The temperature will be nearing triple digits in Tampa Bay on Sunday, but for Paul Parone it will feel like late December.
When the Eagles face the Buccaneers in Florida, Parone will be down the road with a couple hundred Philadelphia fans. Parone founded a group called Tampadelphia in 1994, which hosts watch parties for every Eagles game and all postseason contests for the Phillies, 76ers, and Flyers.
It's a passion project for Parone, which makes every gameday feel like a holiday.
"To me, it's like 17 more Christmas mornings in the year because everybody walks into my room and they're happy," Parone said.
Parone grew up in North Philadelphia and moved to Tampa Bay in 1993. He met other Philly natives who lived nearby and asked them where they watched the Birds on Sundays. They told him they didn't have a spot, so Parone quickly changed that.
It started with a group of just a few people and grew from there. Now, Parone hosts watch parties at OCC Roadhouse Grill in Clearwater, which has a capacity of more than 1,500. Parone said he typically gets as many as 300 people for 1 PM games.
"We get together to cheer the team," said Parone, whose group features fans of all ages. "It's all about family and friends and good food and football and fun."
Some of the greatest moments of the group have come in recent years. For the Eagles' Super Bowl LII victory, Tampdelphia hosted a watch party at a local hotel, where they opened the walls to three ballrooms, had three large projectors, and two hot buffet lines.
There were around 550 people in attendance, and Parone emceed the event wearing a tuxedo and Kelly Green baseball hat.
"I said, 'Welcome to the Eagles' Super Bowl,' and I got a standing ovation," Parone said. "I said, 'These are my people.'"
What started as a local gathering with a few people in 1994 has now turned into a way of life for some Philadelphia fans in Tampa Bay. The Tampadelphia Facebook group has more than 4,000 followers, and 700 Eagles fans attended the Super Bowl LIX watch party.
With the Eagles in town for a Week 4 matchup against the Buccaneers, there will be some extra juice at Tampadelphia. There will be an event at Roadhouse Grill on Saturday from noon to 7 PM. Parone said he's not going to the game because of the heat, but he certainly won't be alone on Sunday.
"When you go through life and you go to work every day, every week, every month, every year, and you bust your [butt], you've got your projects, you've got a bunch of pressures," Parone said, "... by Sunday, just give me three hours to hide, get something good to eat and drink, and watch my team. And that is where I come in. That's what Tampadelphia is all about. Tampadelphia doesn't exist. Where the group is is Tampadelphia." — Written by Matt Ryan
