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.mlsnet.com/history/archive_game.jsp?year=98&content=0913mettb |title=Major League Soccer: History: Games |publisher=Web.mlsnet.com |access-date=2010-01-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119064924/http://web.mlsnet.com/history/archive_game.jsp?year=98&content=0913mettb |archive-date=January 19, 2010 }}</ref>

====Sporting events====
* Tampa Stadium hosted two [[Super Bowl]]s. [[Super Bowl XVIII]] in which the [[Los Angeles Raiders]] defeated the [[Washington Redskins]] 38–9, took place on  January 22, 1984. [[Super Bowl XXV]], in which the [[New York Giants]] beat the [[Buffalo Bills]] 20–19 in what was the closest Super Bowl game ever, took place on January 27, 1991. Tampa Stadium is one of seven stadiums that had hosted a Super Bowl that are no longer standing (the other six are [[Tulane Stadium]], demolished in 1980; [[Stanford Stadium]], in 2006; the [[Miami Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]], in 2008; the [[Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome|Metrodome]], in 2014; the [[Georgia Dome]], in 2017, the [[Pontiac Silverdome]], in 2018, and [[SDCCU Stadium|Jack Murphy Stadium]] in 2021). Subsequent Super Bowls in Tampa have been played at [[Raymond James Stadium]].
* The [[Pro Bowl|NFL Pro Bowl]] was held at Tampa Stadium on January 29, [[1978 Pro Bowl|1978]], two years before the game began a 30-year residency in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]].
* Though the [[University of Florida]] is approximately {{convert|120|mi}} north in [[Gainesville, Florida|Gainesville]], a strong local alumni base persuaded the [[Florida Gators football]] team to schedule nine regular season games in Tampa Stadium between 1968 and 1989.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GMIwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KFwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6317%2C302718 "52,000 Seen for '68 Debut in Stadium"] ''St. Pete Times'', September 21, 1968</ref> However, the Gators have not played a regular season contest in Tampa since a 1990 expansion made [[Florida Field]] the largest football facility in the state.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gatorzone.com/football/media/2010/pdf/135-200.pdf|title=03_2010_Records&History_pp135-200.indd<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref>
* In 1978 and 1979, the stadium hosted the Can-Am Bowl, which was a college all-star game pitting seniors from the United States against seniors from Canada. The contest used the rules of [[Canadian football]], which required that the playing field be enlarged to the specifications of the Canadian game.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zdeb |first1=Chris |title=Jan 9, 1978: Canadians discover thrill of defeat at the first Can-Am Bowl |url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/edmonton-journal/20140109/281526518901849 |access-date=5 January 2024 |work=Edmonton Journal |date=9 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tampasportshistory.blogspot.com/2008/01/can-am-bowl-i-1879.html|title=Tampa Sports History: Can-Am Bowl I, 1/8/78|first=Travis|last=Puterbaugh|date=January 14, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tampasportshistory.blogspot.com/2009/01/can-am-bowl-ii-11279.html|title=Tampa Sports History: Can-Am Bowl II, 1/6/79|first=Travis|last=Puterbaugh|date=January 12, 2009}}</ref>
* From 1978 to 1996, Tampa Stadium hosted the [[Florida Classic]] rivalry game between the [[Bethune–Cookman University]] [[Bethune–Cookman Wildcats|Wildcats]] and the [[Florida A&M University|Florida A&M]] [[Florida A&M Rattlers and Lady Rattlers|Rattlers]], two in-state [[Historically black colleges and universities|historically black colleges]] that play in the NCAA's [[NCAA Division I Football Championship|Football Championship Subdivision]].
* On July 15, 1984, Tampa Stadium hosted the 2nd [[United States Football League|USFL]] [[1984 USFL season#Playoffs|Championship Game]] between the [[Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars|Philadelphia Stars]] and the [[Arizona Wranglers]].
* From 1986 to 1998, college football's [[Outback Bowl]] (previously held in [[Birmingham, Alabama]] as the [[College Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] Bowl) was played in Tampa Stadium on New Year's Day. The 1999 Outback Bowl and all subsequent editions have been played at Raymond James Stadium.
* Tampa Stadium hosted the [[USHRA]] [[monster truck]] rally [[Monster Jam]] in late January or early February (after football season, when turf damage wouldn't matter) for many years.<ref>{{cite web|last=Geist |first=Bill |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/23/magazine/really-big-trucks.html |title=Really Big Trucks |work=NY Times |date=1994-10-23 |access-date=2010-01-18}}</ref> Its replacement venue, Raymond James Stadium continues to host Monster Jam in Tampa to this day.
* Beginning in 1971, Tampa Stadium served as host for the American Invitational [[show jumping]] competition each spring, which brought together the [[United States Equestrian Federation|USEF]]'s top 30 ranked equestrians to compete for the sport's largest purse. The event is now held in Raymond James Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stadiumjumping.com/t.e.html#!invitational/c11xy|title=None}}</ref>

