NFL Teams Should Immediately Cease Soliciting Season Ticket Payments

The NFL would like you to believe there will be a 2011 season. Not only that, they need you to believe there will be a 2011 season. They don't want you to stop spending your hard-earned money on NFL merchandise, NFL-endorse products, and of course, tickets and seat licenses for games next season.

Consider Monday's letterto fans from Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. Blank writes, "I'm sure our current position raises questions by you regarding the status of the 2011 season," (yes) but then says that the "most important thing you should know is that we remain committed to reaching an agreement that is fair to both sides and does not disrupt the 2011 season." These aren't the droids you're looking for...

But here's the truth -- now that the NFL lockout is upon us -- and the NFL Players Association has decertified -- it is more likely than ever that there will be missed games in the 2011 season. Both sides share the blame for this. Just as both sides stand to profit off fans when a new agreement is finally reached.

The fact that stadiums may sit empty on Sundays this fall hasn't changed NFL teams' season ticket policies. Or stopped them from shamefully selling personal seat licenses.

It's business as usual for NFL teams, even though, for the time being, they don't have a product to sell.

So NFL fans are being forced to hand over their money on the chance that there will be a season, which isn't the same as purchasing tickets (and seat licenses) for a 2011 season. I'm not an expert on issues of fraud, but this situation sure smells fishy.

The NFL has announced that season ticket holders will receive full refunds for any games missed. But that means that the teams have access to a tremendous amount of money to collect interest on in the meantime.

Will NFL teams return money for missed games with interest?

Minnesota owner Zygi Wilf and some other owners are promisingseason ticket holders/; "Simple interest, calculated at an annual rate of 1%, will be paid on refunds. Interest will be calculated for the period beginning on the date that a game is cancelled through the date that the refund is processed." One percent! And only if you act now and send payment!

NFL teams should immediately cease soliciting payment for season tickets, individual game tickets and personal seat licenses. And NFL players should call on NFL teams to do so, as well. Far too often, NFL players ask the fans for support without actually going to bat for the fans, themselves. Here's one of those times they can speak on for fans, even it it's against their own best interests.

If NFL owners and players are unwilling to do this, Sports Fans Coalition will ask the Federal Trade Commission and the States Attorneys General  to look into the issue of NFL teams soliciting money for a product that -- as of now -- doesn't exist.

(Keep in mind that virtually all NFL teams play in stadiums that have received some, if not all, of their financing from the public.)

Otherwise, at the worst, the NFL will be guilty of defrauding fans out of their money. At best, the NFL will be asking fans to bear the brunt of a work stoppage.

Either way, the fans lose. Again.

Brian Frederick is the Executive Director of SportsFans.org. He holds a Ph.D. in Communication and lives in Washington, D.C. Email him at [e-mail].

 

Follow Brian Frederick on Twitter: www.twitter.com/brifred

Comments

[DinkSinger]

02:56 PM on 03/18/2011

At least in the case of the New York Jets, owners of seat licences have no choice but to pay for the tickets at the time the team specifies. If they fail to do so the team can seize the seat licence with no refunds.

[whyus]

11:51 AM on 03/16/2011

No NFL football for a year? Sounds good to me. Let's watch European futbal instead.

[Angelus2007]

03:37 PM on 03/16/2011

No thank you. I will watch more baseball, and maybe the NCAA can reschedule some games to Sundays.

[Beltwayboy7]

05:00 PM on 03/15/2011

They shouldn't be allowed to sell tickets until a deal is signed and the ink has had time to dry on the paper! That Zygi Wilf is really looking out for those Minnesota Vikings fans with his great offer of 1%, only in America!

[agent7x6]

04:48 PM on 03/15/2011

DirecTV will start billing for the NFL Sunday Ticket in June or so. Since I have no interest in paying for games that aren't broadcast, if this matter isn't resolved by then, I will cancel my Sunday Ticket subscription. Take that, Jerry Jones.

[JimR]

04:37 PM on 03/15/2011

"at the worst, the NFL will be guilty of defrauding fans out of their money."

How are they defrauding fans out of their money when they are promising a full refund with interest for games that aren't played?

[Angelus2007]

10:52 AM on 03/16/2011

Exactly, it is not like the NFL is saying no fefunds.

[plzchuteme]

08:26 AM on 03/18/2011

I will try and explain it to you in a language you can understand:
Baaaah. Baa-aah. Bah bah baaaah!

[kenhamlett]

03:41 PM on 03/15/2011

Whenever football resumes -- in 2011 or some other year -- those season tickets are going to cost a good bit more than they do right now. I experienced this with the baseball strike in the 1990s. The players and owners all benefited greatly, and guess who had to take care of the bill? When the strike ended and I received the bill for my season tickets, the price had skyrocketed, so I said goodbye to the tickets and the game.

[LiberalEastTexan]

02:51 PM on 03/15/2011

I don't remember the last time I watched a pro football game - probably more than ten years ago.

And I know that I haven't spent a single dollar on the pro football industry for much longer than that.

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that...

[MNKen]

02:21 PM on 03/15/2011

After the owners have now said that the work stoppage will not affect communities that much, I wonder how long it will be until Zygi Wilf threatens to move the Vikings. He had said if the MN legislature did not commit to a new stadium by end of 2011 (maybe 2012) he was going to move the team. And of course had lots of statistics to show the negative impact on the community if they moved.

Come on, Zygi. How will you spin this one?

[Angelus2007]

11:00 AM on 03/16/2011

His moving the team as nothing to do with a work stoppage. If a CBA was signed tomorrow he would still threaten to move. He wants a new stadium and LA is willing to build one and Minneapolis isn't.

[MNKen]

02:21 PM on 03/16/2011

Yes, agree the CBA and work stoppage has nothing to do with the team moving. The point I did not make very well is that through the years he has told MN residents how much revenue is brought into the Cities by the Vikings. And used the "lost revenue" threat to try to get a new stadium.

Now the owners are saying people will spend those same dollars on other things in their communities, so the work stoppage will have no negative financial effect on business or communities. Just wondering what new thing Wilf will bring to try and extort tax dollars for a new stadium.

Thanks for the opportunity to clarify.