THOSE NEUTRAL SITE RULES.

Years ago, Northern Illinois University hosted first-round games in the Big Dance.  That mean some of the features on the scoreboard could not be used.  In those days, the games were in the zeppelin hangar, er, Evans Field House, and jumbotron technology wasn't what it now was.  Never mind that, the animations the scoreboard operator could use to fire up the fans had to be turned off.  There might have been some restrictions on how frequently the band could play, even if the opponent's band wasn't along for the show.

It's in that same spirit that some of the home field features cannot be used at Tampa Bay's football field.

In an attempt to keep this "neutral site" game as even as possible for both the Bucs and Cheifs, the league is not allowing Tampa Bay to fire the cannons from their famed pirate ship after touchdowns and big plays.

"The firing of the cannons after big plays is a tradition that defines what it means to be a Buccaneer fan and serves as a signature element of our home game experience at Raymond James Stadium," the team said in a statement released on Tuesday. "However, we also acknowledge and understand the NFL's position with regards to maintaining the integrity of a neutral site atmosphere for Super Bowl LV. While the cannons may not fire in their typical fashion, we look forward to showcasing parts of our tradition while working within the league's guidelines."

Kansas City will be the visiting team again, but that's because Kansas City was the visiting team, representing the upstart league, in the first NFL-AFL Championship Game. That made the Oakland Raiders the home team in the second such game.

The Buccaneers are technically the home team for this Super Bowl, but it has nothing to do with the fact that they are in their own building. It merely has to do with it being the NFC's turn as both conferences alternate who will be the home team each year. That really is only significant as it relates to picking what jersey they want to wear. Everything else -- logos on the field, endzone paintings, etc. -- will all be designed from a neutral standpoint.

Presumably the home team gets to pick locker rooms first? That can matter: at the start of 1994, Wisconsin, because of the alternating home team convention governing the Rose Bowl, got to use the home locker room, and UCLA, which uses the Rose Bowl as their home stadium, had to dress in the visitors' locker room. The Badgers won the game, and the Wisconsin fans won the Fifth Quarter.