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Things that aren’t good ideas: slip-and-slides… and borrowing your marketing tactics from the Washington Nationals.

Early this morning, the New Jersey Devils – you know, that hockey team on the other side of the Hudson – emailed fans (seemingly, people who purchased tickets this year) to let them know about an exclusive presale opportunity. For Devils fans only, of course.

We’ll let them explain: 

What a tremendous Game 7 victory tonight on the road in Florida! We are so excited to be headed to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, hosting Games 3 and 4 here at The Rock.

Because the Devils will be facing a local team in our rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, we are doing everything in our power to ensure The Rock is covered in a Sea of Red.

Therefore, we will be sending you, a member of PowerPlay, an opportunity to access an exclusive one-hour presale beginning TOMORROW at 12:00pm and running until 12:59pm, for seats for Games 3 and 4, for the Eastern Conference Semifinals (Home Games 1 and 2). After 12:59pm, tickets will be open to the general public for anyone to purchase. This presale will be through a special password and will be your means of entry to access tickets during that one-hour window. We ask that you do not share this presale code with non-Devils fans. If you have other Devils fans in your network you would like to invite to games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, you may forward them all of the information that is sent to you tomorrow in the email.

Additionally, we hope you are as dedicated as we are to ensuring that The Rock is filled with as many Devils Fans as possible. We ask that you consider that collective rallying cry as you make your decisions on whether or not to pick up additional seats for re-sale. We ask that if you are interested in re-sale, that you do everything in your power to try to get the tickets in the hands of other Devils fans specifically.

Let’s have an incredible Eastern Conference Semifinals, making many more long-lasting memories together here at The Rock!

Get Your Jersey On for the Eastern Conference Semifinals!

Eric Kussin
Vice President, Ticket Sales and Service 

Well, at least that Cussin' son-of-a-bitch didn’t sign his letter “With Rockability,” or something similarly stupid, the way Nationals COO Andrew Feffer signs his please don’t let our stadium be overrun with Philly fans emails. So that’s good.

Few things, though: An exclusive presale is nothing new in ticket sales, but when it’s motivated by the threat of Flyers fans invading your building and turning it into Orange Crush North… well, we can’t help but chuckle. And that plea to not resell tickets to the NHL’s best fans, who will pay top dollar for them… good luck with that, sirs. We come wearing orange, but carrying green.

There are actually two different versions of this email. One for members of PowerPlay (guessing their fan club) and one for folks who merely purchased tickets this season. The latter – presumably the more casual fans – will receive an email with a unique link, meaning that only their email address can be used to buy tickets tomorrow afternoon. But the PowerPlay presale will come with a code, and, you know, those things could go viral…

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I’m guessing that “do not share this presale code with non-Devils fans” thing includes not posting it on Philadelphia’s most-read sports blog… which is exactly what I’m going to do, if you, the reader, can help us get that code!

The Devils front office has no idea what they got themselves into.

H/T to readers Mike and Laura for sending along