Florida is pulling out all the stops to entice fans to show up to their home games. The third-worst team in the NHL standings is now offering a free ticket for your trash.
The Florida Panthers sit near the bottom in NHL attendance. Their 86.3 percent capacity rate is 25th in the NHL and their 14,710 in average home attendance ranks 27th in the league. They are among the bottom four teams in the NHL for goals per game (2.29) and goals-against per game (3.07) and only two teams - Edmonton and Buffalo - have fewer points in the standings than the Panthers' 49. They have one playoff appearance since Newman's Millennium party.
In times like these, which is most times for the Panthers, you need to get creative to entice people to show up to the arena. When already-low prices and All You Can Eat doesn't work, how about discarded lottery tickets?
Well, that's what the Panthers are trying out.
-Bring $10 in non-winning @FloridaLottery Scratch-Off tix & get in free to any Tuesday or Thursday #FlaPanthers game. http://t.co/a3E5TU9hXN
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) February 4, 2014
That's right, every Tuesday and Thursday from now through March 27, the Panthers are offering an upper level end zone ticket for $10 worth of non-winning Florida Lottery Scratch-Off tickets. So, essentially, they're letting you into the arena in exchange for litter.
With the Olympic break factoring in, this true giveaway involves six games, most of which are actually pretty good matches. Here are the teams you can see by taking advantage of this deal.
Feb. 4: Toronto
Feb. 6: Detroit
Feb. 27: Washington
March 11: Phoenix
March 25: Ottawa
March 27: Carolina
Almost makes a guy want to get in the car, head down to Florida and buy a wad of lottery tickets. What's the worst that can happen?
Answer: Going to a Florida Panthers game.