Raymond James Stadium

Pick a Side Before You Pick a Row

At Raymond James Stadium, the most important seat decision is which sideline you sit on. Sit on the west side, where the Buccaneers' bench is, for any afternoon game in September or October: the sun drops behind that side, so its seats fall into shadow first. East-side seats face the sun for most of a day game, and the stadium has no roof and allows no umbrellas.

After that, the choice is about level. The stadium seats 69,218 and expands to 75,000 for the biggest events, across three tiers:

• Best value: upper rows of the 100 level or lower rows of the 300 level, between the 20-yard lines.
• Most comfortable: the 200-level club seats, with indoor club space to cool off.
• Most exposed: the 300 level, which has nothing overhead.

The Three Tiers and How Sections Are Numbered

The field runs north to south, and the bowl wraps all the way around it.

• 100 level (lower bowl): third-party seating guides put a typical section at about 30 rows.
• 200 level (club): a shorter middle ring connected to indoor club lounges.
• 300 level (upper deck): the top ring, fully open to the sky.

The Bucs' sideline covers roughly sections 106–115 in the lower bowl. Across the field, the visitors' midfield seats are sections 135–136 downstairs, 235–236 in the club tier and 335–336 upstairs. Two independent seating guides agree on these numbers, but the stadium does not publish a numbered map, so confirm your section on the event map at checkout.

The north end zone belongs to Buccaneer Cove, a 103-foot, 43-ton pirate ship whose cannons boom after Bucs scores and whenever the team reaches the red zone. Lower sections 146–151 sit directly beneath it. They make a fun first visit, but they are a poor spot for following plays at the south end.

Seats to Buy for Football, Bowls and Shows

Buccaneers games

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers play their NFL regular season from September into early January. For early-season day games, stay west; the upper sections around 306–315 are reported to shade earliest of all. For night games and late-season dates, the sun stops mattering, and the east side often turns into the better buy because fewer fans want it.

USF Bulls

South Florida plays fall Saturdays here, and these games are usually the most available tickets in the building. That makes them a good chance to try the club tier or a midfield 100-level seat.

Bowl games

The stadium hosts the Gasparilla Bowl in mid-December and the ReliaQuest Bowl, which moved to December 31 beginning with the 2024 season. At both, each school's fans tend to gather behind their own team's bench, so buy on your team's side of the field.

Concerts and special events

Stage placement and floor layout change from tour to tour, so use the event map rather than a football chart. Past special events include three editions of the Super Bowl, the 2017 College Football Playoff title game and WrestleMania 37.

Where Not to Sit on a Hot Afternoon

• East sideline at a 1 p.m. kickoff in September. You look into the sun and sit in it for hours.
• High 300-level rows on the east side. All the exposure of the upper deck with none of the shade.
• Low rows beneath Buccaneer Cove. Lots of noise, a narrow angle on the far end zone.
• Seats you cannot leave easily. On a humid day, an aisle seat close to a concourse ramp makes water and shade breaks far simpler.

Pack lotion sunscreen and a hat, since aerosol sunscreen and umbrellas are both turned away at the gate.

The Clutch-Only Rule and Other Gate Policies (2026)

Visitors from other NFL cities get caught here most often. As of the 2026 season, Raymond James Stadium runs a no-bag policy for every event, tighter than the league's usual clear-bag standard. You may bring one clutch measuring 4.5 by 6.5 inches or smaller, and it does not need to be transparent. A clear stadium tote bigger than that is refused, even though other NFL stadiums would accept it.

• Storage: rental lockers sit on Tom McEwen Boulevard, south of the Suzuki Marine Gate. Gate staff will not hold anything for you.
• Banned items: umbrellas, seat cushions, strollers, coolers, outside food and drinks, aerosol sunscreen, cameras with detachable lenses, selfie sticks and noisemakers.
• Entrances: the Ford Gate, Gate B, the Suzuki Marine Gate and the Fifth Third Bank Gate, plus separate doors for club and suite ticket holders.
• Cash: not accepted for parking, food or merchandise; reverse ATMs convert cash into prepaid cards.
• Leaving: no re-entry unless there is a medical emergency.
• Smoking: banned inside, including vapes.

Confirm the latest list on the stadium policies page before you go.

Parking, Tailgating and Rideshare

The Tampa Sports Authority counts about 10,000 parking spaces on site and roughly 15,000 more nearby. As of the 2026 season, Buccaneers lots open three and a half hours before kickoff, and game-day parking takes cards only.

• Buy parking ahead for Buccaneers, Bulls and bowl games; on big days the closest lots fill early.
• Accessible spaces are in Lots A and C.
• A parking pass does not allow re-entry to the lot, so bring what you need on the first trip.
• Rideshare drop-off is at the Mass Transit turnaround on the northwest side beside the pedestrian bridge.
• Rideshare pickup for most large events is the Steinbrenner Field lot, though that can shift by event.

Tailgaters get one 10-by-24-foot space behind the vehicle, must keep amplified sound down, and must pack up at kickoff. Lot maps are posted on the Buccaneers parking page. Orders placed through Reserved Seat include guaranteed entry, which matters when you are counting on a ticket for a sold-out playoff date.

Ray Jay Background in Brief

Work started on October 15, 1996, and the stadium opened on September 20, 1998, replacing Tampa Stadium. Hillsborough County owns it, the Tampa Sports Authority runs it, and locals shorten the name to "Ray Jay." Raymond James Financial has held the naming rights since opening day, under a deal now extended through 2028. The building has 195 suites, and accessible seating is sold at every price level. In severe weather, staff move fans into the covered concourses, ramps and clubs.

• Super Bowls: XXXV (2001), XLIII (2009) and LV (2021). In LV, the Buccaneers became the first team to play in, and win, a Super Bowl in their own stadium.
• Biggest crowd: 74,512 for the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship.
• Pro soccer: MLS's Tampa Bay Mutiny played here from 1999 to 2001.
• The pink seats: roughly 50,000 original red seats faded to pink because their plastic lacked a UV inhibitor, and every one was replaced in 2006.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Raymond James Stadium
• Raymond James Stadium – Stadium Policies
• Raymond James Stadium – A-Z Guide
• Buccaneers – Gameday Policies
• Buccaneers – Parking
• SeatGeek – Buccaneers fan guide to Raymond James Stadium
• RateYourSeats – Raymond James Stadium 100 level
• Wikipedia – ReliaQuest Bowl