Fans suing MLB, all 30 teams over refusal to refund tickets

[BuckyBrewer61]

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2020/04/21/fans-sue-all-30-teams-manfred-ticket-sellers-over-their-refusal-to-issue-ticket-refunds/?utm_tags=nbcsemail1001&mi_u=107CB11E-FA5E-425A-83DE-22892A0FB01D

 

I’m sure there are plenty of season ticket holders on here, and many more holding tickets for 2020 games that are now worthless.

 

There will be no fans attending games this year, we all know that. Yet the is MLB is holding their fans’ money hostage. And at a time when many fans are struggling financially, by calling these games “delayed” and thus having no obligation to offer refunds, at least not yet.

 

Bad look for a league that is already notoriously bad at marketing itself

[pacopete4]

I don’t believe any other league is doing it any differently.

[Fear The Chorizo]

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2020/04/21/fans-sue-all-30-teams-manfred-ticket-sellers-over-their-refusal-to-issue-ticket-refunds/?utm_tags=nbcsemail1001&mi_u=107CB11E-FA5E-425A-83DE-22892A0FB01D

 

I’m sure there are plenty of season ticket holders on here, and many more holding tickets for 2020 games that are now worthless.

 

There will be no fans attending games this year, we all know that. Yet the is MLB is holding their fans’ money hostage. And at a time when many fans are struggling financially, by calling these games “delayed” and thus having no obligation to offer refunds, at least not yet.

 

Bad look for a league that is already notoriously bad at marketing itself

 

Honest question - if the mlb organization no longer has those funds due to debt, player/organization payroll, and many other overhead payments, what grounds do fans have asking for money back at this point when the games haven't been formally cancelled? I would think these sort of reimbursements would come in the form of credit or vouchers for future games, similar to rainouts but on a much larger scale.

 

I'd be shocked if mlb clubs actually have piles of cash laying around they could refund ticketholders at this point...in fact I think the solvency of many pro sports leagues is alot more tenuous than we all assume with the likelihood of plummeting revenue streams and limited appetite for advertisers to spend big bucks right now.

[rondoman]

MLB is a pathetic joke.

 

They're basically stealing from people at this point.

[A Swing and A Drive]

Since there is basically zero chance that fans will be attending games this season, why delay giving people their money back?

 

And MLB franchises most definitely HAVE the money to return, don't kid yourself.

[umphrey]

It’s pissed me off enough where I’m definitely going to spend less money in the future

[TURBO]

I've got close to a grand in T-Rat tickets, and about $400 in Brewers tickets for 2020.

 

If I don't see any of that coming back to me, and it is all credit for next year, that will suck hard.

[MrTPlush]

I imagine they will try and entice people to take a credit. I believe many states have laws that would not allow a team to cancel the purchased tickets game and force a credit onto them for next year.

[BuckyBrewer61]

I imagine at some point they will be forced to stop calling these games “delayed” and offer the option of a credit or refund. But in the meantime, they are taking an involuntary, interest free loan from their fans.

 

Anyone that is cool with that can Venmo me $1000 and I’ll give it back to you next year. Thanks!

[bork]

I only bought one of those kids club packs, so I'm only out a few bucks. I'm glad I procrastinated and didn't go ahead and buy the rest of the tickets for those games.

[cesser000]

Not the same thing, but I had signed up in early March for the full MLB.TV package. Saw a couple spring training games before all this happened. Managed to get a complete refund last week after calling and requesting one.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I don't know what the exact wording is on the tickets, but I think it's one thing to say "hey this game is delayed/rained out/whatever, and you can get a ticket for a game later this season", but at this point there are hundreds, if not thousands of games that won't be played, period and telling people "you're gonna get a ticket for a game next year instead" doesn't really seem ok. People move. Plans change. They may have vacations next summer, or new jobs, or whatever. At SOME point teams are just gonna have to bite the bullet and give people their money back. There's no way around it. They can't just hold onto this money indefinitely.

[jerichoholicninja]

Playing devil's advocate for a second but do the teams even have the employees available right now that could handle this?

[DuWayne Steurer]

Playing devil's advocate for a second but do the teams even have the employees available right now that could handle this?

 

If I buy a product from you, and you can't deliver that product, or a reasonable facsimile of that product in a reasonable time frame, it's up to you to refund my money, right? Recall some of those employees. Work from home shouldn't be that hard to implement given enough time.