====Concerts====
The stadium hosted concerts by many famous artists, including [[Deep Purple]], [[The Who]], [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]], [[Santana (band)|Santana]], [[Paul McCartney]], [[David Bowie]], [[U2]], [[The Rolling Stones]], [[Jimmy Buffett]], [[Eagles (band)|The Eagles]], [[Whitney Houston]], [[Jonathan Butler]], [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]], [[Kenny G]], [[George Michael]], [[Pink Floyd]], the [[Grateful Dead]], and several big acts at the same time during the [[Monsters of Rock Tour 1988|1988 Monsters of Rock Tour]], among others.

Two particularly memorable concerts were held there by the English rock band [[Led Zeppelin]]. On May 5, 1973, the band attracted 56,800 people, which at the time represented the largest audience for a single artist performance in history, breaking the record set by [[The Beatles]] at [[Shea Stadium]] in 1965.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/tampa-stadium-may-5-1973|title=Led Zeppelin &#124; Official Website Tampa Stadium - May 5, 1973|website=Led Zeppelin &#124; Official Website - Official Website|date=22 September 2007 }}</ref> On June 3, 1977, the band returned to the venue, but the concert was paused and ultimately cut short due to a large thunderstorm. The crowd became unruly after the announcement of the cancellation, and the [[Tampa Police Department|Tampa police]] ultimately dispersed the "riot" using [[tear gas]] and [[billy club]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ledzeppelin.com/show/june-3-1977 |title=Official Website |publisher=Led Zeppelin |date=1977-06-03 |access-date=2010-01-18}}</ref> Much criticism was leveled at both the concert organizers' decision to cancel the performance and the aggressive tactics of law enforcement, resulting in a year-long pause of concerts at Tampa Stadium until security protocols were revised and shows were allowed to resume.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fKhRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oVgDAAAAIBAJ&dq=billy-graham-crusade+tampa-stadium&pg=6641,2888619|title=The Evening Independent - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref>

====Special events====
In March 1979, [[Evangelism|evangelist]] [[Billy Graham]] held a "Florida West Coast Crusade" at Tampa Stadium and drew a combined crowd of about 175,000 over five consecutive days.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xs5aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QXwDAAAAIBAJ&dq=billy-graham%20tampa-stadium&pg=3772%2C408599 "Attention of thousands focuses on Graham crusade"] ''The St. Pete Times'', March 24, 1979</ref>

[[Image:Tampa Stadium demolition.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Final stages of Tampa Stadium [[demolition]], April 11, 1999]]

