Tampa Bay 55

Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, the Executive Director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and CEO of the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee, are back to tell you about a fun new project that's similar to the Tampa Bay 55 podcast! It's called the "Gameday. Every Day." podcast and it's available RIGHT NOW on your favorite podcast platform. Just like with Super Bowl LV, Ryan and Rob take you behind the scenes of Team Tampa Bay's biggest sporting events, like the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament, NCAA Women's Final Four, NCAA Men's Basketball First and Second rounds, the NCAA Frozen Four, USA Gymnastics and many, many more! There's the familiar back and forth between Ryan and Rob, of course, but they also give you the inside scoop on all the events coming to town with plenty of special guests dropping by! Make sure you subscribe now by searching Gameday. Every Day. on your favorite podcast platform! 

What a ride! It's the final episode of the Tampa Bay 55 podcast, hosted by 10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee! Ryan and Rob recap an epic ending to the chronicles of the Tampa Bay 55 podcast with a hometown Buccaneers SUPER BOWL win! Rob gives a few of the early economic impact numbers from Super Bowl LV, the guys share stories from our wonderful community ambassadors, they give a thank you to entire Tampa Bay LV team, plus a look back on the year of the pod with stories and memories! Ryan also makes one final request and Rob finally gives in! A huge thank you to all of our guests, community partners and especially you, our listeners! We love you guys!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, complete their game week coverage of Super Bowl 55 from the Tampa Convention Center! On this final podcast, presented by Reliaquest, we hear from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell who praised Tampa for their success pulling off hosting Super Bowl LV amid a pandemic! The guys also reflect on the recent run of success for Tampa Bay sports teams and welcome in Lightning owner Jeff Vinik to discuss the big game in town, Water Street's makeover and the Bucs run up to the Super Bowl. Plus, PREDICTION TIME for Rob and Ryan!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, continue their coverage of Super Bowl 55 game week from the Tampa Convention Center discussing their favorite Super Bowl halftime show memories! We also hear from The Weeknd ahead of Sunday's performance at Ray Jay. The guys are also joined by Team Tampa Bay's finest, Visit Tampa Bay CEO Santiago Corrada and Visit St. Pete-Clearwater CEO Steve Hayes, to discuss the collaborative effort of pulling off Super Bowl LV.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, continue their coverage of Super Bowl 55 game week from the Tampa Convention Center with an inside look at how the making of the NFL experience along the Tampa Riverwalk came to be! Rob dishes on the details of each park and what fans can expect as they partake in the festivities! Ryan also chats with former Buccaneers quarterback and Super Bowl XXXVII winner Brad Johnson, who marvels at Tom Brady's longevity and reminisced on winning a ring. The guys are also joined by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to discuss the COVID-19 safety protocols surrounding the Super Bowl.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, continue their coverage of Super Bowl 55 game week from the Tampa Convention Center with a look at last night's virtual Opening Night! We hear from Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes on the facing each other and the guys discuss Bruce Arians and the Buccaneers push for diversity among NFL coaching staffs. Also, Ryan and Rob welcome Hillsborough County Commissioner Kimberly Overman to discuss the city's efforts to curb human trafficking year round, but especially during Super Bowl week. Ryan and Rob also give you a look at tomorrow's re-opening of the Super Bowl Experience and what's to come the rest of the week!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, kick off Super Bowl 55 game week with Episode 55 of the podcast on Radio Row from the Tampa Convention Center! We relive the last year of the Tampa Bay 55 podcast with the best moments of the previous 54 episodes! Plus, No. 55, Derrick Brooks, joins the guys to discuss the build up to game week and his franchise going for their second Lombardi Trophy!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, join you from Julian B. Lane park, the home to this week's Super Bowl Experience, presented by Lowes! They give you a preview of what you can expect at the SBLV mini theme park, plus they celebrate the home-town team in Super Bowl LV, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers get set to take on the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Ryan and Rob go over what you can expect during game week, what fans will need to attend and the steps the NFL and city are taking to make it a safe environment for all. Also joining the podcast is Joe Lopano, the CEO of Tampa International Airport to discuss the influx of football fans coming to our area and why the nation's top airport is ready to rock and roll! General Clarke from SOCOM also stops by to discuss the military's deep roots in town. Finally, it's the battle everyone's been waiting for: Ryan vs. Rob in the 40-yard dash, all to decide the champion of the Tampa Bay 55 podcast!

Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee, is joined by guest co-host Jason Aughey, senior vice president of sports tourism at the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. 10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass is off this week. Rob and Jason talk about how they expect the Buccaneers to fare this Sunday against the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. If the Bucs win, they'll become the first team in NFL history to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium. The guys talk about how construction is coming along on the Super Bowl Experience and what's being done to make this year special for fans, while also leaving behind a permanent and positive social legacy. They also highlight the importance of cybersecurity. This week's episode features four great guests: Brian Murphy (founder and CEO of Reliaquest), Ray Horal (co-owner of GameDay Vodka), Ernest Hooper (American Cancer Society communications director for Southwest Florida), and Karla Guzman-Mims (corporate social responsibility manager at The Mosaic Company).

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss the stretch run to Super Bowl LV in Tampa. Ryan asks Rob for an update on the status of fans in the stands for the game, plus an update on the NFL's plans to make NFL Honors and Opening Night a safe, virtual affair. The guys discuss the hype building around the big game, the Lightning's season-opening win and reveal some of the impact Forever 55 has had on the community already. This is also our Families pillar episode, featuring four incredible guests: Tim Marks (President & CEO, Metropolitan Ministries), Trey Brady (Race Director for the Run for Us 5K), Dr. Monica Rider (Chief Medical Officer of Tampa Family Health Centers) and Dr. Katina Bonaparte (family medicine doctor with Community Health Centers of Pinellas)! 

