Sabres to Implement Measures to Restrict Leaf's Fans Ability to View Games
Leaf fans, who annually make the short journey to Buffalo to watch the Leafs play against the Sabres, may find it more challenging in the forthcoming season.
Buffalo Sabres' Strategy against Leafs Fans
In an effort to boost home fan support, the Buffalo Sabres have devised a plan to deter Leafs fans from attending their home games. Starting this season, out-of-state individuals will be moved to the end of the queue when buying single-game tickets.
This decision follows complaints from Sabres players about the evident lack of home fan support during games, particularly when facing the Leafs. Frank Batres-Landaeta, the team's vice president of sales and service, conveyed his concerns to The Buffalo News:
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«Obviously last year, there were a handful of games where we saw the wrong color blue or the wrong color red coming into the building, depending on the jersey we were wearing. We want to make sure that we're providing that home-ice advantage to our players,»
The situation escalated at the Key Banks Arena when, after a hat trick by Ryan O'Reilly, hats in favor of the away team showered down on the ice.
Response from Leafs Supporters
The move by the Sabres has stirred a reaction among Leafs fans, especially on X:
Mike Wilson, an author and podcaster for Leafs Nation, expressed his skepticism:
«The Buffalo Sabres are going to try to do this? Good luck to them, It's not going to keep Leaf fans away; it never will. You just can't keep them away. It won't stop them at all.»
Moreover, Nick Giammusso, a Buffalo-based owner of VIP Tix, hinted that the decision might not have the desired effect:
"It's not going to work, season-ticket holders are used to selling their tickets to fans from southern Ontario. It's a big payday. It ends up helping them pay their season-ticket bill to the Sabres."
Previously on Daily Hockey Dose
POLL |
1 SEPTEMBRE | 82 ANSWERS Sabres to Implement Measures to Restrict Leaf's Fans Ability to View Games Which team do you prefer? The Leafs or the Sabres? |
Leafs | 67 | 81.7 % |
Sabres | 15 | 18.3 % |
LIST OF POLLS |
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