Tampa Bay 55

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.

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, discuss Rob's scouting trip to the SEC Tournament in Nashville next week. The guys also welcome in USF Director of Athletics Mike Kelly, who also served as the COO of the College Football Playoff, to discuss his climb to the AD spot at USF (9:50), being a part of three Super Bowl Host Committees (13:00), South Florida's rise under new football coach Jeff Scott (17:20), the importance of the UCF-USF rivalry (21:45) and his thoughts on if the College Football Playoff needs to expand (25:00). Also joining the pod is Buccaneers Super Bowl XXXVII champion and current Director of Football Ops Shelton Quarles, who spoke on what makes a successful Super Bowl (33:00), his memories from 2003 in San Diego winning the Lombardi Trophy (35:15), a cool story on Jon Gruden (36:30), his memories of playing alongside Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks (39:20) and his perspective from last week's NFL Combine (41:15). Rob also gives an update on Yacht Village and its importance to Super Bowl week next year (49:20).

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, serve as panel judges inside the pitch room for Business Connect, as two local vendors vie for a spot among in the program. You'll hear the powerful pitches from The Colorful Case (9:44) and Milan Catering (15:55) as they hope to land a contracting opportunity for Super Bowl LV. WWE's Chief Brand Officer, Stephanie McMahon, stops by to chat with Rob about Wrestlemania 36 in Tampa (23:30)!

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, welcome NFL All-Pro and Buccaneers legend Gerald McCoy to the podcast! McCoy opens up about his growth in the city of Tampa (6:09), Lee Roy Selmon's legacy and what it has meant to him (7:00), if he'll always consider himself a Buccaneer (8:40), his NFL future now that he's a free agent (9:30), the moment he found out his teammates went to his son's senior night (11:30), keeping an eye on the Bucs from Carolina and holding his ex-teammates accountable (13:25), his charitable efforts in Tampa Bay (15:20), how being a father has changed him (19:42), what it would mean to come full-circle and play in Super Bowl LV in Tampa (23:30) and a fun rookie hazing story (26:45). Also, Jason Aughey of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission joins the podcast to delve into the hotel and lodging aspect of Super Bowl 55 (37:00). Finally, LaKendria Robinson, who leads the Business Connect effort for LV, updates us ahead of Tuesday's pitch day!

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, get the Super Bowl LV party planning started as they're joined by Jack Murphy, president of Nomadic Entertainment Group, who is already in Tampa scouting locations for 2021! Rob and Ryan also welcome Leonard Levy, who was the Chairman of Tampa’s NFL Task Force Committee that helped land the city a NFL franchise, to share his memories of securing the first Super Bowl in Tampa and his relationship with countless NFL owners. Tampa Sports Authority President/CEO Eric Hart also stops by to rave about Ray Jay's improvements and the events coming to town before the Big Game.

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, are back from Miami as we're officially one year away from Super Bowl LV in Tampa, which will be played on February 7, 2021! Buccaneers COO Brian Ford stops by the podcast to discuss Raymond James Stadium's improvements and what to look forward to for next year. Plus, Ryan and Rob review their experiences from Miami (7:00), including the halftime show and the NFL 100 commercial kickoff (14:00). Steve Hayes, the CEO of Visit St. Pete-Clearwater also joined the guys to discuss the importance of making the Super Bowl a community-wide event (20:30) and Rene Gallant from TECO talks about the company's excitement to be partnering with the host committee for the big game (25:00). Also, Rob gives insight into how technology will play a major part in Super Bowl LV (34:00).

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, say goodbye to Radio Row, but not before welcoming Ike Taylor, who won the 2009 Super Bowl in Tampa with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He told us the big buy he made after winning it all and his favorite play of that Super Bowl at Raymond James Stadium (5:25). Super Bowl LV Host Committee co-chair Will Weatherford stops by to chat about his role leading up to Super Bowl 55 (11:09) and former Buccaneer Ryan Nece drops in to talk about what Derrick Brooks and the city of Tampa means to him (18:00). We're also joined by Jim Bunn of Raymond James Financial to discuss their partnership with the Super Bowl LV Host Committee (25:15) and former USF star and current Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling chats with Ryan about his time in Tampa and his first-ever meeting with Aaron Rodgers.

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee, welcome a bevy of guests to their booth on Radio Row in Miami. NFL Network and former wide receiver Andrew Hawkins joins the pod to chat about his love of Tampa (6:25) and learning the Patriot Way. Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick stops by to chat about his time with the Buccaneers, stealing DeSean Jackson's outfit and taking in his first Gasparilla (17:36). Former FSU star and Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes visited with Ryan to explain what makes Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston special and why he's scared of the pirate ship at Raymond James Stadium (23:28). Tampa Bay Sports Commission COO Claire Lessinger (29:30) and LaKendria Robinson, the Director of Business Connect and Community Outreach for the Super Bowl 55 Host Committee, also give their unique perspectives on the work being done leading up to 2021.

10News anchor Ryan Bass and Rob Higgins, president/CEO of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee discuss their viral moment from Radio Row in Miami (1:50). NFL Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks joins the podcast to discuss his experience in Miami so far and why he was touched by John Lynch's Super Bowl invitation (10:45). XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck also stops by to give his thoughts on why Tampa is one of the best host cities in the nation (27:00) and Visit Tampa Bay CEO Santiago Corrada joins the guys to explain how far Tampa Bay has come since the last Super Bowl in 2009 (30:00). Rob and Ryan also highlight the Super Bowl security effort, as Assistant Chief of Police for the Tampa Police Department Reuben Delgado (38:00) and former Chief of Police and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor (43:30) join the podcast to give their insight into safety measures for the Big Game.