New York Yankees Restrict Red Sox Playoff Ticket Sales to 4 States
The New York Yankees are back in the MLB postseason, and they'll welcome a familiar foe to Yankee Stadium over the next days. The Boston Red Sox will travel to the Bronx, rekindling the sport's major rivalry with a trip to the American League Divisional Series on the line.
The Yankees are one of the most popular teams in the league, but the Red Sox are arguably just as well-followed. Red Sox fans also have a tendency to drown out others when they visit opposing stadiums, but the Yankees are taking measures to prevent that from happening.
Ahead of their Wild Card playoff series against Boston, the Yankees are restricting official ticket sales to residents of four states.
Where Can Fans Buy Yankees-Red Sox Tickets?
The Yankees say that fans from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania will be able to buy tickets from their official marketplace. Everyone else will have to see what's left in the secondary market - including Red Sox fans from Massachusetts.
The team says the move is intended to cut down on scalping and to prioritize fans in the local area. The practice will extend to the ALDS if the Yankees get there - meaning that Toronto Blue Jays fans who visit from Canada won't be able to purchase tickets directly from the team.
New York is guaranteed at least two playoff games this season, as they will begin the best-of-three series against the Red Sox on Tuesday evening. If the two teams split the first two games of that series, a decisive third game is set for Thursday.
MLB's Playoff Format Promotes Rivalries
MLB moved to the current playoff format in 2022, as four teams from each league play to determine who will face the two best division leaders in the next round. For the American League, those teams are the Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners.
The Detroit Lions are facing the Cleveland Guardians in the other American League Wild Card series, and the winner will travel to Seattle to play the Mariners in the ALDS.
The Yankees made it to their first World Series since 2009 last year, but they were defeated in five games by the Los Angeles Dodgers. New York remains the most decorated and historically significant team in the sport, but the current championship drought has some fans restless for another win.
The Dodgers are set to begin their playoff journey against the Cincinnati Reds in the final Wild Card matchup of the day on Tuesday. The winner of the Reds-Dodgers series will then move on to face the NL East-winning Philadelphia Phillies in the divisional series.
As the Yankees and other teams around the league gear up for an exciting and high-stakes postseason, it's clear that getting tickets in the hands of true fans is one of the top priorities. We'll see if other MLB teams who are competing in this year's playoffs follow suit.