Buccaneers Relocate to New Orleans Due to Hurricane \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are relocating to New Orleans ahead of Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm expected to hit Florida’s west coast this week. The relocation will allow the Bucs to prepare for their game against the New Orleans Saints safely. The storm has also caused cancellations and relocations across other Florida sports, including the Tampa Bay Lightning and University of Central Florida.
Hurricane Milton Impacts Florida Sports: Quick Looks
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers relocate to New Orleans to prepare for Sunday’s game.
- Hurricane Milton strengthens to Category 5, threatening Florida’s west coast.
- Tampa Bay Lightning cancels preseason finale against Nashville Predators.
- Orlando Magic unaffected for now but remain on the road for upcoming games.
- UCF cancels Wednesday and Thursday home sports events, including volleyball, soccer, and tennis.
- UCF football still set for Saturday’s game against Cincinnati despite storm concerns.
Deep Look:
With Hurricane Milton rapidly gaining strength over the Gulf of Mexico, Florida’s sports teams are feeling the brunt of the storm’s impact. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one of the most high-profile teams in the state, are taking no chances with their preparations. The team has decided to evacuate Tampa and relocate to the New Orleans area to continue preparations for their upcoming Sunday matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The team will leave Tuesday and spend the remainder of the week practicing out of state, bypassing the dangers posed by the hurricane.
Hurricane Milton, which escalated into a Category 5 storm on Monday, is expected to make landfall along Florida’s west coast by Wednesday, with the Tampa Bay area directly in its path. With this threat looming, the Buccaneers prioritized safety while ensuring they stay on track for their game against a division rival. Instead of practicing at their regular training facility in Tampa, the Bucs will establish a temporary base in New Orleans, a move that ensures they can focus on football while also keeping their players and staff out of harm’s way.
The Buccaneers aren’t the only sports team affected by Milton’s approach. The Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida’s premier NHL team, has had to make significant changes to their schedule as well. Monday night’s preseason finale against the Nashville Predators was canceled outright. This game had already been rescheduled once due to damage from Hurricane Helene, which struck the region just two weeks ago. Although the Lightning are slated to begin their regular season on Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes, there has been no word on whether the team will evacuate from Tampa before Milton makes landfall.
The broader effects of Hurricane Milton are also being felt in college and professional sports beyond Tampa. The NBA’s Orlando Magic are currently on the road, playing games in New Orleans and San Antonio this week. With their travel plans already taking them out of Florida, the team has managed to avoid the immediate disruption caused by the hurricane. Still, the situation remains fluid, and the Magic are monitoring the storm’s path closely, particularly as they prepare to return home for future games.
In the realm of college sports, UCF (the University of Central Florida), located in Orlando, has made the difficult decision to cancel all home athletic events scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. This includes Wednesday’s volleyball match against Colorado, Thursday’s women’s soccer game against Arizona, and the first day of the men’s tennis ITA Southeast Regionals, also slated for Thursday. The university cited player safety and logistical challenges as the primary reasons for the cancellations. As Hurricane Milton’s effects are expected to be felt throughout the Orlando area, UCF is taking proactive steps to protect its athletes and staff.
Despite the widespread cancellations, one major sporting event remains on the schedule—UCF’s home football game against Cincinnati, part of the Big 12 Conference. This game is still planned for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday, although the situation could change depending on the hurricane’s progression. UCF head coach Gus Malzahn expressed confidence that his team would be ready for the game, but he emphasized that safety remains the priority. The Knights are planning to hold a morning practice on Wednesday before the worst of the storm is expected to hit Orlando.
Hurricane Milton’s impact stretches beyond professional and college sports as well. High schools and local sports organizations are also bracing for disruptions. Athletic events across Florida’s west coast are being postponed, canceled, or rescheduled in the wake of the storm’s forecasted path. Many of these decisions are being made to ensure not just player safety, but the safety of coaches, officials, and fans.
The broader concerns about Hurricane Milton also come just two weeks after Florida was hit hard by Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread flooding, power outages, and infrastructure damage. Communities along Florida’s west coast are still in recovery mode, adding an extra layer of urgency to preparations for Milton’s arrival. The storm, now a full-fledged Category 5 hurricane, has the potential to cause significant damage, particularly in low-lying areas prone to flooding. In response, many businesses, schools, and public services are closing ahead of the storm.
As the region prepares for the worst, sports teams across Florida are adjusting their plans to keep their schedules intact, but more importantly, to protect the people involved. Hurricane Milton’s effects are expected to be felt far and wide, with teams, athletes, and fans all having to wait and see how the storm develops in the coming days.
Buccaneers Relocate
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