Bucs-Seahawks game Dec. 26 moved to 4:15 kickoff

By ANWAR S. RICHARDSON | The Tampa Tribune
Published: December 13, 2010

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have their third game of the season flexed into a later start time.

The NFL announced the Bucs' home game against Seattle on Dec.26 has been moved from 1 to 4:15 p.m. Tampa Bay and Seattle are currently in the NFC playoff hunt and this game could impact the postseason hopes for both teams.

The Bucs previously recently had games against Atlanta and Baltimore become part of the league's "flex" scheduling option, which allows networks to move select games into prime TV slots.

However, the move does not mean the Bucs will have a national audience for their game.

When Tampa Bay's recent game against Atlanta was moved from 1 to 4:15 p.m., only parts of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia, North Dakota and Minnesota could watch. Fox chose to broadcast the Indianapolis-Dallas game to the majority of its viewers.

Even though the game time has been changed, it still will be blacked out locally unless the game is sold out.