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss the build out to Super Bowl LV as we're one month away from the BIG GAME! Some NFL reps have already arrived in town to begin the work to get the city and stadium ready for Super Bowl LV on February 7. Ryan and Rob discuss what comes next, the open date of the Super Bowl Experience and the Super Wild Card weekend, which begins the Road to Tampa Bay. Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans joins the guys to discuss his upcoming playoff debut, relationship with Tom Brady, friendship with LeBron James and philanthropic work in the Tampa Bay community. There's also an update on the Forever 55 initiative with PNC's Dianna Jacob and TGH's Kim Christine!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss the excitement around NBA tip off in Tampa, as the Raptors begin their tenure in town. The guys also finish off 2020 with an update on the Forever 55 initiatives, including the addition of a new partner for Super Bowl LV in Tampa General Hospital. The hospital's president and CEO, John Couris, joins the show to discuss his excitement to be a part of the festivities, how his team has fought on the front lines of the pandemic and the success of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Rob also gives Ryan a not-so-thoughtful gift ahead of the Christmas holiday.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's visit to Tampa, his impressions of Raymond James Stadium and the thank you letter he sent to Rob that went viral. We discuss the league's thank you to health care workers and hear from Goodell on how safe the Super Bowl will be. Rob also discusses his five minutes of fame on TMZ and updates us on the formation of Forever 55's pillars. The guys also visit with Feeding Tampa Bay President and CEO Thomas Mantz on the important work to help families in our area that need it most.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss Monday's mile marker of 55 days out from Super Bowl LV, capped off by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's visit to Tampa this weekend. Rob explains why Goodell is in town and the progress being on Super Bowl planning. Ryan and Rob also welcome GENYOUth CEO Alexis Glick, a former television personality, to the pod to discuss the Forever 55 Super School Breakfast Initiative, which will help feed students at 55 schools across Tampa Bay. The guys also discuss the birth of Ryan's jump shot at the YMCA with Matt Mitchell, the President and CEO at Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCAs, as well as the launch of the Super Kids Super Sharing program in Tampa Bay!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss the final production week ahead of Super Bowl LV! We set the state for what's to come over the next 68 days, get you ready for Restaurant Week and welcome in Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper to recap the Stanley Cup run, life as a champion, December tee times and his charitable work! Ryan and Rob also divulge their Black Friday text thread, and the riveting UCF-USF rivalry, of course!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, hold their mini restaurant tour across Tampa Bay, visiting 7th and Grove, MR. B’s, Raw Smoothie and Flames Indian Cuisine! Rob recaps his first taste of Indian food and Ryan professes his love for honey hot chicken! The fellas are also joined by former Buccaneers wide receiver and hospitality entrepreneur Vincent Jackson, who owns Cask Social Kitchen in Tampa! They also discuss his military roots and charitable work with the Jackson in Action 83 Foundation.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss the progress with the community ambassador program and celebrate WWE's residency at Tropicana Field in St. Pete! The guys also welcome the NFL's Director of Game Initiatives Stephen Bowen, who played for the Cowboys, Redskins and Jets, to the podcast to highlight his role with the league, plus history in the making Monday with the first all-black officiating crew for Buccaneers-Rams. Which brings us to Ryan and Rob's stories of their, well, not-so-storied football careers. You won't want to miss it!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, celebrate the announcement of The Weeknd as the NFL's Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime show in Tampa! ESPN NFL reporter Jeff Darlington also joins the guys to discuss his roots in Tampa Bay, what makes a great Super Bowl, the link between Kenny Chesney and the Buccaneers' Cameron Brate as well as work-life balance. Ryan and Rob also discuss the possibility of the Toronto Raptors playing their NBA season in Tampa and why Amalie Arena is ready and willing to play host. Plus, big Forever 55 announcements as we're 87 days out!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, continue to countdown, now under 100 days, until Super Bowl 55 in Tampa! The guys are joined by Tony Mulkey, the City of Tampa Special Events Superintendent, for an update on how the city is preparing for the Big Game and Ryan adds another request to his growing list! Also, Rob and Ryan update us on the volunteer count for Super Bowl LV's community ambassador program!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss the latest rumors of a capacity cap for attending Super Bowl LV and what's happening 100 days out from kickoff. Buccaneers defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, a USF alum, also joins the guys to talk about the vibe of this Bucs team and what it would be like to win a ring in a stadium he's long called home. Plus, Jason Aughey, the Host Committee's Senior Vice President of Sports Tourism, stops by to fill us in on what's in the works for Super Bowl 55 and elaborates on the future events coming to town!  

