The Buccaneers have already promised their fans that all games will be broadcast on local television this year.
That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve sold a pile of tickets.
According to Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times, the Bucs are literally giving away tickets to long-suffering fans.
A letter went out recently saying that fans who had been season-ticket holders since 2007 could bring two friends to Sunday’s opener against the Panthers for free.
The Bucs have committed to buying up any tickets to reach the 85 percent threshold (at 34 cents on the dollar), to stay on local TV, while they try to rebuild a fan base grown complacent.
But the fact they’re offering freebies so close to the start of a season — a season which includes the hope of a solid rebound — shows how far they have to go to become relevant in their own market again.