With the Stanley Cup Final starting tomorrow, I thought it would be a great idea to record a podcast with fellow sports nut Doug Taylor to preview the upcoming series. We also addressed a…peculiar rule for visiting fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Tampa Bay does not permit opposing team gear in its luxury seating areas, suites and club seats. The attendants are apparently instructed to ask fans violating this rule to remove the gear, and if said fan refuses, relocate them to an available seat in the regular seats. It’s highly unlikely that many regular seats will be available for Blackhawk fans that refuse to abide by the Lightening’s peculiar policy.

It’s a highly unusual rule that I don’t think I’ve ever heard of, at any level in any sport. Especially with a franchise that has established itself and built up a solid fan base in historically apathetic Tampa Bay. I have absolutely no problem with the Lightening creating a policy like this…even if it is for a bizare reason.

“We’re not going to apologize for the policy,” said Bill Wickett, the Lightning’s executive vice president for communications, told the New York Times. “We want to create as much of a hometown environment for the Lightning players and our season-ticket holders as we can, and we’ve been somewhat successful at it.”

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