Red Sox Fans Face Ticket Challenges for Yankees Playoff Series

BRONX, New York — Red Sox fans are buzzing with excitement as the team prepares to play the New York Yankees in a best-of-three playoff series that starts Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. However, many fans from states outside New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania may struggle to secure tickets due to geographic restrictions imposed by the Yankees.

Game 1 is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, and while tickets remain available on Ticketmaster, an important notice prompts would-be buyers to check their residency qualifications. According to the message, fans from outside the permitted states will have their orders canceled and refunded.

“Yankee Stadium is located in Bronx, New York. Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania,” the notice warns. As of Tuesday morning, most available tickets were in the upper deck at face value.

WBZ-TV attempted to get clarification from Ticketmaster regarding the restrictions. A spokesperson explained that teams sometimes implement these rules to ensure local fans have the best chance to attend. No response has been received yet from the Yankees.

Red Sox fan AJ Johnson, speaking from Yankee Stadium, described his experience attempting to buy tickets. “I tried to buy tickets Sunday night and got all the way through checkout, only to realize they were only allowing locals,” he said. Johnson was fortunate to have a friend in New York who helped him secure a ticket.

Fans from New England can still find tickets through secondary markets. Robert Tellier from Ace Ticket in Boston shared that they have received many inquiries about the series and still have tickets available for fans outside the New York area.

Similar geographic restrictions were noted in other sports during playoff seasons. In particular, the Detroit Pistons and the Carolina Hurricanes have adopted similar strategies to prioritize local fans.

With the Red Sox making their first postseason appearance since 2021, anticipation among fans remains high despite the obstacles. The series will all take place at Yankee Stadium, with Game 2 scheduled for Wednesday and Game 3, if necessary, set for Thursday.