Kraken mascot Buoy gives away free historic playoff tickets, chocolate to fans
SEATTLE - Buoy, the Seattle Kraken mascot, popped up all over town Saturday to give out chocolate and free tickets to the team's inaugural playoff matchup.
The ‘Find Buoy’ scavenger hunt started outside the Mariners Stadium at the Griffey Statue, as fans rushed around the city for the big prize.
It sounds sweet—the combination of chocolate bars and free playoff tickets. That was Buoy’s mission Saturday, and if you were one of the first four fans to spot the Kraken mascot out in the wild, then you hit the jackpot.
"To go to the Stanley Cup in round one is just unbelievable, and it’s like a bucket list checked off," said Erica Martinez, one lucky winner. "To be able to share this with [my son], it’s awesome, to be able to grow him up now with hockey in town."
Buoy's journey had excited fans rushing to the Griffey Statue outside the Mariners Stadium, Jimi Hendrix Statue in Capitol Hill, Husky Stadium, Salish Welcome Statue in Ballard and the Fremont Troll.
"We’ve been following the social media all day and last night," said Alicia Cote. "So we were very, very excited."
To find Buoy and win a historic ticket, fans had to be on the lookout for clues on social media and the say the code word that was posted. "I saw it, as soon, as it popped up, and I was like, ‘I can make that,’ and sprinted over here," said Matt Nardoni, another ticket winner. "I feel ecstatic, I’m still kind of shaky, I got so nervous, I saw a crowd of people, and I was like, ‘I don’t know if I’ve made it on time.’"
So many fans showed up at Husky Stadium that a raffle drawing had to determine who would actually take home the four tickets.
"We really wanted fans to get in on the chance to go to playoffs this year, cause this is the Kraken first ever playoff run inaugural in history," said De'Aira Anderson with the Kraken. "It’s super exciting, we’ve all really been waiting for this moment."
It’s only the Kraken’s second season and playoff tickets are some of the most sought-after and expensive in Western Washington so far this year. The Kraken will face off with the Colorado Avalanche for the first round of the Stanley Playoffs on Tuesday, April 18.
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If you didn’t win a playoff ticket today there will be many other opportunities to win, like the Kraken watch parties at 32 Bar & Grill. For that information, follow the Kraken social medias.