Missed opportunity: Tampa teams soar, fans watch from afar

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — This has been a year for Tampa Bay sports like no other, though the area's three successful professional franchises haven't had a chance to truly capitalize on the boom and energize pockets of a fan base that in recent years have earned the tag of front-runners.

It has been — and continues to be —- a missed opportunity because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“As fans you can’t ask for much more, and you couldn’t be prouder of all the teams,” said Hall of Fame linebacker and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Derrick Brooks. “You feel for them, though, not being able to go to the games and enjoy winning that much more.”

— The Bucs, who usually rank near the bottom of the NFL in attendance, are off to their best start in a decade behind Tom Brady. But they are restricted from filling thousands of seats ecstatic fans rushed to purchase after the six-time Super Bowl champion signed a two-year, $50 million contract with the team in March.

— The Lightning, a young, talent-laden hockey team that's sold out every home game for the past five years, won a second Stanley Cup title but were forced to make their entire playoff run on neutral ice in Canada. They haven't been able to celebrate their first crown since 2004 in a traditional way.

— The Rays, whose attendance woes across the Bay in St. Petersburg have ownership pondering splitting future home schedules between Florida and Montreal, hosted two playoff games at Tropicana Field before a limited number of family and friends before heading to San Diego and Arlington, Texas for the rest of a journey to the World Series.

Brooks knows what fans are missing.

The 2002 NFL defensive player of the year led the Bucs to their only Super Bowl title 18 seasons ago and will never forget returning...