The Detroit Pistons will need to exploit every advantage if they want to pull off the first-round playoff upset against the New York Knicks.
The Knicks are favored by most experts, one reason being that they have home court advantage and enjoy a healthy one in one of the best arenas in the world in Madison Square Garden.
Knicks fans are hungry for a title and think they might have the team to deliver it, though they will have a tough road to even get there, including what should be a physical first-round series against Detroit.
The Pistons have already beaten the Knicks twice in MSG this season, but we all know the atmosphere will be different in the playoffs and that fans in New York are going to bring it.
That’s fine. But they won’t be bringing it to Detroit, not without some creativity.
Detroit Pistons playoff tickets: New Yorkers stay out
The atmosphere at Little Caesar’s Arena has certainly changed this season.
The Pistons went from playing in front of mostly empty seats the last few seasons to playing in front of a packed house that was fully engaged in the game instead of the T-Shirt cannon and Swag Cam, the necessary distractions when your team is winning 14 games in a season.
Like the players, Pistons fans are hungry for playoff success, and some of us has been in the trenches with this team since well before anyone on the current roster was even born (Yeah, I’m old, go away).
In past years, the Pistons had no home-court advantage and often fans of other teams would use them as a cheap opportunity to see their guys, with away fans outnumbering those from Detroit. This was especially true against close teams like Toronto, whose supporters would often drown our fans out.
That won’t be the case in the playoffs, and the Pistons have taken steps to ensure it by using geo-fencing when selling tickets to games 3, 4 and 6 (if necessary), which will be in Detroit.
Buyers must have a credit card with a Michigan address (or one from select bordering areas) to be able to buy tickets.
A spokesperson for the Pistons spoke to the New York Post and explained why this creative strategy was used:
“We implemented geo-fencing for two main reasons. First, we saw a high volume of ticket brokers attempting to buy up large blocks of tickets — especially the more affordable options — during our presale...Second, like many teams and organizations across the entertainment industry, we continue to face ongoing threats of fraud. Geo-fencing is one of the tools used to help protect against that and ensure a better experience for our fans."
I am sure there is truth to this, but the bonus is that it will make it more difficult for out-of-state Knicks fans to get tickets and pollute the home crowd.
This has created some controversy, not just among New Yorkers, but among fans from Michigan, most of whom have Lions’ logos as their avatar and claim the Pistons are “weak” for needing to do this.
The Pistons don’t “need” to do anything, as LCA is going to be sold out and packed with Pistons fans either way, but if this method can reduce fraud with the bonus of keeping New Yorkers out, great!
The Pistons are going to need every advantage they can get, so getting creative to boost the home court atmosphere by ensuring more real Pistons fans get into the game is smart.
It’s also a way to help local fans secure tickets, as it reduces bulk buying for resale (a practice I loathe) and makes it easier to get and afford seats.
And if it keeps a few loud Knicks fans away, so be it.