The Rams change ticket policy to restrict 49ers fans ahead of NFC Championship game
With everything on the line come Sunday, the Rams are attempting to make it truly a case of home advantage with the 49ers come to town.
Just one step away from the Super Bowl, it would seem the surprise package of the playoffs are implementing different 'tactics' in an effort to gain an advantage.
The LA Rams limit ticket sales to 49ers fans
According to reports it would appear that the Los Angeles Rams are doing everything they can ensure victory in their NFC Championship Game next Sunday. That also includes ticket limitation. That's right, the Rams will be hosting the 49ers in what will ultimately be a grudge match, having seen San Francisco's claim 27-24 overtime win back in Week 18. At the time it was actually surprising to see the number of 49ers fans in the stadium, which apparently is something the Rams don't intend to allow again.
The Rams informed potential customers via the Ticketmaster service that public sales for the NFC Championship Game would be restricted to residents of the Greater Los Angeles region. According to the release, residency will be based on an individual's credit card billing address at the time of checkout.
The Rams aren't the only team to limit tickets
While it might seem a little underhanded, the truth is the Rams aren't the first team to try limiting ticket sales to opposing fans and they probably won't be the last. The Titans for example made a similar move just this past weekend, when they restricted the amount of Bengals fans inside Nissan Stadium for Divisional Round playoff game. Fans were informed of an adjusted ticket policy stating that tickets could not be transferred to anyone until 24 hours before kickoff. Unfortunately for Tennessee, however, it did not have the desired effect. Not only were there a host of Cincinnati fans, but the Titans fell to the Bengals in last second dramatic fashion
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How do the Rams and 49ers look?
It's worth noting that San Francisco swept Los Angeles during the regular season. The Rams simply couldn't deal with Deebo Samuel, who had eight touches for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the 49ers' 31-10 win over the Rams in Week 10. If that wasn't enough, Samuel repeated the effort in Week 18 when he posted 140 total yards for 12 touches and one touchdown in a game that would ultimately give San Francisco their playoff berth.
The Rams for their part are coming off a massive upset win against Tom Brady and his Buccaneers. They are on the verge of becoming the first team to host both a conference championship and Super Bowl in consecutive games. While the 49ers are attempting to stand alongside the Patriots and Steelers as one of the only teams with six Super Bowl titles.