TAMPA, Fla. — The NFL currently is planning for Raymond James Stadium to be only 20% full for Super Bowl 55 early next year, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday.
The 22-year-old stadium has a capacity of 65,618. Based on Wednesday's report, the Super Bowl likely would feature an audience of a little more than 13,000. A similar-sized audience currently is permitted for Buccaneers home contests, based on social-distance protocols established by the team and Tampa Sports Authority, which operates the stadium.
Rob Higgins, the president/chief executive of the Tampa Bay Super Bowl 55 Host Committee, said the seating capacity for the Feb. 7 game at Raymond James Stadium has still not been determined.
"We're working closely with the NFL and local public health and government officials to determine what capacity will be," Higgins said. "It's not known at this time. We know that the numbers will evolve over the next few months. We'll be following conditions in the county and the state, and the League will make a determination based on approvals locally. Clubs across the league — including the Bucs — are starting to include more and more fans into stadiums, but are not currently at full capacity."
Those attending the Super Bowl will be situated in pods 6 feet apart and will be required to wear masks, Schefter reported.
Local organizers and business leaders are counting on the game — the fifth hosted by Tampa — to provide boon of sorts to the community, which lost millions in tourism dollars and thousands in hotel-visitor room nights when two globally popular sporting events were called off or moved elsewhere due to the coronavirus.
Last spring, Amalie Arena was set to serve as a host site for an opening weekend of the NCAA men's basketball tournament (which was canceled), while Raymond James Stadium was slated to host WrestleMania 36 (moved to an indoor arena in Orlando with no live audience).
