Gift of the Cup - Game 5 and 6

Update 2 - I've responded to the person I selected, please check your messages and reply to me as fast as possible, sorting the logistics needs to happen relatively quickly. Amazing responses and stories, every person had a good reason to go, hard to make the final decision. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and write a message. I'll update more on the experience later.

Update - Ladies and gents, great responses, love the stories! Always nice to see a group with a common interest share such passion for a team and game. For those who are interested in going, I am planning on reviewing all response throughout the night, and responding in the morning to finalize details. Keep'em coming! (Or, "hit'em hard, hit'em early" as a coach used to say.)

Dear Tampa Bay and Chicago fans,

Before I get in the logistics as to how we can meet up to go to one of the greatest events ever in the history of sports, I'd like to give you some background as to why I'm offering a ticket to the game. This is real, send me a private message if you want to verify. I would like responses in private, but that isn't mandatory if you're cool sharing your response publicly.

A little over two years ago my brother contacted me asking to go to the Blackhawks vs Bruins game in Boston on a Monday night. A game of which neither of us had tickets to go, nor do we live in Boston. We rarely had a chance to see each other given he lived in Upstate New York, I lived in Connecticut and both of us had completely different lives. We made a wager, I said "If the Blackhawks could win the Cup on Monday night after a victory on Saturday, and if you drive to Hartford pick me up take us to Boston to watch the game, I'll pay for the tickets." Sure enough, the Blackhawks won on Saturday, and could win the Cup on Monday, so we had a deal. Little did we know we would see one of the greatest games in Stanley Cup Finals history. In addition to enjoying such a spectacular event with my brother, I was lucky enough see one of my former hockey teammates hoist the Stanley Cup on the ice. (Not one of the players in the game) After such an amazing experience I realized this is something that I wanted to do every year and that every fan should have the experience of watching their team win the Cup. One of the unfortunate parts of professional sports is the cost of attending games, so I decided to save money every year to take hockey fan to the Stanley Cup Finals, and give them the opportunity to see their team win one of the most coveted trophies in sports.

The game of hockey gave me so many great experiences, exhilarating feelings, and unbelievable opportunities to meet tremendous people that I want to give something back to the hockey community and provide an opportunity for such a great experience of which I feel every fan should at least be given a chance to enjoy.

Last year, I was able to make it to LA for Game 5, and took a super fan for the LA Kings to a double overtime victory and watch his favorite team raise the Cup. An incredibly gratifying experience for both of us.

After all of the background, here is the plan...I am going to be in Tampa Bay for game 5, and I am looking for a super fan to join me at the game. I clearly can't predict which game the Stanley Cup will be won, so the plan is to go to the first game of which the trophy could be handed out. Unfortunately, Saturday's game will not have the Cup in the building, but I have an extra ticket for Game 5, and one for game 6 in Chicago. The intent here is to take someone who doesn't make it to games often or otherwise would not be able to afford to go to a finals game. I would like to hear why you feel you should go to the game, and understand more about your fanatascism for the team, maybe how it developed, and your experience as a fan. In the spirit of giving, if you feel there is someone you know who deserves to go to the game, please forward the post and have them send me a message.

I chose to post this in the Tampa Bay subreddit given the next game is in Tampa, apologies if you are offended for mentioning the opposing team...