Raymond James Stadium Game Day Guide
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Tampa, FL
Know Before You Go
- Bag policy
Raymond James Stadium has a no-bag policy; each guest may carry one clutch no larger than 4.5 x 6.5 inches, and it does not need to be clear.
Larger bags are prohibited even when clear; contact Guest Services in advance for medically necessary items.
- Bag storage
Paid storage lockers for rejected bags and personal items are along Tom McEwen Boulevard, just southeast of Suzuki Marine Gate.
The venue confirms a small rental fee but does not publish the amount.
- Gate opening
Main stadium gates open 90 minutes before kickoff for Buccaneers games, while club gates open 2.5 hours before kickoff.
- Mobile tickets
Buccaneers tickets use a live mobile barcode in the Buccaneers or Ticketmaster app; screenshots and printed tickets are not accepted.
Retrieve the ticket before arrival, transfer tickets to guests in advance when practical, and visit the stadium box office for game-day device or access problems.
- Re-entry
Re-entry is prohibited except for a medical emergency; speak with a Tampa Sports Authority supervisor at the gate before leaving.
- Prohibited items
Raymond James Stadium prohibits weapons, fireworks, food and drinks, bottles and cans, coolers, umbrellas, strollers, drones, noisemakers, large or professional cameras, and non-compliant bags.
Review the complete official list before leaving home because event-specific admission policies may add restrictions.
- First aid
First-aid stations are near Ramp C, Sections 143 and 120 on the main concourse, and Sections 344 and 319 on the upper concourse.
Paramedics are also positioned on east and west concourse walkways and at both end zones.
- Nursing and lactation
Nursing rooms are on the main concourse at Quads B and D near Sections 143-144 and 118-119, plus club locations near Sections 216-217 and 241-242.
- Family restrooms
Ten keyed family restrooms are available across the main, club, and upper concourses, and baby-changing stations are in every restroom.
Ask the adjacent Guest Services booth for a key; the family restroom near Section 128 has an adult changing table.
- Tickets for children
Every guest needs a ticket for a Buccaneers game, regardless of age.
- Guest services
Guest Services booths are on the main and upper concourses, in club lobbies and lounges, and outside in the South Plaza, Ford Gate, and Gate B areas.
For an event-day issue, text the problem and location to 813-680-2827 or call 813-350-6501.
- Service animals
Task-trained service animals are permitted on stadium property; emotional-support, comfort, companion, and other animals are prohibited.
- Smoking and vaping
Smoking, vaping, e-cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and other tobacco use are prohibited inside Raymond James Stadium.
Guests who wish to smoke must do so before entering, and general re-entry is not permitted.
Game Day Timeline
What the day looks like at Raymond James Stadium, hour by hour.
Tailgate Scene Peaks
The lots are packed with fans grilling Cuban sandwiches, grouper, and pulled pork. Cigar City Jai Alai IPA flows freely. Pirate costumes and Bucs flags are everywhere.
Gates Open
Stadium gates open. Head inside to explore the concourse and get a close look at the pirate ship from the north end zone seating areas.
Player Warmups
Players take the field for warmups. The 100-level end zone sections near the pirate ship offer close-up views. Captain Fear, the Bucs mascot, rallies the crowd.
Find Your Seats
Grab a Cuban sandwich and settle in. The pirate ship crew prepares for the first cannon blast. The stadium energy builds as kickoff approaches.
Game Time, Fire the Cannons!
The cannons blast from the pirate ship on every Bucs score. The crowd erupts. Tampa Bay's game-day atmosphere is unlike anything else in football.
Exit Strategy
Dale Mabry Highway traffic can be heavy. Consider tailgating post-game while traffic clears.
Tips & Fan Reports
Get there 4-5 hours before kickoff. Find field parking down the road and tailgate with the Krewe till kickoff. The grass lots have the best tailgate scene.
If you have club tickets the gates open an hour before the regular gates. Go early, check out the team store, grab food and drinks before the rush. The club level AC is a lifesaver for early season games.
Park at the lots on Dale Mabry south of the stadium. They are cheaper and you avoid the worst of the postgame traffic.
Hydrate constantly, Florida heat and humidity can sneak up on you, especially with alcohol. Drink water between beers.
September and October games are brutal in the sun. Bring sunscreen, a hat, and drink water constantly. Tampa heat and humidity are no joke.
Watch for afternoon thunderstorms in September and October, they're brief but can be intense. Pack a rain poncho.
The pirate ship in the north end zone fires real cannons on touchdowns and big plays. It startles you the first time even when you know it is coming.
Sunscreen is absolutely essential, Tampa's subtropical sun is intense, even in late-season games. Bring a hat and sunglasses too.
