The Preds Are Doing Everything They Can To Make Sure Hawks Fans Don't Invade Nashville
(The Tennessean)–Music City’s hockey team won’t be changing its tune for the Chicago Blackhawks. The Predators will play the national anthem — not “God Bless America” — prior to home playoff games against Chicago.The issue came into question because Chicago fans, in a tradition that dates back three decades, clap and cheer loudly during the national anthem, believing it adds to the patriotic spirit of the song.Instead of the customary practice of having an artist sing the anthem, the Predators will have an artist ask the entire Bridgestone Arena crowd to sing it. The Preds chose that strategy in their last two regular-season home games, with Vince Gill and Charlie Daniels, respectively, asking Nashville fans to carry the song.
Will it stop Blackhawks fans from clapping and cheering during the anthem?
The Predators had previously announced a number of measures designed to fill Bridgestone with as many Preds fans — and as few Blackhawks fans — as possible.
Among those moves:
• The team allowed season ticket-holders to buy extra playoff tickets before they went on sale to the general public.
• Playoff tickets to the general public at first went on sale only at local Kroger stores and at Bridgestone, meaning buyers had to purchase them in person.
• When the Preds eventually put playoff tickets online, they were available only to purchasers within the team’s television market
Oh boo hoo, all the Chicago fans come down and drink all of our beer, steal our home-ice and women. Hey Nashville, shut up. You don’t want me cheering during the National Anthem in your face, well then have more fans. Don’t resort to these little gimmicks to try and keep us quiet. Its Music City and instead of having a platinum selling artist singing the Anthem you’re having….nobody? Chicago just took away the best thing Nashville has going for it. We officially own your brain and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Just give up. You can’t keep us out of the stadium. A people should know when they are conquered. Selling tickets at Grocery Stores instead of releasing them online is the saddest thing I’ve ever heard. Tickets for sale at Kroeger Foods checkout lines like “I guess I’ll take a pack of gum and what the hell, give me four tickets on the glass to the Preds game”.
Cut the shit Preds, we’re invading with an Army twice the size of Sherman’s and there is nothing you can do about it. We’ll only be there for a weekend. The Hawks will take a couple of games, you can take our money, and then you can have a nice long summer.
