Tampa Bay Buccaneers opening season game blacked out for local fans

TAMPA BAY - Forget about free local TV for the Bucs-Bowns home opener this Sunday.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers first regular season game will be blacked out, meaning the game won’t be aired in the DMA or Designated Market Areas for Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.  It's the first black out ever for a Bucs home game at Raymond James Stadium.

NFL rules require local TV blackouts for home games that don’t sell out 72 hours before the game. 

The only alternative to seeing the game, aside from purchasing tickets, is taking a road trip to areas along Florida’s west coast where the game will be aired, from Citrus to Sarasota counties, Polk, Highlands and parts of Orlando.