Fans arrive early for Phoenix Mercury season opener, stand in line and tweet away

Hours before the reigning champion Phoenix Mercury take the floor against the visiting Los Angeles Sparks, thousands of fans started are at US Airways Center for the ring ceremony. The first 5,000 fans are supposed to receive replica rings, a promotion of the Arizona Lottery. However, things started to go awry as attendees endured long lines and other entry trouble and started tweeting their frustration. Amber Cox (@MercuryMaven ), the Mercury’s Director of the Marketing, did begin answering fans and assuring them the situation would get better.

A sampling of tweets:

• jasontho Working the Mercury home opener. There’s a million people here waiting to get a replica championship ring. (@ US Airways Center)
• fuzion I’m having some crazy issues @ this game.. WOW!!
• thatGAgirl at this rate everyone out here will miss the ring ceremony. wth.
• thatGAgirl smh @ the process for getting into the arena @PhoenixMercury!!!
• bjyork It is CRAZY at the arena. Ran into @fuzion and company and could barely here him….in the ELEVATOR.
• garzai38 .@PhoenixMercury you have some pretty mad season ticket holders out here….
• MercuryMaven Remember, all STHers will get rings! Even if we are a little late with the doors! Can we call it fashionable?
• cheapblueguitar In the longest line to watch the Mercury — at US Airways Center http://gowal.la/c/L2Mf
• garzai38 .@WNBA_Guy no kidding-it’s never been this bad before
• WNBA_Guy @PhxPeace yes, inside. But it is a MESS!
• flynpixy Have to wait outside @sunscrib to get in. Fire Marshall says too many are inside. Ugh. Oh well. Patience pays. #wnba
• garzai38 @PhoenixMercury what’s with the mess at the doors? No one knows what line to be in or where the end is.
• PhxPeace @phoenixMercury STH not in yet. Wtf!
• WNBA_Guy Lines at @phoenixmercury home opener = clusterf**ck!

Cox’s replies:

• MercuryMaven @flynpixy no reason to be mad! Plenty of time to get in, get a beverage, your ring and settled in! Let’s celebrate!
• MercuryMaven Doors are OPEN! Sorry about the delay @PhoenixMercury X-Factor. Working thru a last-minute issue for the ring cermony! Want it to be perf!
• MercuryMaven @flynpixy thank you! We are doing the best we can for you guys everyday! Let’s enjoy this day!

@flynpixy’s  replica ring: