Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
Raymond James Stadium
4201 North Dale Mabry Highway
Tampa, FL 33607
Year Opened: 1998
Capacity: 69,218
The Security of a New Year's Bowl
One of the second-tier College Football Bowl Games that traditionally takes place on New Year's Day, the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida, is a sneaky good destination for college football fans. The first bowl game in Tampa took place in 1986 at the “Big Sombrero”, Tampa Stadium, and was called the Hall of Fame Bowl.
The Cigar Bowl was played in Tampa in the late 1940s into the 1950s but featured smaller colleges. In 1995 the game took on a corporate sponsor when the Tampa restaurant chain, Outback Steakhouse became the title sponsor of the Outback Bowl. Unfortunately, this started the trend where the name of the bowl game also featured the name of the sponsor.
After 27 entries, the title sponsor of the game shifted to cyber security company, ReliaQuest to become the ReliaQuest Bowl. Currently, the ReliaQuest Bowl features teams from the Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference squaring off.
Since 1999, the home of the Outback Bowl and ReliaQuest Bowl has been Raymond James Stadium. Built in 1998, Raymond James Stadium was built in the shadow of Tampa Stadium and has a current capacity of over 69,000. Raymond James Stadium has also been the host of the Super Bowl on three occasions.
Food & Beverage 4
Concessions at Raymond James Stadium are solid with plenty of variety for fans. All of the typical stadium options can be found at the stadium. Burgers, hot dogs, popcorn, and pretzels can be found at many stands. The Little Caesars stands offer pizza options and the PDQ Chicken stands offer excellent chicken fingers and waffle fries. Some more unique options include pulled pork sandwiches, burnt-end sandwiches, burnt-end mac and cheese, BBQ Bacon dogs, and citrus chicken nachos. Coca-Cola products are the soft drink of choice. There are several spots all over to purchase a variety of alcoholic beverages including the north and south ends.
Atmosphere 4
Raymond James Stadium is of a nineties vintage and fairly simplistic in its design. The exterior of the stadium is fairly simple but not unattractive. There is plenty of concrete on the exterior, but plenty of markings for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, making it clear who is the main tenant. Although there is no main entrance, one would consider the south entrance as the one most fans will want to enter.
The south entrance features Bucs Beach, a large gathering area complete with beach complements such as sandy areas, decorative surfboards, Adirondack chairs, and a lifeguard tower. This is the location of the Pregame Bowl Bash, a pregame party with food trucks, music, and promo tables.
Upon entering the gates, fans will need to ascend to the main concourse which is behind the lower bowl seating. The concourses are wide and fairly simple with plenty of concession stands and some Bucs markings. Large gathering areas at the north and south are out of the concourses and open to the field.
The north end has a large picnic area with umbrellas and tables for fans to meet at. The south end offers a bit more and is the signature area of the stadium. A large pirate ship is at the south end but is roped off and not used as part of the game. The concession stands at the south end also have facades to make them look like an old port town that seems to be right out of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Massive video boards are at both the north and south ends, with secondary boards in the four corners of the stadium that offer more in the way of ads and stats during the game. The upper decks are separated into east and west sides and give the stadium an open feel. There are no coverings over the upper seating areas. The east side offers the best picture for the 50-yard line logo; however, both the east and west sides are typically sold specifically for each participating team.
The gameday production for the ReliaQuest Bowl is typical of a college bowl game. Pregame tailgates in different parking areas offer a preshow by the band and a gathering area for supporters and alumni. The pregame production offers the opportunity for each team’s band to perform.
Both bands also perform at halftime as well as a halftime show with more than 2,000 performers and a mass high school band. Cheerleaders and flags, typical of college games, are also part of the production. Bands play from opposite corners of the stadium during stoppages. The ReliaQuest Bowl also offers several other events as part of the game. Busch Gardens hosts the Battle of the Bands the day before and a pep rally in the Ybor City District happens in the evening before.
Neighborhood 3
Raymond James Stadium is located in the Drew Park neighborhood of Tampa. The stadium is a bit isolated and surrounded with parking options, making it a good spot for tailgating. There are a few options for pre or post game fair that are not too far including Kona Grill, Miller’s Ale House, La Teresita and Armature Works.
There are some other sporting options in the area. Raymond James Stadium is mainly the home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Gasparilla Bowl is also held at the stadium and it is also the home of the South Florida Bulls until their new on campus stadium is built.
Across the parking lot from Raymond James Stadium is George Steinbrenner Field, home of the Tampa Tarpons and the New York Yankees Spring Training. For at least the 2025 season, it will also be home to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Other sports options include the Tampa Bay Lightning and USF Bulls basketball. There are a ton of other Tampa tourist options including Busch Gardens, Zoo Tampa, Florida Aquarium and Tampa Riverwalk. Hotels near the stadium include the Country Inn and Suites and Holiday Inn.
Fans 4
As with most second-tier bowl games, fan support is driven by the teams that are signed to the game. The game reviewed, the 2024 edition, welcomed over 51,000 fans, nearly 20,000 fans more than the previous season. The 2024 edition, which is the one reviewed, benefitted from a huge Michigan and Alabama matchup. Each team’s fans typically congregate on a specific side, helping create a better atmosphere.
Access 4
Raymond James Stadium is located in the Drew Park neighbourhood of Tampa, northwest of downtown, east of the airport. It is surrounded by North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa Bay Blvd., and North Hines Ave. It is 3 km north of I-275 and south of US Highway 92 and not terribly difficult to get to.
There are plenty of parking lots surrounding the stadium, perfect for fans who make tailgating a part of their football experience. The negative side of the tailgating parking lot coin is that getting out of those parking lots can be difficult and take a significant amount of time.
The city does a good job of controlling the flow of traffic once out of the stadium, however, getting to the street could take the most time. For fans who wish to take public transit to the game, there are HART buses that travel Himes Ave. Fans should consult the Hillsborough Transit Authority website for fares, schedules and maps.
Inside Raymond James Stadium, it is not terribly difficult to get around, however, fans with seats in the upper decks need to be aware that the decks are completely separate and it is impossible to get from one side to the other without going down to the main concourse.
Raymond James Stadium is also a cashless facility so bringing some plastic is a necessity. The washroom facilities are decent for the stadium and closed captioned announcements are printed on the corner videobaords. The security protocols to get into Raymond James Stadium are significant and should be reviewed before heading to the game.
Stadium Journey encourages fans to consult the Raymond James Stadium and ReliaQuest Bowl websites before heading out for the latest security protocols including bag policies and prohibited items list.
Return on Investment 3
Tickets for the ReliaQuest Bowl are $80 with club seats being sold for $170. The ticket prices are pretty steep. The secondary market can definitely help in the right scenario for fans who are patient enough to wait for ticket prices to fall. Concession prices are consistent with NFL teams, expensive, and parking will go for at least $35. The return for the investment is strong, especially if fans benefit from a good matchup with teams that travel well.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the charity arm of the ReliaQuest Bowl, which claims to have donated over $4 million since 2016.
An extra mark for the extra importance of a bowl game on or right before New Years Day.
An extra mark for the strong matchups of the ReliaQuest Bowl with the Big Ten and SEC facing off.
Final Thoughts
As far as the second tier of college football's Bowl Games, the ReliaQuest Bowl is a solid entry. A great location combined with the possibility of a great matchup at a great time is an equation that offers a great time for those fans in attendance. When in the area, making the ReliaQuest Bowl part of the Christmas vacation plans is a great idea.
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