I work with two guys who are from the Tampa area. They get upset when you call the city Tampa Bay. They tell us that only the NFL team and the water around Tampa are called Tampa Bay.
There are also Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Lightning. Why are all of sports team called Tampa Bay ________, rather than just Tampa, if the term Tampa Bay is so resented in that area????
Tampa Bay sounds classier. Some of the dumpier small cities in South Florida have added Beach to their names to make them sound like nicer places.