Tampa Sports Authority hopes to announce plans for Bucs’ home opener by week’s end

Tampa Sports Authority president/CEO Eric Hart said Tuesday afternoon that he’s hopeful his group can announce plans for the Bucs’ Sept. 20 home opener by the end of the week.

“I’d love to be able to give you an updated report, but our update is, we’re still working our way through it,” Hart told the group’s board of directors during its monthly meeting, which was held virtually.

“I think our team (the Bucs) right now is taking a look at items, and we’re working our way through the NFL guidelines.”

Hart’s comments came after the board passed (by a unanimous vote) an emergency procurement of more than $22,000 for production and installation of signage (stickers, wall banners, entry banners and parking-lot signage) at Raymond James Stadium informing fans of the facility’s COVID-19 guidelines. The Tampa Sports Authority manages the stadium.

Hart said the sports authority got three quotes for the signage work and went with the lowest-quoted amount.

All these emergency purchases and everything, we are working for that Sept. 20 open,” Hart said.

USF announced last week that its Sept. 12 home opener against The Citadel would be played without fans, but is hopeful of allowing at least a limited number of spectators for its remaining four home contests.

While a number of NFL teams have announced they don’t plan to allow fans for their respective home openers, the Dolphins and Jaguars have indicated they plan to seat 20 and 25 percent, respectively, of their stadiums’ capacities.