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, unveil a new (and hopefully permanent) name for the podcast, especially with Rays General Manager Erik Neander joining us from Arlington, Texas amid the World Series. Neander discusses his rise through the Rays ranks, this team's success and why this run is extra special. Keeping with the theme, Eric Hart, the CEO of the Tampa Sports Authority, stops by to update us on all the changes at Raymond James Stadium and why it's important to all stay safe as we get closer to Super Bowl Sunday! Rob also gives an update on this weekend's NFL site visit and more of what's on the horizon!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, are joined Lakendria Robinson, the Director of Business Connect & Community Outreach for the Host Committee, who has a special announcement on Restaurant Week in Tampa Bay, and how local owners can sign up! We also check in with our Host Committee COO Claire Lessinger on the upcoming sustainability efforts, progress on Forever 55 and her projects over the next 100+ days. Rob also fills us in on this weekend's visit from NFL folks and what they'll be in town for. We also celebrate our city's future with numerous NCAA sporting events on the horizon!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, are joined by a trio of excellent partners that help further our mission of forward, forever, together through sustainability efforts around Super Bowl LV! First up, Jack and Susan Groh of NFL Green help explain all the ways they're working to make Tampa Bay a more beautiful place, thanks to the NFL and sponsors' help. Wait until you hear about how the "golden shovel" arrived on our shores! Next, Florida Aquarium President and CEO Roger Germann stops by to showcase their work with the Super Bowl LV Sustainability Program, and updates us on how the "100 Yards of Hope" coral restoration project is coming along. He has a great Jeff Vinik story, too! And lastly, we welcome back TECO's Rene Gallant to explain the "Sun to Go" program and how it'll benefit our city not just for the big game, but long after the Super Bowl leaves town!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, celebrate the 2020 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the boat parade down the Tampa Riverwalk, which will also serve as the heartbeat of Super Bowl LV. Rob discusses how the Lightning's celebration serves as a dry run for what's to come in February, plus Lightning Executive Vice President Bill Wickett joins the podcast to recap the improbable Stanley Cup run, how it compares to 2004 and why Steven Stamkos' 2:47 of ice time in the Cup Finals will live on in Lightning lore! Also, a special giveaway for our listeners that you NEED TO HEAR ABOUT!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, give the biggest takeaways from this week's site visit from NFL executives and CBS. You'll hear why they left Tampa impressed, encouraged and eager to continue the planning for Super Bowl LV, plus some insight into what's to come for the Super Bowl Experience with the buildout just months away. Ryan and Rob also welcome Host Committee teammate Brooke Skelley to the pod to discuss her rise to Team Tampa Bay and how she's a key part of putting on the world's biggest sporting event.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, recap a busy week of meetings as the planning for Super Bowl LV continues, and Ryan rambles about his new famous best friend. The guys also welcome Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David to the pod, who looks ahead to Week 2, opens up on his road to the NFL and what it's like to have Hall of Fame linebacker and Host Committee Co-Chair Derrick Brooks as a mentor.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, celebrate the return of the NFL season, as it kicks off with Chiefs-Texans and look ahead to a big season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers! Rob gives us an update on where things stand in the Super Bowl LV planning process as we're 150 days out from game day on February 7th! Speaking of, Hall of Fame coach and The NFL Today's Bill Cowher chats with Ryan about the Bucs chances this season and Tampa as a Super Bowl city! Finally, a candid conversation with Tampa Bay Rays President Brian Auld on his team's success, sports' role in ending racism in America, the team's push to get people to the polls and why the sister-city concept with Montreal is essential to the Rays future in Tampa Bay. Enjoy!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, break down the early success of the Super Bowl LV Community Ambassador program! Plus, the guys break down Team Tampa Bay's hot streak, the push to make a difference this November and Tampa Bay LV Host Committee's Jenna Grooms stops with an update on what she's planning for the Super Bowl Experience and more!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss the sports world coming to a stop to call attention to the shooting of Jacob Blake and how the Forever 55 initiative was launched to address systemic racism and inequality in our community. The guys also welcome NFL exec Peter O'Reilly, who tells you why the NFL is leading the charge on change and details behind the Super Bowl Experience!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, welcome Portland Timbers goalie Jeff Attinella, who's from Clearwater, Fla., to describes what life was like in the MLS bubble, his love for USF and Tampa Bay sports and why he became an author. Ryan and Rob also discuss what the roll out will be like for Super Bowl Experience and the plan to market it!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, finally get the unveil plans for the NFL's first FREE and fully outdoors Super Bowl Experience, which will live along the 2.7 miles of Tampa's Riverwalk. NFL Events' Nicki Ewell joins the podcast to discuss all the details of the premiere part of Super Bowl LV week. Plus, Derrick Brooks on Forever 55 and the impact it'll have on Tampa Bay!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, celebrate episode 30 with special guest Tino Martinez! The four-time World Series champ and New York Yankees legend discusses his Tampa roots, MLB's 60-game season, his relationship with Derek Jeter and what it's like to live near Jeter's new tenant, Tom Brady! Ryan and Rob also hint towards a big announcement next week. Tune in to find out why you'll want to be paying attention!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, dispute the rumors of Super Bowl LV potentially moving out of Tampa due to the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's letter to fans. Rob also surprises Ryan with a "special guest" on the pod: USF football head coach Jeff Scott, who discuses his first year on the job during a pandemic, his team's march for social justice, the Bulls' outlook for 2020 and the upcoming birth of his son.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss the 200-day milestone in the countdown to Super Bowl LV in Tampa, and if everything is still full speed ahead given the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Speaking of, Ryan and Rob welcome Ken Elder, Vice President of Partnerships for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee, to discuss the parallels of planning for the 2009 Super Bowl, coming off a financial crisis, and the 2021 Super Bowl at Ray Jay in the new normal of COVID-19. Ken also discusses lessons learned from the past and why Tampa has become a destination for the biggest event in all of sports!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss their favorite summertime seltzer as the Bucs make a big announcement. Plus, the guys welcome Tampa Bay LV Director of Community Ambassador Program Lisa Urban to the podcast to discuss what goes into the program, why people come from out of state to volunteer and how you can pitch in as well!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, visit with Buccaneers tight end and Harvard grad Cameron Brate to discuss his affinity for the podcast, his recent engagement, what it has been like getting to know Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski and why attending Harvard wasn't as difficult for him as you might think! Ryan and Rob also catch you up on the current planning meetings between the Host Committee and the NFL for Super Bowl LV and we're getting closer to launching our Community Ambassador program!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, catch up on zoom to discuss the Team Tampa Bay approach to mask wearing and why July is a critical month for sports, including the NFL. Plus, Super Bowl LV host committee's Vice President of Operations, Tony Diaz, joins the podcast to discuss how he's been preparing, behind the scenes, for Super Bowl 55, the future of youth sports events in Tampa Bay and to spread the love about his and Ryan's alma mater, UCF.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, welcome Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin to the podcast to discuss his offseason, working out with Tom Brady at Berkeley Prep, his tandem with Mike Evans, what life has been like during COVID-19 and more! The guys also discuss Rob's viral vase, thanks to Room Rater! And what's on the horizon with Super Bowl 55 just 230+ days away!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss the regional effort of Super Bowl 55 and how Pasco County will be featured! Also, Ken Jones joins the guys. He was the head of the host committee for the Republican National Convention when it was in Tampa in 2012. Jones discusses the logistics of planning a massive event and how it compares to gearing up for a Super Bowl. Also, July is gearing up to be a big month for announcements!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, bring in WWE superstar Titus O'Neil to get his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement in America. USF's K.J. Sails and Jordan McCloud also chat with Ryan and Rob about K.J.'s unity walk and their collective drive to move Tampa Bay forward. Rob also gives an update of what's being worked on with Super Bowl 55 just over 240 days away!

