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Leafs Nation draining pool

Toronto Raptors fan Victor Anjos didn't think it'd be hard to find takers for his extra NBA playoff tickets.

But he also wasn't counting on the Toronto Maple Leafs making their own playoff run, a rare feat that has electrified the city and ensnared casual sports fans into the fold of a reinvigorated Leafs Nation.

As a result, Anjos and many other Raptors fans looking to sell some extra tickets — which were in high demand last year when the Leafs missed the playoffs — are finding the secondary market flooded with seats offered at face value and less.

While Raptors tickets during the regular season could often be sold for a profit, now sellers are lucky to find a buyer at all.

"I know a lot of guys who are losing money," sighs Anjos, a season ticket holder who purchased a pair of 300-level and 100-level playoff tickets, anticipating he'd be able to flip two seats at a markup.

Meanwhile, once tough-to-get Toronto Blue Jays tickets are suddenly being offered at fire-sale prices. While the team's terrible start to the season is no doubt a factor, even a marquee matchup against the Boston Red Sox this week paled in comparison to the hype surrounding the Buds.

It's hard to compete with the storybook comeback of Toronto's energized Maple Leafs led by exciting rookie Auston Matthews. The team last clinched a playoff spot four years ago but suffered a humiliating collapse in Game 7 of the first round, giving up a three-goal lead in the third period before losing in overtime.

StubHub communications manager Cameron Papp says Toronto is definitely first and foremost a hockey town, and the Leafs trump everything else at the reseller site.

Volume is skewed, too, with supply and demand working in the favour or those looking to sell Leafs tickets — and Raptors and Jays fans seeking a bargain.



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