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Nashville Predators are keeping Winnipeg Jets fans from buying tickets

By Dave Stevenson

NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 20: Nashville Predators fans cheer as the team takes the ice for Game Five of the Western Conference First Round against the Colorado Avalanche during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena on April 20, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 20: Nashville Predators fans cheer as the team takes the ice for Game Five of the Western Conference First Round against the Colorado Avalanche during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena on April 20, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Nashville Predators are blocking Winnipeg Jets fans from getting into their home games

During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, home teams like to exert their home-ice advantage. Though the advantage isn’t nearly as great as everyone likes to think, often times, you’ll see home teams do whatever it takes to get fans fired up. The Nashville Predators are taking a unique measure, as they’ll only be selling tickets to local addresses. But are Winnipeg Jets fans out of luck? Not quite.

Here’s how the Preds will be doing it. They’ll only be restricted from Ticketmaster, so Vivid Seats and other secondary markets should be fine. The Preds will only sell tickets on Ticketmaster to people in their viewing area. They will determine a person’s address by the credit card.

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Nashville defines their viewing area as Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. This is hardly a new practice. The Preds adopted a similar philosophy during the 2017 postseason. They’ve also used it in games in the past, most notably against the Chicago Blackhawks. Also, the Tampa Bay Lightning used a similar practice during their Stanley Cup run several years ago.

Overall, this is a pretty smart decision by the Preds. It limits Jets fans from coming. But at the same time, it doesn’t make it impossible. Nashville had an outstanding atmosphere during last year’s Stanley Cup run. They should be interested in doing as much as they can to re-create that magical feeling.

Jets fans aren’t completely out of luck. The secondary market is not restricted and the Preds can’t control that. However, it will be much more difficult to get tickets. And presumably, more expensive.

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It’s a bit surprising more teams don’t do this during the postseason. Especially teams like the Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins, who never have any trouble selling out during the regular season. The Predators and Jets played in some outstanding games this season. It’s safe to say the series between the two Central Division foes will be heated and exciting.

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