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Commanders suing fans who can’t keep their season tickets
Sporting News staff reports
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Login or register to post comments Printer-friendly version Thursday, Sep. 3, 2009 - 10:26 a.m. ET
The Washington Commanders have sued 125 season ticket holders who asked to be released from multiyear contracts in the past five years, the Washington Post reports.
The newspaper says it interviewed more than 20 of those season ticket holders, and most said they had lost a job or experienced some other financial hardship. Commanders lawyer David Donovan told the newspaper lawsuits are a last resort and that they involve only a small percentage of the team's 20,000 annual premium seat contracts.
"The Washington Commanders routinely work out payment plans and alternate arrangements with hundreds of ticket holders every year," Donovan said. "For every one we sue, I would guess we work out a deal with half a dozen."
Donovan said the team has agreed to reduce the number of seats in a contract, waived contracts for a year, shortened contracts and terminated contracts early. Most of the lawsuits are filed after people "simply refuse to negotiate with us. They've been made an offer, but they just said no," he said.
Many of the fans sued by the team whom the newspaper interviewed said they did receive offers to settle, but the arrangements required hefty payments over time.
The Post reviewed lawsuits in which the Daniel M. Snyder-controlled entity WFI Stadium Inc. sued 125 Commander ticket holders for a total of $3.6 million. The team won judgments totaling $2 million from 34 season ticket holders, most of whom did not hire an attorney and defaulted by not making an appearance in court.
Donovan said other teams sue their fans. "I don't know of any pro football team that doesn't," he said.
But spokesmen for the following National Football League teams said they do not sue their fans over season ticket contracts: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and Jets, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans.
The New England Patriots have sued multiyear premium ticket holders. A Chicago Bears spokesman said, "In rare instances, we have sued."
Officials with the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts declined to comment on the query. Other teams did not respond.
Fans also accuse the team of double-dipping by suing for the value of the full contract then re-selling the tickets to other fans. Donovan denies the claim, saying even when a team gets a judgment, that doesn't mean they're getting any money.
The Commanders also are suing corporations who have ditched their skyboxes. The team has won $8 million in judgments in eight cases.
Sporting News staff reports
Comments (3) More
Login or register to post comments Printer-friendly version Thursday, Sep. 3, 2009 - 10:26 a.m. ET
The Washington Commanders have sued 125 season ticket holders who asked to be released from multiyear contracts in the past five years, the Washington Post reports.
The newspaper says it interviewed more than 20 of those season ticket holders, and most said they had lost a job or experienced some other financial hardship. Commanders lawyer David Donovan told the newspaper lawsuits are a last resort and that they involve only a small percentage of the team's 20,000 annual premium seat contracts.
"The Washington Commanders routinely work out payment plans and alternate arrangements with hundreds of ticket holders every year," Donovan said. "For every one we sue, I would guess we work out a deal with half a dozen."
Donovan said the team has agreed to reduce the number of seats in a contract, waived contracts for a year, shortened contracts and terminated contracts early. Most of the lawsuits are filed after people "simply refuse to negotiate with us. They've been made an offer, but they just said no," he said.
Many of the fans sued by the team whom the newspaper interviewed said they did receive offers to settle, but the arrangements required hefty payments over time.
The Post reviewed lawsuits in which the Daniel M. Snyder-controlled entity WFI Stadium Inc. sued 125 Commander ticket holders for a total of $3.6 million. The team won judgments totaling $2 million from 34 season ticket holders, most of whom did not hire an attorney and defaulted by not making an appearance in court.
Donovan said other teams sue their fans. "I don't know of any pro football team that doesn't," he said.
But spokesmen for the following National Football League teams said they do not sue their fans over season ticket contracts: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and Jets, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans.
The New England Patriots have sued multiyear premium ticket holders. A Chicago Bears spokesman said, "In rare instances, we have sued."
Officials with the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts declined to comment on the query. Other teams did not respond.
Fans also accuse the team of double-dipping by suing for the value of the full contract then re-selling the tickets to other fans. Donovan denies the claim, saying even when a team gets a judgment, that doesn't mean they're getting any money.
The Commanders also are suing corporations who have ditched their skyboxes. The team has won $8 million in judgments in eight cases.
