 |
Tampa Bay LightningIt is one of three professional sports teams in the area including the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hockey BayNow you would not think that hockey in the Sunshine state would really be that popular considering that hockey is the most popular in the northern parts of America, such as Michigan and in Canada.However, the popularity of the Bolts (another nickname for the franchise) has caught on here in the area. In fact the area has been dubbed Hockey Bay, USA. I would assume that hockey has become popular in this area for a couple of reasons. First, many people from the Tampa area are not originally from Florida. Many people come from some of the northern parts of the country such as New York, Ohio, or Pennsylvania. Because of this I believe that many people have brought their love for hockey to Florida and support the hockey team in their new home. However, the biggest reason that the team has become popular is pretty obvious. Winning! Everyone loves a winner. Why people would root for a Tampa Bay sandwich making team if they won enough competitions. The Tampa Bay Lightning has achieved the following in a relatively short amount of time since joining the NHL.
HistoryThe Tampa Bay Lightning was added as an expansion team in 1992 playing in Expo Hall, a small 11,000 seat facility at the Florida State Fairgrounds.The team later moved to the Florida Suncoast Dome (now called Tropicana Field, stadium of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays). Then another move came to its current home at the Ice Palace (now the St. Pete Times Forum). The team struggled through its first few seasons, as most expansions do, but managed to make the playoffs in only their fourth season in the league. The Bolts did not manage to make the playoffs again until their 11th season in the league. John Tortorella, the Lightning’s 5th coach in 10 years was able to accomplish that in only his second year coaching. He then managed the unthinkable for a team in Florida, especially a team with such a short history in the NHL; the Stanley Cup! I think that win solidified the fan base in the Tampa area. Now you often see banners and people wearing t-shirts supporting the team. The team has made the playoffs each year since winning the Cup. Tickets and ArenaThe arena for the Tampa Bay Lightning is the St. Pete Times Forum. It is located in the Channelside district in Downtown Tampa at 401 Channelside Drive.The St. Pete Times Forum is also the home of the Tampa Bay Storm. Concerts are held in the venue throughout the year as well. Single game tickets are sold through Ticketmaster and the prices range from $8 - $349. Ticket packages are also available through the Tampa Bay Lightning web site. You can visit these sites for more information on tickets.
|
