Fans Sitting & Hoping For Heat Playoff Tickets
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Forget about the Miami Heat team you saw lose the last two games of the regular season because Saturday afternoon, the Big Three return to help the Heat face the New York Knicks in the opening round of the NBA's Eastern Conference playoffs.
But before the action gets started Saturday on the court, the Heat organization has been working for fans to try to get them amped up for the Heat's playoff run, once again called White Hot Heat.
One of the events the team puts together is the 48 hours of Intense Heat contest outside the AmericanAirlines Arena. Fans have to remain seated for 48 consecutive hours in front of the Arena. They started Thursday at 11:00 A.M. and will remain there until Saturday.
The winner of the contest will get lower level tickets to all of the 2012 Heat home playoff games right through the NBA Finals, if the Heat gets there again this season.
While just simply sitting down in a chair doesn't seem that tough, the contestants certainly had their work cut out for them.
"See like right now, we have to stand up and jump around," said contestant Gonzalo Garcia, who told CBS4 he'd had about two hours of sleep. "After 24 hours, it's really hard."
Even former Heat superstar point guard Tim Hardaway said he'd have trouble trying to pull off the feat.
"Sit in that seat for 48 hours?" Hardaway said. "No, I wouldn't be able to get up."
Thirteen hours into the game, Danielle Abel and her niece threw in the towel.
"I was just ready to come home," Abel said. "I missed my son, so I wanted to go home."
As for Danielle's plans after leaving the contest, well, it was a little ironic.
"So what's your plan?" CBS4's Tiffani Helber asked Danielle. "To go to the movies and sit down."
The Heat have events lined up for the next week or so to celebrate the beginning of the playoff run as the Big Three look to capture an NBA title after coming just two games short in 2011.
Miami begins the playoffs on Saturday at the AmeicanAirlines Arena against the New York Knicks.
