How do you keep opposing fans out of your building during the playoffs? That’s the question that has plagued several teams not only during the playoffs, but throughout the regular season. The St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators and others have created a variety of ways (you have to buy tickets to multiple games, for instance) to combat opposing fans from infiltrating the building. The Tampa Bay Lightning are taking a more geographical approach.
As seen on SI.com, the Lightning are only allowing fans who live in Florida to buy tickets to Lightning playoff games.
Amalie Arena is located in Tampa, FL. Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of Florida. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside the selected area will be canceled without notice and refunds given.
Like all of the methods other teams have tried, there are loopholes. As long as the secondary ticket market exists, fans of the other team will find their way inside the building. This will certainly make things more difficult for fans looking to travel to Florida to catch a playoff game, but where there is a will there is a way.
There’s also a ticket policy which restricts fans from wearing logos for other teams inside the team’s Chase Club and Lexus Lounge. If you’re wearing a different logo, you’ll be asked to remove it.
Where have we heard this before?