If you love sports, the Bradenton area is the place to be any time of year! From pro football to soccer to baseball to hockey, you’ll be able to enjoy a wide variety of local sporting events all year long.
This is just a sampling of what the Bradenton area has to offer:
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are historically known for their stout defense. With the addition of number-one draft pick Jameis Winston of Florida State at quarterback, however, the offense may be making headlines. Join the chant of “Let’s Go, Bucs!” at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, which also hosts the Outback Bowl each year.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning take the ice in the Amalie Arena in Tampa, which has undergone major renovations. You won’t miss any of the Bolts’ action, since the view includes the largest center-hung high-definition vision board in an arena in the U.S. or Canada. The Bolts’ regular season stretches from October-April, giving you plenty of time to enjoy hockey in Florida.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays (formerly called the Devil Rays) play Major League Baseball in St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field, which is perhaps best known for its iconic sculpture located beyond the outfield and a 10,000-gallon tank containing 30 stingrays that fans can touch. The Rays have named their fan base the “Rays Republic,” and they’ve had some wild fan traditions throughout the years. Currently, fans like to ring cowbells when a Ray pitcher has two strikes against an opposing batter or when a Ray reaches base or scores a run.
Major League Baseball Spring Training
If the Rays aren’t your team, you have a chance to see some other teams that have spring training in the area. The Pittsburgh Pirates play in Bradenton, the New York Yankees train in Tampa, and the Baltimore Orioles have created “Birdland South” in Sarasota.
Orlando City plays soccer from March to October against competition from other Major League Soccer teams from the U.S. as well as international teams. This relatively new franchise joined the league in 2013.
If you'd like to find out more about Bradenton sporting events and other activities the area has to offer, visit The Islands on the Manatee River. We'd love to show you our beautiful gated community and estate-sized home sites.
