The Tampa Bay Lightning have changed their jersey policy so that fans from other cities can purchase tickets at Amalie Arena through TicketMaster, a policy that was against so since the start of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The policy was made to guarantee locals would get first dibs on securing their tickets and make the home-ice advantage greater for the Lightning.
Fans were also forbidden to wear jerseys of opposing teams in premium and club seats. It made up only 10% capacity but the Lightning gave notices to those looking at tickets in those areas.
The Lightning said that they removed this policy because season ticket holders in the club lounges asked them to do so.
In Round 1 of their Stanley Cup Playoff series, a Florida Panthers fan and his 11-year-old son were resisted by two team/Amalie Arena representatives who told them that they would need to change clothes (the team would give them a set of clothes to change into) or they would be asked to leave their seats and be given a refund. When the fan called the policy out, an employee threatened to have them escorted out of the arena.
You can watch the encounter below:
“After careful consideration the Lightning have elected to relax its visiting team apparel policy in the premium clubs for playoff games at Amalie Arena. The policy was originally instituted in 2015 at the request of our valued ticket holders in those areas, but we realize we have grown as an organization and as a hockey market since that time and it is no longer necessary.”
The Lightning will play Games 3, 4, and possibly 6 at home in their second-round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes.
By Harrison Brown