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass is joined by his evening co-anchor Carolina Leid, who's filling in for Rob Higgins this week. They discuss Carolina's experience covering a Super Bowl, as well as a candid conversation about the Black Lives Movement across the country. Ryan also interviews Dr. Richard Lapchick, the director of the The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at UCF and a human activist who's spent 60 years fighting against racism around the world. Dr. Lapchick discusses his own history of dealing with racism, why this cry for change is different from others and how sports serves as an important piece of cultural change.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, welcome Tampa Bay Lightning chairman and owner Jeff Vinik, the 55th guest of the Tampa Bay 55 podcast, to discuss his charitable efforts and stepping up to help in the fight against COVID-19. They also discuss Alex Killorn's popular "Dock Talk" series, the NHL's 24-team playoff proposal and why the Bolts window for winning a Cup isn't closing any time soon.

10 Tampa Bay anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss the importance on branding when it comes to Super Bowl LV, plus the launch of 10 Tampa Bay's new look. Buccaneers GM Jason Licht joins the guys to discuss his busy offseason, what led to bringing in Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, the positives of working from home and how the pandemic might change the future of the profession. Ryan and Rob also welcome in Katie Kicklighter, the manager of hospitality and events for Super Bowl LV, to the podcast to discuss how she balances planning for all the events surrounding the big game and what festivities might be making a return for Super Bowl 55.

