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The Los Angeles Rams are facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2022 NFL Playoffs with a spot in the NFC Championship Game on the line. The winner will advance to host the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday.
Although the Rams and Bucs have not yet advanced, both teams have begun selling tickets for next week’s game. It’s not a case of being overconfident, but rather a matter of logistics and helping your ticket office avoid getting overwhelmed.
That being said, the Rams have made a decision that is generating criticism. The team is instituting a geographic purchasing restriction, preventing purchases from outside the greater LA region.
It appears the Rams are already afraid that the 49ers will again make SoFi Stadium their home — they're trying to restrict ticket sales for a potential NFC title game by geography.
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) January 23, 2022
IMO pathetic and also premature — LA isn't even in the title game yet pic.twitter.com/G8VmbG9muv
when I first saw this I figured it was a Covid measure. then a friend who is a Rams season ticket holder sent me this. omg how humiliating for the Rams I'm so embarrassed for them pic.twitter.com/DYDD0LSQWh
— Coyote95667 and 131 others (@coyote95667) January 23, 2022
Opposing fans have done a good job filling SoFi Stadium, and 49ers fans have had little problem turning the stadium into a home field advantage. When they played in Week 18 with the NFC West on the line for the Rams and a playoff berth on the line for the 49ers, LA had to go with a silent count on offense because of how loud 49ers fans were.
Tickets are still available to anybody on the re-sale market, and that’s where we’ll see plenty of 49ers fans buying tickets there if this matchup ends up happening. This kind of policy likely won’t have much of an impact on the crowd, and only brings angst for the Rams. It’s a bad idea and will just bring more attention if the 49ers grab a home field advantage.