Tampa named Best Sports City of 2021
December 22, 2021 - The Tampa Bay region continues to live up to its Champa Bay moniker. On Tuesday, the Sports Business Journal named Tampa its Best Sports City of 2021. In addition to the Buccaneers and Lightning reaching the pinnacle of the NFL and NHL, respectively, and the Rays winning the AL East in MLB, the publication said Tampa successfully hosted major sporting events such as WrestleMania 37 and Super Bowl LV which factored heavily into its decision. Not only would the Bucs become the first team to win the Lombardi Trophy on its home field, but the publication praised Tampa Bay for safely drawing nearly 250,000 fans to the Super Bowl Experience festivities during a pandemic. Due to the pandemic affecting travel to and from Canada, Tampa also hosted the NBA’s Toronto Raptors while MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays made nearby Dunedin home.