CJ Matthews Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 http://espn.go.com/chicago/nhl/story/_/id/9568695/nashville-predators-tweak-ticket-policy-limit-chicago-blackhawks-fans The Nashville Predators adjusted the way tickets for games against the Chicago Blackhawks are purchased next season in order to limit the number of Chicago fans in Bridgestone Arena. Some have labeled the effort: "Keep the red out." The Predators recently announced they will not sell single-game tickets to their three home games (Nov. 16, Dec. 17 and April 12) against the Stanley Cup champions. To attend those games, fans will have to purchase tickets to a second game as well. "Our objective is to give our team the best home-ice advantage each and every game," said Gerry Helper, Predators vice president of hockey communications and public relations, by phone Wednesday. "Our ticket plans benefit and appreciate our ticket holders by giving them the best possible pricing, sales and availability, so they can have the chance to purchase these tickets before anyone else, whether they're from Nashville, Chicago or Timbuktu." Helper said the plan didn't have a specific name, but "Keep the Red Out" has created some traction following an interview Predators president and CEO Sean Henry recently did with Section303.com about the ticket initiative. "The best way to buy a Blackhawk ticket is to have a season ticket, a half-season ticket or a 15-game plan," Henry told the website. "But we also realize that we're still going to have to sell 3,000-4,000 single tickets for that game. What it's going to do by forcing another game is we'll almost direct it toward people that live in the general area, for the most part. And [for the pre-sale] only those in the zip codes that we unlock can buy the Blackhawk game and a second game. So we're breaking down every barrier we can to keep the red out. "[blackhawks fans are] going to have to earn it. And they're going to help us continue to grow our roster by building our [revenue at the] gate. It's that simple. In the end, we're building something pretty special. If we have to do it off the backs of their fans a little bit, I'm not apologizing for it." Blackhawks fans have developed a reputation for attending road games, especially those in Nashville, in large numbers in recent years. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews remarked on the fans' road presence after a game in Anaheim last season. The Blackhawks were 18-4-2 on the road during the 2013 regular season. "It's been pretty exciting with these road games," Toews said in March. "Almost half the building is Hawks fans, so it's pretty exciting to hear the 'Go Hawks Go' chant on the road. Not a lot of teams get that, but we've got some special fans and people that follow us all over." The Blackhawks declined comment on the Predators' ticket plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Matthews Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Wouldn't hurt the Islanders/Devils do the same thing for Rangers games too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00xtremeninja Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Lol the wild did this years ago but differently. If you wanted to see big draw names of teams you had to buy tix to a dumpy opponent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropkickMurphy8 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 No matter what teams try to do, there will always be StubHub, and if the opposing team's fans want to go, they'll find a way. I, personally, will be seeing the Rangers in New Jersey as often as possible this year because tickets are significantly cheaper at PruCenter, and it's only about an hour total travel on trains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimcutta Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Impossible to rid ourselves of those pesky roaches, er, Leafs fans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guam64 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 The Caps are doing a similar "Keep the Red Out" thing this year, only instead of Blackhawks fans they are trying to keep Caps fans from showing up to games at the Phone Booth by raising ticket prices and pretending Brooks Laich is a 2nd line center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amonte78 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Wouldn't be surprised if Dallas did the same thing, that place is packed with Hawks fans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYIJM29 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 The Caps are doing a similar "Keep the Red Out" thing this year, only instead of Blackhawks fans they are trying to keep Caps fans from showing up to games at the Phone Booth by raising ticket prices and pretending Brooks Laich is a 2nd line center. At least he is a NHLer. The Isles have been trying to sell us on: Rick DiPietro being a goalie, Marty Reasoner/Jay Pandolfo/Milan Jurcina on being NHLers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guam64 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Milan Jurcina Nope, never heard of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatryk Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Wouldn't hurt the Islanders/Devils do the same thing for Rangers games too.put them all in 1 section and drop a hand grenade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islesfan25 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 At least he is a NHLer. The Isles have been trying to sell us on: Rick DiPietro being a goalie, Marty Reasoner/Jay Pandolfo/Milan Jurcina on being NHLers Didn't you own at least 2 of those so called NHL players