Predators block Pa. residents from Stanley Cup Final ticket sales

Tickets for Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at PPG Paints Arena went on sale Friday, but Pens fans hoping to see the team on "enemy ice" -- are going to have a harder time getting tickets.

Penguins fans planning road trips to Tennessee to support their team in the Stanley Cup Final might hit a speed bump.

Sales of tickets to games 3, 4 and - if necessary, 6 - on Ticketmaster's website are restricted to residents of the Predators' viewing area: Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

“I think that's a really crummy thing to do,” said Penguins fan Katelyn Armstrong.

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“I don’t think you can really tell people what they can and cannot do,” fan Erica Gibson agreed. “If you're a fan of another team, you should be able to spend the money on the team of your choice.”

"Orders by residents outside the viewing area will be canceled without notice and refunds given," according to a warning on the website. Residency will be established by the address associated with the purchasing credit card.

“I think that's a shame, and I think they're going to lose out on a lot of business,” Armstrong said.

But some fans understand where the Predators are coming from.

“I don’t think it’s right, but I'm also against selling tickets to other fans too so I can go either way with it,” Nick Wartman said. “I think they're afraid.”

Now, this isn't the first time Nashville has restricted ticket sales to give their fans a better chance at acquiring seats at Bridgestone Arena. Anaheim Ducks fans had problems landing tickets during the Western Conference Final, and Chicago Blackhawks fans have criticized the Predators for years for shunning them even during the regular season.

Nor are the Predators the only team in the NHL to adjust ticket policies to favor the home crowd. The Tampa Bay Lightning caught criticism during the Stanley Cup Final two years ago for a similar ticketing policy, and they even went so far as to limit what color clothing spectators could wear in certain sections of their arena.

Cox Media Group