HUDSON, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans are known for their passion, but some stand out more than others.
Since 2020, the NFL has held a league-wide Fan of the Year contest, recognizing one superfan from each of its 32 teams. Those fans compete for the national honor, which is awarded at the Super Bowl. Winners receive a trip for two to the game and are celebrated for their loyalty and community impact.
In Tampa, there is no shortage of contenders.
Larry Gasparino, better known as “Thee Buccaholic,” was named the Buccaneers’ first Fan of the Year in 2020. His home, “Bucs Fan Cave,” includes memorabilia, a collection of jerseys he made for his late father, and a reminder of the family ties that fuel his passion.
“I used to get a jersey made of his age as he got older for his birthday, and he lived all the way until he was 89,” Gasparino said.
Gasparino also announced the team’s fourth-round draft pick as part of his Fan of the Year duties. “It was the most exciting thing I’ve ever done in my life,” he said. “To this day, I get goosebumps just talking about it.”
Christopher Hatton, honored as the Buccaneers’ Fan of the Year in 2023, said his favorite moment in the 50 seasons came in 2007, when Michael Spurlock returned the team’s first-ever kickoff for a touchdown.
“My dad and I looked at each other and we knew that this was the moment,” Hatton said. “We literally got in each other’s arms and we started jumping up and down. It was an amazing experience, because that was the moment we had been waiting forever.”
Hatton’s favorite player is wide receiver Chris Godwin, who personally surprised him with the news of his selection. “Chris is just such an amazing, not just a football player, but person for the community, for what he does,” Hatton said.
Gasparino’s favorite Buccaneer is former running back Mike Alstott, a franchise legend.
Both fans admit there have also been difficult memories, including the overturned Bert Emanuel catch in the 1999 NFC Championship Game against the St. Louis Rams. The reversal helped send the Rams, known as the “Greatest Show on Turf,” to the Super Bowl instead of Tampa Bay.
This year’s Fan of the Year contest is open until Sept. 29. Fans can submit entries here.
The celebration comes as the Buccaneers mark their 50th season. The team is holding fan events throughout the year, including reunions with past players and commemorations of historic moments in franchise history. At official watch parties, such as the one this week at Armature Works in Tampa, fans gathered to celebrate not just the present team but the history that has brought them here.
For Gasparino, the fan cave still has room for new memories. “When we win our next Super Bowl, is that going to be on the roof?” Hatton said, laughing. “I’m going to have to use the ceiling,” Gasparino answered.
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