Knicks Fans Frustrated by 76ers’ Ticket Policy

Looking to enjoy a cheesesteak while watching the game? You might want to rethink that.

New Yorkers are up in arms about the Philadelphia 76ers and their fans trying to restrict hardcore Knicks supporters from purchasing tickets for playoff games. They argue that such practices aren’t the norm in New York.

“They’re aiming for a local crowd, but it feels forced,” Chris Roy, a 60-year-old from Long Island, commented as the Eastern Conference semifinal series kicked off. “The Knicks don’t resort to that.”

Local fans expressed outrage when the Sixers unveiled a sales policy requiring buyers to have an address in the “Greater Philadelphia Area.”

“Orders from outside the Philadelphia metropolitan area will be canceled without notice and refunded,” the NBA website clearly states.

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia’s star player, even urged Sixers fans not to sell resale tickets to Knicks fans, fearing their presence would turn Xfinity Mobile Arena into “MSG South” when the teams meet in Philadelphia.

“That’s just ridiculous. Why do they even do that?” lifelong Knicks fan Joy Cambe remarked at Plaza 33.

New Yorkers believe this policy is misguided, suggesting it could backfire on Philadelphia itself.

“Businesses in downtown Philadelphia surely want New York fans to come,” said a fan known as Game. “If you want to sell cheesesteaks, you need New York money.”

“But honestly, it’s a second city,” he continued. “They seem a bit too sensitive!”

Joy Cambe voiced her frustration again, labeling the 76ers’ ticket policy as “absolutely ridiculous.”

Another fan, Anil Melwani, who splits his time between Miami and New York, mentioned that people will still find ways to attend games, despite the new rules. “Friends or family in Philadelphia will still get tickets,” he noted, adding that “resilient New Yorkers” will find a way in.

This isn’t the first instance of the Sixers trying to keep Knicks fans away. In a previous playoff round, they purchased a substantial number of tickets to prevent New York supporters from getting them.

In 2024, similar tactics were used by the Detroit Pistons, who limited ticket sales to Michigan residents through geofencing.

However, when asked about supporting such policies in New York, fans promptly disagreed.

“No chance, it would just lower our standards,” Roy said. “That kind of thing shouldn’t become the norm.”

“You’d never see that in New York,” Game added. “Philadelphia seems a bit fragile, to be honest. It’s like, ‘Why are New Yorkers supporting me so much?’”

Cambe concluded by stating that true basketball fans wouldn’t endorse a ban similar to what Philadelphia is attempting. “I get wanting to protect your players, but if they aren’t buying tickets, that’s not our problem.”