For the first game of the playoffs each season since the lockout Section 409, and others in the Garden,  has endeavoured to continue the tradition of the Balloon Drop. The die hards in the section come up at 6pm and help blow up the balloons. Tonight, around 630pm, some Garden ”Suit” came up and started eyeballing what was going on. He complained that what we were doing against Garden “policy”.
I approached this guy, stretched out my hand, gave him my name and asked what was the problem. He comes on all official and says he’snot happy about the balloons. If the Garden gets complaints that the balloons obstruct anyone’s view or annoy people, it will be stopped.
I explained that three seasons ago I pointedly asked Jeannie Baumgartner, head of Garden Event planning, if she or the Organization had any problems with the balloons. She said they thought it was fine. In fact, the Garden gave the balloons it’s tacit approval by using a photo of the 409 balloon drop as a graphic on the season tickets last year. This held no weight with the “Suit”. This guy as much as said he didn’t give a ****. Any complaints and the balloons would not be allowed.
I suppose the Garden didn’t want 409′s balloons to show up their thundersticks. Balloons come down once during the game before play starts. They are filled with human breathe. Not helium. Not some environmentally unfriendly phosphorescent chemical. Thundersticks are okay but our balloons are disruptive?Â
Thundersticks are some of the most annoying things that can be given out at a sporting event. Try sitting behind a couple of 8 year old kids with thundersticks. That will really improve your enjoyment of a game. Getting hit in the head with a simple balloon floating down is harmless. Getting hit with a thunderstick being used a a projectile isn’t. But God forbid anyone should steal Optimum LightPath’s thunder!
Wow, it look really cool seeing all those sticks glowing in the dark! NOT. Most of the people attending this game were adults not children.  People up in the Blues were not impressed. Most were asking where the rally towels were.
The Balloon Drop has become a playoff tradition, just like Dancing Larry and the Potvin Sucks chant. The people in the Blues Seats are always hearing that they are a “Tradition”, “I am A Ranger”, “I am True Blue”. But, God forbid we get together and have a little fun. God forbid we build some spirit and camaraderie by blowing up a bunch of balloons as a way to rally the Garden Faithful.
I suppose balloons would be more acceptable to the organization if they were sold for a buck a pop as people walked in the building. They could have the MSG logo and the NHL logo on them so the League could get it’s cut of the balloon sales. Then, I suppose, they would have the Garden’s seal of approval.
I swear to God you can’t make sh*t like this up!
Let’s Go Rangers
Posted under New York Rangers
This post was written by m hurley on April 20, 2009
Don’t sugar-coat it, tells us how you really feel.
In all seriousness, that’s utterly ridiculous, almost as bad as those thundersticks. They still had the balloons for Game 4 though (I was in 336).
Dave,
There were suits up there watching us the whole time on Wednesday night before the game. They didn’t say anything, they just watched.
We didn’thave as many balloons as gsme three but we still had our little display.
One thing the organization needs to understand is that die hards die hard.:)
@m hurley – They also need to realize that die hard fans are the people that make games sell outs, and are the people that actually populate the seats. Who cares what some empty seat that belongs to Citigroup thinks about the balloons?