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, spend another podcast episode on Zoom to detail how virtual tours are becoming a part of the planning process, especially when it comes to Tampa's Straz Center, and what event it could host come Super Bowl week. The guys also welcome Peter O'Reilly, the Executive Vice President of Club Business & League Events for the NFL, to the podcast to discuss lessons learned from the virtual 2020 NFL Draft and the challenges of gearing up for Super Bowl LV from a distance.

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, join each other on Zoom to discuss the chatter of Super Bowl LV's date and its potential flexibility. The guys also give their take on the new-look "primetime" Buccaneers as their 2020 schedule gets released. Hillsborough County Commissioner Les Miller and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor also join the pod to discuss how the city and county is planning for Super Bowl 55 amid COVID-19 and what security could look like for the big game. Rob also updates us on the committee's planning progress, which includes how people will get around during Super Bowl week.

We've got a special treat on this week's episode of the Tampa Bay 55 podcast! In the spirit of the virtual 2020 NFL Draft later on this week, commissioner Ryan Bass (CBS Tampa Bay) hosts our “Tampa Bay LV Social QB” Draft, centered around the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee’s three-pillared tagline: Forward, Forever and Together. Local professional franchises, official Super Bowl Host Committee media partners along with key municipal and community partners are "drafted" to one of our three Social QB teams: Team Forward (Will Weatherford), Team Forever (Derrick Brooks) or Team Together (Rob Higgins)!

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, join each other on Zoom to discuss the next steps in planning for Super Bowl LV, including Business Connect and the ambassador program! Today's pod was also an all-Lightning lineup, with winger Alex Killorn joining the guys to discuss his time away from the ice, when we may see hockey back and the popularity of his #DockTalk series and why he's pushing for Tom Brady to make an appearance! Ryan and Rob also welcome Steve Griggs, the CEO of the Tampa Bay Lightning, to talk about the generosity of the club during the pandemic, their rise to one of the best all-around franchises in sports, his background and how he came to work for Jeff Vinik and how excited the team is to be involved in Super Bowl LV!

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, join each other on Zoom to discuss the new Tampa Bay LV Game Ball campaign and the Elite 8 of the Team Tampa Bay bracket challenge! Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard joins the guys via video chat to share his thoughts on Tom Brady and the Bucs new jerseys. Also, the guys air a previous interview with Fox Sports NFL reporter and former ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor Sara Walsh, who is from Tampa!

We're back! 10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, join each other on Zoom to chat about the latest developments with Super Bowl LV and if there's talk of contingency plans (5:00). The Tampa Bay LV Bracket Challenge heats up (7:45) as we've reached the Round of 32. Buccaneers legend Ronde Barber also joined the podcast to discuss his favorite Super Bowl memory and the current state of the 2020 Bucs (15:00). The guys also welcomed in Buccaneers linebacker Devin White, who revealed his fandom for his new quarterback, Tom Brady (38:50)!

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, join each other on Skype to discuss how the spread of the Coronavirus has brought the sports world in Tampa Bay to a pause (2:00). Rob takes you inside the decision to cancel NCAA March Madness (6:00) and sheds some light on why WWE waited so long to make the call to move Wrestlemania to Orlando (15:30), without fans in attendance, and if conversations have begun on rescheduling sporting events in Tampa Bay.

Full disclosure, this week's Tampa Bay 55 podcast was re-recorded on Friday, March 13 following the Coronavirus concerns across the United States. 10News anchor Ryan Bass is joined by 10Sports anchor Justin Granit, who steps in for Rob Higgins this week, to discuss the sports world coming to a stop as the virus forced leagues to pause and cancelled events. NOTE: The Tampa Bay 55 podcast will take a break for a few weeks out of an abundance of caution in lieu of the Coronavirus outbreak.