Tampa's Bucs to host Bears in Irma aftermath

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the Chicago Bears as scheduled on Sunday, bringing NFL action back to Florida as the state grapples with damage from Hurricane Irma.

More than 15 million people remained without electricity in Florida in the wake of the storm, which ravaged the Caribbean and the Florida Keys but produced less damage than forecasters feared on the mainland of Florida.

"We have been working tirelessly with the Tampa Sports Authority, as well as the NFL league office, to ensure that Raymond James Stadium would be available to host our season opener against the Chicago Bears this Sunday," Buccaneers chief operating officer Brian Ford said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Hosting the game is important to us, as Tampa Bay has been through a lot over the past few days. We look forward to providing our fans and the entire region an opportunity to come together this Sunday to kick off our 2017 season."

The Bucs' regular-season opener against the Dolphins, scheduled for last Sunday in Miami, was postponed until November 19.

Now 53 players and 10 practice-squad members -- who were scattered amid storm evacuations -- must reassemble in Tampa by Wednesday.

Tampa International Airport was to resume flight and terminal operations on Tuesday, but storm damage continued to disrupt transportation in the state.

The Dolphins are opening their season on Sunday in California, where they have set up a temporary training base prior to Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Other storm-related schedule changes in the sports world saw a three-game series between baseball's Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees relocated to Citi Field -- home of the New York Mets.

The Rays were hopeful that their Tropicana Field in Tamps could reopen in time for them to host the Boston Red Sox as scheduled on Friday.

Source: AFP