National Football League fans can catch the Super Bowl champ Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the modern, 66,000-seat Raymond James Stadium, 4201 N. Dale Mabry Highway, at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (tel. 813/879-2827; www.buccaneers.com) August through December. Single-game tickets (starting at $30) are very hard to come by.

The National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning play in the St. Pete Times Forum, beginning in October (tel. 813/301-6500; www.tampabaylightning.com). You can usually get single-game tickets ($8-$155) on game day.

New York Yankees fans can watch the Bronx Bombers during baseball spring training from mid-February to the end of March at Legends Field (tel. 813/879-2244 or 813/875-7753; www.yankees.mlb.com), opposite Raymond James Stadium. This scaled-down replica of Yankee Stadium is the largest spring-training facility in Florida, with a 10,000-seat capacity. Tickets are $10 to $16. The club's minor-league team, the Tampa Yankees (same phone and website), plays at Legends Field April through August.

The only thoroughbred racecourse on Florida's west coast, Tampa Bay Downs, 11225 Racetrack Rd., Oldsmar (tel. 800/200-4434 in Florida, or 813/855-4401; www.tampadowns.com), is the home of the Tampa Bay Derby. Races are held from December to May ($2 general admission, $3 clubhouse), and the track presents simulcasts year-round. Call for post times.