LOL!... Buccaneers trying to keep Giants fans out of the stadium

[Gryphon]

You're not welcome in TB
Posted by Mike Garafolo January 01, 2008 2:44PM
Categories: Playoffs
http://blog.nj.com/ledgergiants/2008/01/youre_not_welcome_in_tb.html#more

Not a blue shirt to be found anywhere.
My man Jay, who received a game ball a few weeks ago for accompanying me and Politi during a snow-blown trip to Chicago, has had his request for a playoff release DENIED by the warden. Still, "just to tease myself," as he put it, he logged onto the Bucs' site to see if he could get tickets for Sunday's game. They were available, but not for people like him. And by that, I mean non-Floridians.

Get this: You can't buy tickets if you don't live in Florida. Well, at least if your credit card bill isn't sent there. When you log onto Ticketmaster to buy tickets for the game, you get this message:

"Raymond James Stadium 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 Florida will be canceled without notice and refunds given."

Okay, maybe they're doing that for every playoff game, I thought.

Wrong. If you look for tickets for Steelers-Jags, Seahawks-'Skins or Chargers-Titans, you will see no such restrictions.

Okay, maybe it's some kind of local law or something, I thought.

Wrong. Wanna go see Lightning-Penguins next Thursday? Be their guest. And it doesn't matter where you live.

How about a venue policy?

Nope. Monster Jam is open to the entire world, apparently. Plus, kids 0-2 years old get in free!

Whatever's going on here, Jay thinks this policy is "pretty obnoxious." If it's a tactic just to keep Giants fans out of the building, I'd have to agree.

If anybody knows what the deal is with this, let me know.

MG

 

[VietCowboy]

you have TB/MIA fans reselling tix to NYG for a premium.

 

[Kevinicus]

That's pretty easy to get around if true. Just change the billing address of your card, buy the tickets, and then change it back once you get them.

 

[SportsAnalyzer]

I don't see anything wrong with it since it's called Home Field Advantage. No need to have a bunch of fans at the stadium from the opposing team.

 

[LeonDixson]

It sounds like it might be a violation of interstate commerce laws. I'm no lawyer, but how can you legally discriminate against other U.S. citizens buying tickets?

 

[SportsAnalyzer]

It sounds like it might be a violation of interstate commerce laws. I'm no lawyer, but how can you legally discriminate against other U.S. citizens buying tickets?

Because its supposed to tampa bay home game. Would you want a bunch of skins or seahawks fans at Texas Stadium?

 

[Hoofbite]

I don't see anything wrong with it since it's called Home Field Advantage. No need to have a bunch of fans at the stadium from the opposing team.

I like it as well. I know when I bought my tickets to the Rams game, I had to have them sent to a relative because I didn't live in the designated area and didn't feel like bending over for stubhub or some other reseller.

Be nice if Dallas did the same. Of course, it would only provide more incentive for the locals to sell those tickets like they did against the Packers.

Don't be shocked to see TS be a neutral field.

 

[The Panch]

We should do the same thing. I was disgusted at how many cheeseheads were there against GB. That was just a bunch of unloyal fans selling their tickets which you cant contain, but annoying nonetheless.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

That's downright dirty. Then again maybe the bucs are worried that the giants fans will sell their tickets to patriots fans. In which case, I can't blame 'em.

But seriously, the NFL shouldn't let teams do this.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

It sounds like it might be a violation of interstate commerce laws. I'm no lawyer, but how can you legally discriminate against other U.S. citizens buying tickets?

It's been done for lottery tickets.

 

[Danny White]

The Cowboys did that for regular season game tix earlier this year.

I live out of state, so I had to have my in-laws order my tickets for me.

 

[Cochese]

So you think this is something new? Been going on for years with other sports. If you wanted Chicago WhiteSox playoff tickets in 05, you better had been from Illinois or Indiana.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

Because its supposed to tampa bay home game. Would you want a bunch of skins or seahawks fans at Texas Stadium?

You must not live in Dallas. We're used to a bunch of Greenbay and Steeler fans flying in to the game. That's just a sign of good fans.

 

[FloridaRob]

Tampa is the biggest bandwagon Pro football town there is. If the Bucs are winning, the locals are supportive, if they aren't they give their tickets away.

The local talk show hosts are constantly ripping on the local residents who moved to Florida and never changed their allegiance from their previous team. I find it hilarious. The say that since we live in the area, we have to support the Bucs. These shows go on for hours with screaming and yelling from both sides. Sorry, but can't do it. Pro football is about passion. If you don't have passion for your favorite team then you can change your allegiance. Other than that, they can learn to live with it. I pay my taxes, support the community, buy everything in the area, but I am not buying Red And Pee-U-ter colored jerseys.

Ticketmaster may have restrictions of who they sell to but the local ticket brokers will be more than happy to accommadate any teams fans. This deal has been going on since the Packer fans took over Tampa Stadium during Dilfers regime. Buc players were soo bitter during those years. Since they moved to Raymond James it hasnt been quite as bad, but other teams fans still can be heard.

 

[Q_the_man]

so if ur a tampa fan like my Bro in law and he live in Cali, he SOL I guess....it would be funny if they did not sell out.......

 

[Q_the_man]

We should do the same thing. I was disgusted at how many cheeseheads were there against GB. That was just a bunch of unloyal fans selling their tickets which you cant contain, but annoying nonetheless.

What wrong with other teams fans anyway, if u have 50,000 fans their and the other team has 10,000 u should be able to drown out the 10k anyway....

 

[The Panch]

What wrong with other teams fans anyway, if u have 50,000 fans their and the other team has 10,000 u should be able to drown out the 10k anyway....

We're not talking about Arrowhead Stadium or Lambeau. We're talking about Texas Stadium where half the time, they're going crazy, the other half they're letting the visiting crowd punk em.

 

[Rack]

Good for them (the bucs). I hope we do the same thing.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

yep, good for the bucs, keep the smelly, loud, New Yorkers away

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

I don't see anything wrong with it since it's called Home Field Advantage. No need to have a bunch of fans at the stadium from the opposing team.

Don't be a baby. It is pitiful. The Lightning didn't mind last week when CanadienFan was half the rink because of the number of Canadians who go to Florida for Christmas.

It is childish and stupid.