PHILADELPHIA — In an effort to maintain home-court advantage and prevent visiting fans from taking over their arena, the Philadelphia 76ers announced they will provide 500 free tickets to local community organizations for each of their remaining second-round playoff home games.
This latest move comes after the team’s earlier attempt to limit ticket sales through Ticketmaster by restricting purchases to buyers in the Philadelphia metropolitan region, aimed at keeping New York Knicks supporters away.
For Friday night’s Game 3, the organization will welcome 250 healthcare workers from the front lines at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, along with 250 educators chosen through Learn Fresh, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, and school districts in both Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey.
Sunday’s Game 4 will see 500 mothers and children attending as guests, selected by organizations including the Uplift Center for Grieving Children, Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, and La Liga del Barrio.
Currently, the Knicks hold a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven playoff series.
During their first-round matchup two seasons ago, visiting New York fans flooded the Philadelphia venue, prompting Sixers star center Joel Embiid to make an urgent appeal to home supporters before this current series began.
“Last time we played the Knicks it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. So we’re going to need the support,” Embiid said. “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.”
