Panthers attempting to close Leaf fans out of their arena for Round 2
Shortly after completing their series comeback and Game 7 OT win against the powerhouse Boston Bruins, the Florida Panthers announced some unique conditions for ticket sales for their Round 2 series against the Leafs. Their hope is to prevent Leaf fans from taking over the arena like they do during the regular season.
The Panthers announced that the purchase of tickets by anyone with an address outside of the United States will be cancelled and refunded. Tampa tried the same thing last year and it didn't exactly work because any Leaf fan in Florida either has a property there or knows someone that does.
My first thought here is that this takes away from the inclusivity that the NHL is going for. Excluding an entire group of people based on their geographical location is also basically synonymous with discrimination. Who cares where fans are from? You're filling your building either way. Having fans from both fanbases present is a part of what makes a sporting event special.
We already know that Leaf fans will find a way to be present when the series shifts back to Sunrise for Games 3 and 4 anyway, but it's a matter of principle here, really. Shameful behaviour by the Panthers.
| POLL | ||
MAI 1 | 796 ANSWERS Panthers attempting to close Leaf fans out of their arena for Round 2 Should the NHL step in and ban the Panthers from discriminating against fans who want to buy tickets? | ||
| Yes | 680 | 85.4 % |
| No | 41 | 5.2 % |
| Who cares? | 75 | 9.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