==Demolition==

Immediately upon buying the Buccaneers in 1995, new owner [[Malcolm Glazer]] declared that Tampa Stadium was inadequate and threatened to move the franchise to another city unless a new stadium was built at taxpayers' expense.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sptimes.com/Sports/RJS/91898/Stadium_rose_despite_.html|title=Stadium rose despite challenges}}</ref><ref>[https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1995/12/07/tampa-still-hopeful-bucs-will-stay-put/ Tampa Still Hopeful Bucs Will Stay Put] ''Orlando Sentinel''</ref> To accommodate these demands, [[Hillsborough County, Florida|Hillsborough County]] raised local [[sales tax]]es and built [[Raymond James Stadium]] just south of Tampa Stadium in 1997–98.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tampasportsauthority.com/rjs/history.htm|title=Tampa Sports Authority – Raymond James Stadium<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=January 8, 2008|archive-date=February 12, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212183125/http://www.tampasportsauthority.com/rjs/history.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Demolition]] of Tampa Stadium proceeded soon after the Tampa Bay Mutiny's final home game on September 13, 1998.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mutiny ends stadium's use|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34592884/|first=Mark|last=Didtler|newspaper=The Orlando Sentinel|page=17|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=September 14, 1998|access-date=August 5, 2019}}{{Open access}}</ref> [[Wrecking ball]]s and [[long reach excavator]]s were used for much of the process, and the last portion of the stadium (the east side luxury boxes built for the stadium's first Super Bowl), was [[building implosion|imploded]] on April 11, 1999. Tampa Stadium's former site is now a parking and staging area for Raymond James Stadium, and its footprint can still be seen in a grassy area inside a roughly circular road that once ringed its perimeter.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZCTh_mkhFo Live TV coverage of stadium demolition]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[University of Tampa| University of Tampa Spartans]]
 | years = 1967 &ndash; 1974
 | before = [[Phillips Field (Florida)|Phillips Field]]
 | after = final stadium
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]]
 | years = 1975 &ndash; 1990
 | before = first stadium
 | after = [[USF Soccer Stadium]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]]
 | years = 1993
 | before = [[USF Soccer Stadium]]
 | after = final stadium
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]
 | years = 1976 &ndash; 1997
 | before = first stadium
 | after = [[Raymond James Stadium]]
}}
{{succession box |
  before = [[Kingdome|The Kingdome]] |
  after = [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]] |
  title = Host of the [[Pro Bowl|NFL Pro Bowl]] |
  years = 1978|
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Florida Classic]]
 | years = 1978 &ndash; 1996
 | before = first stadium
 | after = [[Citrus Bowl]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Host of [[NFC Championship Game]]
 | years = 1980
 | before = [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]]
 | after = [[Veterans Stadium]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Tampa Bay Bandits]]
 | years = 1983 &ndash; 1985
 | before = first stadium
 | after = final stadium
}}
{{succession box |
  title = Host of the [[Super Bowl]] |
  years = [[Super Bowl XVIII|XVIII]] 1984<br />[[Super Bowl XXV|XXV]] 1991 |
  before = [[Rose Bowl (stadium)|Rose Bowl]]<br />[[Louisiana Superdome]] |
  after = [[Stanford Stadium]]<br />[[Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome|Metrodome]] |
}}
{{succession box |
  title = Host of the <br />[[United States Football League#Championship games|USFL Championship Game]] |
  years = 1984|
  before = [[Mile High Stadium]] |
  after = [[Giants Stadium]]|
}}
{{succession box |
  title = Host of the <br />[[Outback Bowl|Hall of Fame/Outback Bowl]] |
  years = 1986 &ndash; 1998|
  before = [[Legion Field]] |
  after = [[Raymond James Stadium]]|
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Tampa Bay Mutiny]]
 | years = 1996 &ndash; 1999
 | before = first stadium
 | after = [[Raymond James Stadium]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Host of the [[NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship|College Cup]]
 | years = 1978–1980
 | before = [[California Memorial Stadium]]
 | after = [[Stanford Stadium]]
}}
{{end}}

{{Tampa Spartans football navbox}}
{{Tampa Bay Buccaneers}}
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{{South Florida Bulls football navbox}}
{{ReliaQuest Bowl navbox}}
{{Defunct NFL stadiums}}
{{Super Bowl stadiums}}
{{Former MLS stadiums}}
{{AMA Supercross venues}}
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[[Category:Sports venues demolished in 1999]]
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[[Category:Defunct NFL venues]]
[[Category:Soccer venues in Florida]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Tampa, Florida]]
[[Category:American football venues in Florida]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers stadiums]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Mutiny]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Rowdies sports facilities]]
[[Category:Defunct NCAA bowl game venues]]
[[Category:ReliaQuest Bowl]]
[[Category:Former Major League Soccer stadiums]]
[[Category:United States Football League venues]]
[[Category:Demolished sports venues in Florida]]
[[Category:Defunct soccer venues in the United States]]
[[Category:South Florida Bulls football venues]]
[[Category:Tampa Spartans football]]
[[Category:History of Tampa, Florida]]
[[Category:1967 establishments in Florida]]
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[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) stadiums]]
[[Category:Tampa Bay Bandits stadiums]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1967]]