If they made a movie about Leon Draisaitl — the most clutch performer in the NHL — it would be called The Delivery Man. Mark Spector spoke to Draisaitl about becoming a superstar.
The Florida Panthers seem to be trying to avoid a Leafs Nation takeover at FLA Live Arena during their second-round playoff series.
Tickets for the Panthers’ three home games against the Toronto Maple Leafs go on sale on Monday morning at 11 a.m. ET, but purchases are restricted to residents of the United States.
On the Ticketmaster website, a note states: “orders by residents outside of the United States will be canceled without notice and refunds given.” Residency, Ticketmaster says, is based on credit card billing address.
When asked to explain the decision, a Panthers spokesperson said: “We are giving our local fans first access to tickets to the series for the first 24 hours of the single game ticket on sale. Anyone can purchase tickets on the secondary markets today.”
On the secondary market, Panthers season-ticket holders may be tempted to try to make good money from Leafs fans anxious to see their team in the second round for the first time since 2004.
On Monday morning, the cheapest ticket in a pair for the first home game in Sunrise, Fla. — Game 3 — was going for $217 on StubHub. That’s still significantly less than the $428 get-in price for Game 1 at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.
The Panthers’ primary-market strategy has been used many times before by teams anxious to keep their stadiums from being overrun by visiting fans. The move also adds value for season-ticket holders.
The Carolina Hurricanes have a similar policy for their second-round series against either the New Jersey Devils or New York Rangers.
“PNC Arena is located in Raleigh, NC . Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of North Carolina, South Carolina and southern parts of Virginia,” the Hurricanes say on Ticketmaster
The Vegas Golden Knights, who face the Edmonton Oilers in the second round, have no such restriction on ticket sales.
The Panthers’ had the seventh-lowest average attendance figure in the NHL this season, while the Leafs were fifth best, according to Hockey DB.
Leafs games in Florida traditionally attract a healthy number of Canadian snowbirds.
The Panthers also are battling for local attention with the Miami Heat, who are up 1-0 in their second-round NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks.
Watch Game 1 of the Leafs-Panthers series on Sportsnet or Sportsnet NOW on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Related Posts
About Author
