Toronto Maple Leafs tailgate tickets sold out immediately and people are furious

May 2 2023, 3:38 pm

The Toronto Maple Leafs areĀ gearing up for a contentious face-off against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, and fans wanting to join in on all the game-day action outside of Scotiabank Arena were left disheartened after tailgate tickets sold out almost immediately.

For anyone whoĀ can’t drop hundreds of dollars on playoff tickets, fan-favourite tailgates at Maple Leaf SquareĀ are yourĀ next best bet.

However, the viewing party’sĀ free price tag comes with the added burden of participating in a Hunger Games-esque scramble to secure tickets, most of which sell out instantly.

Tailgate tickets must be booked as a mobile pass on the Toronto Maple Leafs app, and Ontario residents even have the opportunity to register for early access by signing up to be a Maple Leafs Insider.

Passes become available at 1 pm the day prior to each game, meaning tailgate tickets for Tuesday’s highly anticipated Game 1 of the second-round playoff series dropped yesterday afternoon.

While the Leafs did announce that Maple Leaf Square would be expanding its tailgates to include an additional viewing zone, plenty of hockey fans were left in the dark after tickets sold out in the blink of an eye.

As part of the expansion, fans will have access to two additional big screens during both home and away games.

The extension will run along Bremner Boulevard from York Street to Lower Simcoe Street. Fans with a Zone 1 pass (the existing tailgate area) will enterĀ at York Street and Bremner Boulevard.

Fans with the brand new Zone 2 pass will be required to enter through Lower Simcoe Street and Bremner Boulevard.

However, passes for the tailgate parties are so coveted, thatĀ some lucky ticket holders have decided to sell the originally free tickets for a hefty price tag.

One person on Twitter alleged that they were offered tickets for $35 each, and another person posted screenshots of a seller offering two tickets for $40.

As the Maple Leafs advance further in the playoff series, it’s unlikely that tailgate tickets will be any easier to acquire; however, some people noted that they finally managed to luck out after the extra viewing zone was added.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will host the Florida Panthers at Scotiabank Arena for Game 1 of their second-round playoff series on Tuesday at 7 pm.

Kimia Afshar MehrabiKimia Afshar Mehrabi

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