The Toronto Maple Leafs are gearing up for a contentious face-off against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, and fans wanting to join in on all the game-day action outside of Scotiabank Arena were left disheartened after tailgate tickets sold out almost immediately. 

For anyone who can't drop hundreds of dollars on playoff tickets, fan-favourite tailgates at Maple Leaf Square are your next best bet.

These tailgate tickets are impossible to get, either the app is slow or doesn’t work at all LOL #LeafsForever

— Jays and Leafs Now Boys!! (8-5) (50-21-11) (@GiveawaySlam) May 1, 2023

However, the viewing party's free price tag comes with the added burden of participating in a Hunger Games-esque scramble to secure tickets, most of which sell out instantly. 

Tailgate tickets must be booked as a mobile pass on the Toronto Maple Leafs app, and Ontario residents even have the opportunity to register for early access by signing up to be a Maple Leafs Insider. 

What good is it being a ‘#Leafs Nation insider’ when you can’t even get tailgate ticks in the insider zone the second they’re released?! FFS. @MapleLeafs why do I even bother trying? pic.twitter.com/0muyD0i3R5

— #TIFFANY (@always_xo) May 1, 2023

Passes become available at 1 p.m. the day prior to each game, meaning tailgate tickets for Tuesday's highly-anticipated Game 1 of the second-round playoff series dropped this afternoon. 

trying to get leafs tailgate tickets is quite possibly the hardest thing in the world

— x - grey (@H1SCH1ER) May 1, 2023

While the Leafs did announce that Maple Leaf Square would be expanding its tailgates to include an additional viewing zone, plenty of hockey fans were left in the dark after tickets sold out in the blink of an eye. 

Maple Leafs Tailgate sold out in seconds… expand all the way to the ROGERS CENTRE

— Owen Holliday (@owennholliday) May 1, 2023

As part of the expansion, fans will have access to two additional big screens during both home and away games. 

they need to open maple leafs square back to the way it used to be now that we’re in the 2nd round, this tailgate ticket system is lame af

— Kieran (@Kieran_13A) April 30, 2023

The extension will run along Bremner Boulevard from York Street to Lower Simcoe Street. Fans with a Zone 1 pass (the existing tailgate area) will enter at York Street and Bremner Boulevard. 

How does the tailgate insider option get full so quickly lol I was on there IMMEDIATELY

— julia - rd 2: leafs in 6 (@JuliaM1795) May 1, 2023

Fans with the brand new Zone 2 pass will be required to enter through Lower Simcoe Street and Bremner Boulevard. 

leave it to the people of toronto to ruin a good thing (leafs tailgate) by selling their tickets to maple leaf square

— rox / morgan rielly stan account (@onntherox) May 1, 2023

However, passes for the tailgate parties are so coveted, that some lucky ticket holders have decided to sell the originally free tickets for a hefty price tag. 

Anyone selling leafs tailgate tickets for profit is a scumbag lol

— Adamo (@arimoli61) April 28, 2023

One person on Twitter alleged that they were offered tickets for $35 each, and another person posted screenshots of a seller offering two tickets for $40. 

As the Maple Leafs advance further in the playoff series, it's unlikely that tailgate tickets will be any easier to acquire, however, some people noted that they finally managed to luck out after the extra viewing zone was added. 

Why are people trying to SELL tailgate leafs tickets.. you literally get them for free. Get the fuck outta here 👋

— Tay💜 (@taylorrdaawn) April 27, 2023

The Toronto Maple Leafs will host the Florida Panthers at Scotiabank Arena for Game 1 of their second-round playoff series on Tuesday at 7 p.m.