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Which pro team to pick? A Tampa Bay fan’s viewing guide

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Which pro team to pick? A Tampa Bay fan’s viewing guide

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This may be a good problem to have. It’s not every weekend that Tampa Bay sports fans are lucky enough to spend the day watching all three home teams compete. But prepare yourselves, it will happen next Sunday.

The Rays, who are contending for the playoffs, will finish out their series against the Red Sox (1:10 p.m., Fox Sports Sun). The Buccaneers will kick off against the Saints in New Orleans in Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski’s Bucs debuts (4:25 p.m., Fox). And the Lightning will face the Islanders in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final (3 p.m., NBC).

What a predicament Tampa Bay sports fans find themselves in. Or, perhaps not.

Benjamin Cumberlidge, 31, of Lakeland, said next Sunday is no different for him than any other weekend. Cumberlidge likes to watch the Miami Heat and Lightning, so he typically uses a two-TV setup when the teams are playing at the same time.

“This is nothing new for a fan of teams from different markets,” he said.

Benjamin Cumberlidge uses a two-television setup when multiple teams are playing at the same time, like the Tampa Bay sports market will experience on Sunday. Cumberlidge said he’ll tune into the Lightning’s Game 4 against the Islanders and the Bucs-Saints season opener on the other. [ Benjamin Cumberlidge ]

Cumberlidge said he’ll pull out the TV from his home office, which his wife, Sara, has helped him turn into a mini man-cave with sports paraphernalia. He’ll set up in the living room so he can watch the Lightning and Bucs play at the same time. He’ll hook up his computer to the smaller television for the Bucs stream.

Brooks Roland, 38, of Tampa, also opts for a two-TV setup on weekends like this. Roland said he is a casual MLB fan but really pays attention to the NFL and NHL.

He’ll start off the day with the Rays on one TV and the Bucs on the other, then will switch over the Bucs to the Lightning at puck drop. The Rays will be on the second screen unless it’s a blowout against the Red Sox, then the Bucs get the nod.

“Once the Bucs are about to kick off, I’ll make sure they’re on the second TV,” he said.

Chris Beltz, 43, of Palm Harbor, will use the two-TV setup between his patio and living room. He and his wife, Audrey, have been Lightning season ticket holders since 2011 and don’t miss too many games.

The plan for now is to watch the Bucs on the main screen in the living room and leave the smaller screen for the Lightning, though Beltz joked he might have to negotiate some extra chores around the house; his wife prefers the Bolts. He usually streams the Rays on his iPad.

“The Rays have the East close to locked up, so they won’t be a priority until October,” he said.

Danielle Manning, 31, of Largo, watches the Lightning games with her 7-year-old son, Cooper. Danielle commandeers the couch, while Cooper looks on from his special gaming chair in the middle of the room.

“It’s kind of become a superstition for us,” she said.

Douglas Harvey, 29, of Venice, said he isn’t all that much of an NFL fan because of the lack of action compared to the time each play takes. He loves watching the Lightning, though. As for the MLB, he’s a casual fan who keeps check on the scores but doesn’t tune into the games.

“For me, the packed Sunday schedule isn’t too much of an issue,” he said.

Marybeth Freibott, 27 of St. Petersburg, said her boyfriend, Ethan Pfab, already made arrangements so she could watch both the Bucs and Rays at home.

They stream all of the sports on their television in the living room, but on Sunday they’ll move the bedroom television to help accommodate the busy day. The larger screen is reserved for the Lightning. As for the Rays, they’ll manage on a phone or computer.

“The priority will be the Lightning if this all doesn’t work out,” she said.

Zachary Beldon, 27, of Denton, Texas, is currently working toward his PhD in higher education and sports management. He has an exam to work on, the last requirement before he gets to work on his thesis/dissertation. Beldon grew up in Tampa and has followed the sports market since he was a child.

“I’ll probably have games on in the background since I have a few days to take exam at home (it’s an essay exam),” he said. “I just don’t know how I will have time to manage them both at the same time.”

Here are some things other fans had to say:

Contact Mari Faiello at mfaiello@tampabay.com. Follow @faiello_mari.



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