The NFL schedule release date has not been set, but already there are those who are digging through the possibilities as they look for an angle that might clarify where and when a team like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play.
The league has to take into account each and every venue when creating the schedule, what it has already scheduled, and the personal requests from teams. Some executives as for early day games in the season, or will ask for warm-weather games late in the in the year. Inevitably, it all comes down to people who don't play football.
The Buccaneers are about to find that out. With the opening weekend still months away, the Buccaneers stadium will be filled with the blaring music of Bruno Mars. That means Raymond James Stadium will not be available for a Sunday opener.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers may already know two road weekends thanks to pre-scheduled concerts
The only way the Buccaneers play at home in week one is if the league throws them onto Thursday night. That isn't going to happen. They could move to Monday night, but the logistics of tearing down a concert make getting a field ready for a football game much harder. Week one? Tampa's on the road.
Mars isn't the only musician who will force the Buccaneers on the road...again. Ed Sheeran will be playing the RJS later in the year, and again, the NFL's only options in week 9 are to play them on Thursday night or on Monday.
Sheeran will be on the field Saturday night, so it is possible Tampa could get their field ready for a Monday night game, but Thursday would still be tough given the fact Sheeran's road crews will begin pre-concert set ups with sound checks on Friday.
Sheeran will force the entire NFC South on the road between week four and week 9.
Sheeran, according to Greg Auman, will impact the Eagles in week 2, the Patriots in week 3, the Falcons in week 4, the Saints in week 5, the Panthers in week 6, and the Cowboys in week 7. He apparently has a bye in week 8.
We can also write off the Bucs playing in Atlanta in week 9. Chris Brown and Usher will be playing that weekend in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Add us as a preferred source on Google