We now know that for the first time since Raymond James Stadium opened in 1998, the Bucs are reporting slow ticket sales. They are scrambling to make concessions, such as offering monthly payment plans and advertising half-season packages. Call it the perfect franchise storm. A recession, ticket-price hikes, a non-playoff team and the departure of certain fan favorites.
But here’s an upshot. The Bucs have been humbled. For years a culture of arrogance has permeated the franchise. And it wasn’t unique to the Bucs. It’s an NFL thing. “We are the NFL – and the rules are different,” the public, in effect, has been reminded time and again. “We don’t have to make the case as to why you should patronize us. That’s what the Rays and Lightning have to do. But we’re the NFL. We make money even with an inferior product. We’re that special. We’re an indispensable part of America’s societal fabric. We defy the marketplace.”
No longer. To repeat: How humbling.