A sports team giving away free tickets to a game through social media is fairly common. The Eagles’ way of doing this has been through their #FanFriday promotion, which happens every time there’s a home game. The first fan to high-five their mascot Swoop at a designated location gets those coveted free tickets.
This hilariously diligent Eagles fan has won free tickets over a dozen times in 2 years
On Tuesday, this fan @YungYle won:
Usually, the story would end right there, and everyone goes on their merry way. But Twitter user Mark Magowan noticed something peculiar about @YungYle’s win: He’s actually won free tickets several times. Here’s every single time @YungYle won free tickets from the Eagles:
Jan. 3, 2014:
Sept. 5, 2014:
Note: He also won a free coffee a few days after this.
Sept. 19, 2014:
Dec. 5, 2014:
Sept. 18, 2015:
Oct. 9, 2015:
Nov. 13, 2015:
Dec. 11, 2015:
Dec. 22, 2015:
Sept. 9, 2016:
Oct. 21, 2016:
Nov. 25, 2016:
Dec. 9, 2016:
And at one point in 2016, @YungYle didn’t even have to high-five Swoop to get front-row seats:
When you scroll down to see 14 photos of @YungYle and Swoop, it’s like you’re watching a man slowly become best friends with a human-sized eagle. His multiple wins have not gone over well with other fans, to which the Eagles’ Twitter account had to remind everyone (through a subtweet) that they get a chance to win.
In an interview with BillyPenn.com, @YungYle (real name Kyle Lloyd) says that the contest isn’t rigged, and that his wins are basically a result of being really, really diligent during his lunch breaks.
“I don’t have any connections with the Eagles or I wouldn’t be out there on my lunch break not getting lunch,” Lloyd told me Tuesday. “I clock out for lunch early to get there. I have a boss who’s cool enough to let me take a lunch break at 11 o’clock to go see Swoop and give him a high five.”
It’s a hustle I deeply respect ... and also sometimes, it’s a literal hustle:
And yet, it’s not that easy. “It’s not about getting there,” he said, “Once you see the bird, you got to run to him. The first year I did it, I was slow. I didn’t take advantage. Someone ran past me. Ever since then, I’m like ‘I’m going to go for it. I’m going to get the tickets. If I see Swoop, I’m running.’”
Whether the Eagles have to change their rules remains to be seen, and Lloyd laments in the interview that him being outed will “screw up” his chances of winning. That being said, it’s hilarious to see all those photos of Lloyd and Swoop together, and to imagine the person in the costume seeing him one more time, thinking, “Here we go again.”
(via Philly Voice)
