The visiting Philadelphia policemen should enjoy the lively game day atmosphere at Raymond James Stadium
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will try to send the men in green home unhappy on Sunday afternoon. They've got a more friendly plan for the men in blue.
On Saturday, the Buccaneers learned of the plight of a group of 30 police officers, mostly from Philadelphia, who had traveled to Tampa to attend Sunday's game. The Buccaneers will take on the Philadelphia Eagles at 1:00 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium.
The group's trip was arranged through a Delaware-based company that sold the officers travel packages including – supposedly – tickets to Sunday's game. Unfortunately, the party's travel agent never came through with the tickets, which the officers expected to receive after their arrival in Tampa.
Understandably unwilling to acquire other tickets through scalpers, the officers were left with the very real possibility of having to watch the game on television, even after traveling over 1,000 miles to see it in person.
That's where the Buccaneers stepped in. Informed of the situation early Saturday, the Bucs told the officers to scratch their TV plans and head on down to the stadium on game day. All of the jilted police officers will be given admittance to the game by the Buccaneers.
"We're proud the Buccaneers organization led by the Glazer family was able to be of assistance," said Buccaneers Chief Operating Officer Eric Land. "The City of Brotherly Love will come to know Tampa Bay welcomes all football fans no matter their allegiance."
The Bucs-Eagles rivalry has become a rather heated one in recent years, highlighted by Philadelphia playoff victories in 2000 and 2001 and the Bucs win in the NFC Championship Game in 2002, the last game ever played at Veterans Stadium. Raymond James Stadium is sold out for Sunday's game and will likely have a very spirited pro-Buc atmosphere. At least 30 Eagles fans in attendance will be feeling the love, however.