gameworn jerseys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandon Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 I was at a Preds / Blackhawks game this year and it was insane. I honestly dont even know how they did it. All the Preds games Ive been to have been packed and its like 90% home fans but for this game it was a whole other world. All of Nashville was littered with red (and an extremely high % of those ugly fake green Hawks jerseys). It might have been because they were in the midst of that win streak and it was like a 2pm game but it was still unlike anything Ive seen for pro sports and I live in Florida where no one likes any of the home teams except the one with Lebron. Overall though I think doing this stuff is lame and altogether I wouldve thought better of them to try it, I bet it dies off quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandon Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 PS: Gotta pay for Shea Weber somehow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerseymikea Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Seems to me that all Nashville should be happy anybody wants to attend a game after last year's lockout. All of this is a veiled attempt at trying to sell additional tickets to games (other than) what many would consider a "premium" game that features the current Stanley Cup champions. For years in Philadelphia, the "only way" to buy tickets to see the Red Sox was to purchase a six "game plan" that included buying tickets to five games that nobody really wanted. It's marketing genius using another team's popularity to bolster your own ticket sales. I would think they would much rather be concerned about fans from St. Louis invading their arena, but they didn't win the cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMLFAN Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Impossible to rid ourselves of those pesky roaches, er, Leafs fans ] Only team in the NHL with two home arenas. ACC and whatever the sens are calling their building nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandon Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Only team in the NHL with two home arenas. ACC and whatever the sens are calling their building nowadays. 3* Florida Panthers @ Maple Leafs from Sunrise, FL - Leafs & Habs fans come out HUGE even at that, still doesnt compare to Hawks @ Preds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropkickMurphy8 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Only team in the NHL with two home arenas. ACC and whatever the sens are calling their building nowadays. Wait until the Islanders move to Brooklyn. Ranger fans are gonna storm that place like a SEAL team, there won't be a visible Isles jersey in the place. Hell, I'm hoping we can take over Prudential this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BPerkins Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 It's really no more than a twist on the "premium pricing" that so many teams now use. The Chicago bandwagon is full and they will travel to catch games since ticket prices in Chicago will be insane again this season. If they want to see the Hawks play in Nashville, I have no problem with the Preds making as much as possible off the travelling fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyers845 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 The Washington nationals did this for when the philadelphia phillies fans went to DC a few seasons ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYIJM29 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Didn't you own at least 2 of those so called NHL players gameworn jerseys? All 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYIJM29 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Wait until the Islanders move to Brooklyn. Ranger fans are gonna storm that place like a SEAL team, there won't be a visible Isles jersey in the place. Hell, I'm hoping we can take over Prudential this year. Lol. Real cute. You guys think you're going to be relevant in 2 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk3 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Lol. Real cute. You guys think you're going to be relevant in 2 years. Alain Vigneault is the head coach, if 2 is the over/under, im calling under. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyjerseyssuck Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Ottawa does premium pricing, but this sort of thing would never work here. Most of the Leafs/Habs fans are older local people who were fans before the Senator's inception (I can't blame them for sticking with their team, although it must be harsh given it's the Habs and the Leafs). Almost everybody I know who was born in Ottawa in the mid to late 80's, or early 90's is an Ottawa fan. But, it might be harder for them to convince University kids, and people just starting their careers to dish out money for Sens games. Not to mention, the arena is in an entirely different town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomtucker Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 alot of girls/women can´t go to the games at certain points of the month ? does not seem right ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValleyParade Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 Maybe it's my background as a soccer fan, but who gives a frig if away fans are buying tickets? Someone's buying them, it makes your ticket sales look good. I don't even mind all the Habs fans that come down to Boston, besides them clogging up T stations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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