The Buccaneers made a little news on Saturday via their decision to require any new season-ticket holders to purchase seats in both 2022 and 2023. The Buccaneers have since attempted to clarify their policy.
“One of our primary objectives as we go into each season is finding ways to create the best home field advantage for our team,” Buccaneers chief operating officer Brian Ford said in a statement issued Saturday afternoon. “We want to provide loyal Buccaneers fans with the best opportunity to purchase the very limited number of seats that are available. We pride ourselves on delivering the best gameday experience in the league and our fans are essential to that success. These additional ticket policies, as well as providing our no-interest, 24-month payment plan, have been put in place to ensure that our true fans have the best options available for season pass memberships.”
As we understand it, the Buccaneers view the two-year commitment (along with the requirement of a Florida driver’s license for tickets purchased in the lower bowl) as a way to deter certain brokers or resellers from pouncing on the tickets and then reselling them.
The Buccaneers gave last year’s season-ticket holders an extended opportunity to renew their tickets. Obviously, however, with Tom Brady retired (until a week ago), plenty of those fans likely passed on another season pass.
Regardless of any explanation provided, the requirement will be perceived as a way to leverage one more year with Brady into two years of season-ticket sales. And that’s fine. They have every right to do it. It would be easier for some to accept it if they would just admit it.
