Apr25

NHL Team President Lowers Himself Into Twitter War with Fans

Panthers president Michael Yormark berates Devils fans on Twitter

Published: Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 12:24 PM Updated: Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 3:10 PM

By Star-Ledger Staff

Eliot J. Schechter/NHL via GettyPanthers president Michael Yormark, right, pictured with center Stephen Weiss earlier this month, has sparred with Devils fans on Twitter ahead of tonight’s Game 6 of the teams’ playoff series.

UPDATE, 3:00 p.m.: The Devils, through Director of Digital Marketing Will Carafello, have invited one of their fans berated by Yormark on Twitter to tonight’s Game 6 against the Panthers. Carafello tweeted a short time ago: “I’d like to invite @LaurenAshley07 2 tonights game. 2 sit in Suite202 above @PanthersYormark. Maybe he will b a nice guy stop by 2 apologize.”

Florida Panthers president Michael Yormark has spent the last 24 hours sparring with Devils fans on Twitter.

Yormark tweeted Monday afternoon that the Panthers will stop selling toy plastic rats at home games because fans were throwing them on the ice during play. Yormark tweeted, “Panthers will not sell rats at pantherland. This is a result of visiting fans throwing rats on the ice during the game.” The comment accusing Devils fans of tossing the rats on the ice was met with stirring criticism from Devils fans on Twitter, who noted that Yormark did not substantiate his comments with any proof that Devils fans were responsible for throwing rats other than stating no incidents had been reported prior to Saturday’s 3-0 Panthers win in Florida.

Since, Yormark and Devils fans have exchanged barbs via Twitter.

A user called cj225devs wrote, “Are you serious bro? You sound like a complete and utter moron!” to which Yormark responded, “get off twitter.”

Another Devils fan, with the handle LaurenAshley07 tweeted at Yormark: “@PanthersYormark is making an ass of himself and the organization.” Yormark responded by saying, “@LaurenAshley07 you have 70 followers. No one cares what you think.”

Another Devils supporter on Twitter delighted that the Nets, whose business operations are run by Michael Yormark’s twin brother Brett, are leaving New Jersey next season for Brooklyn (the team played it’s last game in Newark Monday night): “@cj225devs Seriously! @PanthersYormark ‘s brother is bad enough, but thank God he’s leaving!”

Yormark responded by saying “@JerseyGuy276 get a life!”

Brett Yormark once sparred with New Jersey sports fans as well. During a Nets game against the Heat at Izod Center in March of 2010, Yormark confronted a fan who was wearing a paper bag over his head. The Nets lost that game and fell to 7-63 on the season.

The Devils host the Panthers tonight at the Prudential Center for Game 6 of the clubs’ first-round playoff series. The Panthers lead the series 3-2.