“We had street hockey, ice hockey in P.E., so the Lightning just did a lot for the community and made us want to become Lightning fans. And it’s just cool to have a hockey team in Florida. We would never think that there would be such a big deal for hockey in Florida.”
Why does Tampa have a hockey team?
The team name came from Tampa’s status as the “Lightning Capital of North America.” The Lightning thrilled the home fans by routing Chicago 7-3 in the first game in franchise history, but finished their debut season with just 53 points.
Is Tampa good for hockey?
Tampa Bay has the best team in hockey — the Lightning. ESPN, looking at what kind of bang the fans get for their buck, called it the best franchise in all of sports.
Does Tampa Bay like hockey?
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play their home games at Amalie Arena in Downtown Tampa.
Why is hockey popular in Florida?
When Steve Griggs joined the Tampa Bay Lightning front office in 2010, the team had fallen on hard times. It had lost the magic from its 2004 Stanley Cup Championship, and season ticket membership had dwindled to 3,000.
Who brought hockey to Tampa?
Phil Esposito wanted a hockey team. That’s the beginning, a man with a wish. On May 1, 1990, eight months after the NHL announced its intentions to expand from 21 teams to 28 by the year 2000, Esposito told the hockey world he was interested in bringing a team to a place most unlikely: Tampa Bay.
How big is hockey in Tampa?
19,092
Amalie Arena
| Operator | Tampa Bay Entertainment Properties, LLC, a division of Vinik Sports Group, LLC |
| Capacity | Ice hockey: 19,092 Basketball: 20,500 Concert: 21,500 Arena football: 18,500 |
| Construction | |
|---|---|
| Broke ground | April 14, 1994 |
| Opened | October 20, 1996 |
Is Tampa a hockey town?
Tampa Bay, Florida
The team won the Stanley Cup in 2004 and reached the Eastern Conference Final in 2011, but this market isn’t buying into hockey as easily as other sports.
Where do pro athletes live in Tampa?
Avila is an affluent neighborhood in North Tampa, considered to be one of the most exclusive communities in Tampa, Florida. The gated community is occupied by star athletes, socialites, and professionals.
Is Florida a hockey state?
Florida
Florida isn’t exactly a top hockey state. It doesn’t have a hardcore following due to the infancy of its teams in the league. The Tampa Bay Lightning are a team on the rise, and the Florida Panthers are starting to emerge as a contender in the Eastern Conference.
Where do Lightning players hang out in Tampa?
Conveniently located downtown, Hattricks is one of Tampa’s most popular watering holes for sports fans. In addition to the banks of TVs and access to all the sports packages, this is the home bar of the Lightning and is packed during hockey season.
Does Tampa have a hockey team?
Official Tampa Bay Lightning Website | NHL.com.
Is Tampa a dynasty?
That’s historic company to be in since those are two of the NHL’s most iconic dynasties. This is more than just a three-year stretch of excellence for the Lightning though.
Win or lose, are the Tampa Bay Lightning already a modern NHL dynasty?
| Team | Final Four Appearances | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 6 | 2015-2022 |
What state likes hockey the most?
Fanbase. Ice hockey is traditionally popular in Massachusetts (and New England in general), Michigan, New York (especially Upstate New York) and Minnesota within the United States. Minnesota is known as the hockey capital of the US.
What state plays the most hockey?
Producing the largest amount of American-born National Hockey League talent has long been part of the lore of Minnesota hockey. Minnesota has produced nearly 60 more NHL players than the next closest state, Massachusetts, and nearly 100 more than the third place state of Michigan.
What state is best at hockey?
1 Minnesota. Minnesota is the “state of hockey” and there’s little doubt about that. The state has produced some of the best American hockey players in the history of the game, and has had the best college and high school programs for as long as they have existed.
How many Stanley Cups does Tampa have?
three
The Lightning have made a total of four appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals, winning three of them.
Why is Tampa Bay Lightning called bolts?
Esposito was insistent the logo have a lightning bolt somewhere. He wanted the design of the pants to have bolts on the side. “If I look and I see a bolt, I know that’s my teammate,” Esposito said.
When did hockey start in Florida?
There is however, one league that predates all other professional hockey leagues in the State of Florida! On December 10, 1938, the Tropical Hockey League played its first game in Florida. In fact this league played all of its games in Florida.
Is hockey growing in Florida?
Youth hockey’s growth in the Florida market has been evident. Of the 16 players who came out of Florida in the NHL’s history, 10 of them skated in at least one game during the 2021-22 NHL season.
Is Tampa Bay Lightning popular?
In fact, up until the pause during the 2019-20 season, the Lightning had sold-out Amalie Arena for 234 consecutive games — more than five and one-half seasons of hockey — and have finished in the top-10 in league attendance every year since the 2012-13 season.