[sveumrules]

MLB is a pathetic joke.

 

They're basically stealing from people at this point.

 

At this point?

 

MLB is a government sanctioned monopoly, stealing is cooked into the business model.

 

By following professional sports at all we're esentially turning our money willfully over to legally organized crime syndicates in exchange for entertainment.

 

Go Brewers.

[monty57]

At this point, MLB doesn't know what's going on with the season, so while it sucks for fans (myself included) who have a lot of money paid out in tickets, it's probably prudent for the league to consider the games "postponed" until they have some certainty.

 

While it may not seem likely, it is still possible that they have games in July, August, September with fans in the stands. It is also possible that some games, especially those against division rivals, could be made up.

 

Unfortunately, this could go on for a while, as no one knows how things are going to progress. At some point a decision will have to be made, but for now most of America doesn't even know when they'll get their next haircut, so I don't expect a decision to officially cancel the games to happen too soon.

 

As far as a lawsuit goes, that could tie up the money for years and would probably end up in a class action with the attorneys getting half the proceeds that should go back to the fans. I'm sure there are a lot of law firms licking their chops over that thought, but it might not be the best outcome for the fans or the league.

[rickh150]

As soon as the season plans are set, one way or another, fans should have the option for a refund. Even if I have game tickets on a Friday night in August that will be played at Miller Park and with fans, I should have the option for a refund. Seriously, how many fans will even WANT to be around, forget about 10 or 100 people, we're talking thousands in one venue? Even if only 10,000 can attend a game, fans still should have refund privileges for tickets bought already for health purposes.

[pacopete4]

At this point, MLB doesn't know what's going on with the season, so while it sucks for fans (myself included) who have a lot of money paid out in tickets, it's probably prudent for the league to consider the games "postponed" until they have some certainty.

 

While it may not seem likely, it is still possible that they have games in July, August, September with fans in the stands. It is also possible that some games, especially those against division rivals, could be made up.

 

Unfortunately, this could go on for a while, as no one knows how things are going to progress. At some point a decision will have to be made, but for now most of America doesn't even know when they'll get their next haircut, so I don't expect a decision to officially cancel the games to happen too soon.

 

As far as a lawsuit goes, that could tie up the money for years and would probably end up in a class action with the attorneys getting half the proceeds that should go back to the fans. I'm sure there are a lot of law firms licking their chops over that thought, but it might not be the best outcome for the fans or the league.

 

This was well stated. I guess I’m surprised at the fans that are up in arms thinking this was going to work any other way.

[TigerUppercut]

At the risk of being insensitive, it is definitely interesting to see some of the same fans that constantly clamor for the Brewers to increase payroll and take on millions in debt now cry poor over a few hundred bucks in tickets.

[MrTPlush]

At the risk of being insensitive, it is definitely interesting to see some of the same fans that constantly clamor for the Brewers to increase payroll and take on millions in debt now cry poor over a few hundred bucks in tickets.

 

Ummmm...man...not a great comparison.

 

Not to mention no one who wants an increased payroll thinks they would go in debt...they think they have more excess money they could spend.

[JosephC]

KEEP BUYING MORE OF THOSE CHEAP, COUNTERFEIT JERSEYS FROM CHINA!!!

[TURBO]

At the risk of being insensitive, it is definitely interesting to see some of the same fans that constantly clamor for the Brewers to increase payroll and take on millions in debt now cry poor over a few hundred bucks in tickets.

 

ummmmmm, huh?

[Fear The Chorizo]

At the risk of being insensitive, it is definitely interesting to see some of the same fans that constantly clamor for the Brewers to increase payroll and take on millions in debt now cry poor over a few hundred bucks in tickets.

 

Pretty sure you could replace "At the risk of being" with "I'm extremely" in the above post. Jeez...

[rondoman]

At the risk of being insensitive, it is definitely interesting to see some of the same fans that constantly clamor for the Brewers to increase payroll and take on millions in debt now cry poor over a few hundred bucks in tickets.

 

Rule of life #783:

 

If you think about starting a comment with "at the risk of being insensitive," you should think hard about it, and probably not post said comment.

 

Other similar examples include:

* Im not racist but...(offensive/out of touch comment)

* Im actually a good person but...(offensive/out of touch comment)

[rondoman]

KEEP BUYING MORE OF THOSE CHEAP, COUNTERFEIT JERSEYS FROM CHINA!!!

 

What does this mean?