Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is making a desperate appeal to his team’s supporters: keep those playoff tickets in Philadelphia hands.
The Eastern Conference semifinals between the 76ers and New York Knicks kicks off Monday night at Madison Square Garden, but both franchises are already strategizing for when the action shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.
Embiid’s concerns stem from their previous playoff encounter two seasons ago, when Knicks supporters flooded the Philadelphia arena, creating a hostile environment for the home team.
“Last time we played the Knicks it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. So we’re going to need the support,” Embiid stated. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys. The atmosphere we’ve had the last couple games in Philly, especially the last one pushing it to Game 7, I mean, we need all of it.”
The organization is taking proactive measures to prevent another invasion of opposing fans. Their official website now displays a warning that ticket purchases for Xfinity Mobile Arena will be limited to Greater Philadelphia area residents, with verification through credit card billing addresses. Any orders from outside the region face automatic cancellation.
However, these restrictions may prove futile against determined New York supporters willing to pay premium prices on the secondary market.
“Good thing about New Yorkers, man, they’re persistent. They don’t care, bro. They’re going to do it, man,” explained Knicks forward Josh Hart. “And for a lot of people, everything revolves around money. So, you know, if they get a good price for those tickets, they’re going to sell them.”
Hart, a Villanova alumnus familiar with the regional dynamics, pointed out that the journey from New York to Philadelphia takes under two hours by car and even less by train, while road game tickets typically cost significantly less than home venues.
The 76ers’ frustration reached a boiling point during their 2024 playoff series when visiting fans loudly chanted “MVP! MVP!” for Knicks guard Jalen Brunson during his 47-point performance in a Game 4 victory on Philadelphia’s home court.
“I don’t think that should happen. It’s not OK,” Embiid said following that disappointing loss.
Team ownership responded by purchasing and distributing over 2,000 complimentary tickets to Philadelphia community workers for Game 6 against New York.
Now, Embiid is personally offering to purchase tickets from any locals considering selling to visiting fans.
“Knicks fans, they travel,” he acknowledged. “There’s going to be some people that need the money and probably going to sell tickets, but don’t do it. We need you guys. We’ve got a pretty good chance. We’re going to need our support. We’re going to need them to be extremely loud and if you need money, I got you.”
