The legend of Jose Gaspar began back in the early 1900s when a local resident, Juan Gomez who resided 200 miles southeast of Tampa near Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands region. The supposed 100-year old gentleman claimed he was a former cabin boy (A young male servant on a ship who was responsible for assisting with the care of the ship’s quarters, along with handling the needs of the officers and passengers) of Gaspar’s crew.
The story, depending on who was telling it as there were different versions floating around, was that Gaspar was born into a Spanish aristocratic family. He sailed to the Caribbean and the coast of Florida with hopes of making it in his country’s navy. But when those planned faltered, he then began plunder merchant ships around the coast of Florida on his ship that was named, “Gasparilla,” amassing treasure, taking women captive on Florida’s Captiva Island, and became the namesake for Gasparilla Island.
In 1904, the “society editor” of a Tampa newspaper, Louise Frances Dodge teamed up with a Tampa federal bureaucrat, George W. Hardee to capitalize on the then “trending” story and planned a parade of pirates that incorporated an invasion and a demand from the Mayor to hand over the keys of the city to the pirates. Thus, “Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla” and Gasparilla Fest was born. The goal of the duo was to put Florida on the map and as we all know now 121 years later, it is one of the most well-known festivals around the world with a dedicated boat for the festival.
The Gasparilla Festival is a way to promote a city that prior to the Gasparilla Fest was mainly known for being an industrial city who flourished from its cigar production and its discovery of phosphate.
The legend of Jose Gaspar provided the city with a “common mythology” that brough everyone together.
To the day, now hundreds of boats led in by the 165ft. long pirate ship full of swashbuckling bandits with eye patches parade into the harbor and demand the keys to the city.
As an ode to the history of Gaspar and Gasparilla Fest, the National Hockey League adopted the legend that pays homage to Tampa’s history and formed the 2026 stadium series logo, which was released to the public by the Tampa Bay Lightning and National Hockey League on Tuesday.
The voyage to outdoor hockey awaits 🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/SKjQPLcRvC
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) August 5, 2025
The logo includes a pirate ship named, the Tampa Bay, sailing on the ocean water, much like the ships that sail into the city’s harbor each January and will be sailing in just days ahead of the stadium series game taking place at Raymond James Stadium, home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also have a ship’s sail in their logo and located in the North End Zone of the stadium is a pirate ship that makes the stadium an attraction for all as it is the only NFL stadium with a ship that you can go on while enjoying the game.
On top the ship’s mast is a lightning bolt at the top of the sail to honor the home Tampa Bay Rays
The logo also includes a treasure map and typography representing a treasure map as back before GPS, they had to use treasure maps to figure out how to get places or to find something.
The 2026 Stadium series game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins takes place on at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, February 1st, just one day after the final day of the Gasparilla Festival on January 31st.
Fans can expect this game to sellout as it is the first outdoor game to take place in an NFL stadium and the same weekend as Gasparilla Fest. So if you’re planning on going, get your tickets before they’re gone!