Every lot is cashless, so there is no paying at the gate with notes.
You get one 10 by 24 foot spot per party and cannot save a space, so a group in several cars needs to arrive together.
Before the Game
Tailgating is permitted across the Raymond James Stadium lots, with the constraint expressed as a single measured bay: one 10 by 24 foot parking spot per party, and no saving spaces for friends still on the road. Tents cap at 10 by 10 feet without prior approval from stadium management and the licensee, and they cannot be combined into a larger one. Nothing may block another spot, a walkway or an aisle, and the drive lanes have to stay clear for emergency vehicles. Two things surprise people: tailgating must cease at kickoff, and recreational activities, throwing a football in the lot, are not allowed at all. Roughly 10,000 spaces sit on site with another 15,000 off it, first-come first-served and entirely cashless.
Where to Tailgate
On-site stadium lots
About 10,000 spaces in the lots around the stadium, sold first-come first-served and operating cashless and contactless. Tailgating is permitted, one 10 by 24 foot bay per party.
Known for ~10,000 spaces · Cashless · One 10x24 spot per party
Off-site lots
A further 15,000 or so spaces off the stadium site, the overflow once the on-site lots go. Also first-come, first-served.
Known for ~15,000 spaces · Overflow parking
The Veranda tailgate spaces
The stadium's own bookable hospitality tailgate areas (Veranda Tailgate A, C and D) run as event spaces rather than open lot tailgating, for groups that would otherwise need more than one bay.
Known for Bookable · Hospitality · For larger groups
The emergency drive lanes
The aisles between the lot rows, which must be left clear for emergency vehicles at all times. Nothing (tents, trailers, chairs, coolers or barbecues) may block a spot, a walkway or an aisle.
Known for Must stay clear · No equipment in aisles
Pregame Rules
What Raymond James Stadium allows before the game, and what it does not.
- Tailgating is permitted in the stadium parking lots.
- Only one 10' x 24' parking spot may be occupied per party, and saving spaces is not permitted.
- Tailgating must cease at kickoff.
- Blocking other spots, walkways or aisle ways with tents, trailers, chairs, coolers or barbecues is not allowed.
- Drive lanes must be left clear for emergency vehicles at all times.
- Tents over 10' x 10' are not permitted on stadium property without prior approval from stadium management and the licensee, or proper permits, and tents cannot be combined to make a larger tent.
- Recreational activities such as throwing footballs are not allowed.
- Parking is available first-come, first-served, with approximately 10,000 spaces on site and 15,000 off site.
- All parking lots operate cashless and contactless transactions.
Weather
Raymond James Stadium is open air, so these are the conditions you sit in.
Across the NFL season the warmest month is September, with an average high of 90°F, and the coldest is January, when the average low is 53°F. September is the wettest month at 6.1 inches and November the driest at 1.4 inches.
That January low ranks 31st coldest of the 32 NFL venues, and September here ranks 2nd wettest.
September
6.1 inchesOctober
2.3 inchesNovember
1.4 inchesDecember
2.6 inchesJanuary
2.6 inchesWhat to Bring
- Only the outside food and drink the rule allows
Outside food and beverages are prohibited, with exceptions for infants, toddlers, and documented medical needs arranged in advance.
- A card or a phone wallet
Food, beverage, and retail locations are cashless, and reverse ATMs at select locations convert cash to a general-use Visa value card.
- A light layer for after sunset
January, the coolest month of the season here, still averages 53°F at night.
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
September highs average 90°F at Raymond James Stadium, with no roof over the seats.
- A poncho, not an umbrella
Umbrellas are on Raymond James Stadium's prohibited list, and September averages 6.1 inches of rain.
Tailgate Gear
Lots open with the lots, ending at kickoff.
- A tent of 10 by 10 feet or smaller. Larger needs prior approval, and two cannot be combined
- A setup that fits one 10 by 24 foot spot, since that is all a party gets
- Nothing that spills into a walkway or drive lane, which must stay clear for emergency vehicles
- A card rather than cash: every lot is cashless and contactless
- Leave the football at home: recreational activities are not permitted in the lots
How We Checked This Page
Every section below names the source it was read from and the day it was read. Where we could not reach a published figure, the page says so rather than presenting an estimate as a checked fact.
- Game day timeline
Gate opening time checked against the venue's own gate-opening policy: Main stadium gates open 90 minutes before kickoff for Buccaneers games, while club gates open 2.5 hours before kickoff.
- Pregame
Raymond James Stadium official site: Stadium Policies and Parking & Transportation
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
- Venue policies
Raymond James Stadium A-Z, accessibility, policy, mobile-ticket, and Buccaneers gameday pages reviewed for visitor-facing policies.