No Seats for Hundreds of Super Bowl Ticket Holders
- Posted on February 6, 2011 at 8:53pm by
Meredith Jessup
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Before kickoff Sunday, over 1,200 Super Bowl ticket holders were told that due to “unforeseen circumstances” their seats would not be available for the big game. According to news reports, the local fire marshal deemed the temporary seating arrangement “unsafe.”
“We paid $800 face-value for our tickets, plus our flight down here and the cost of our hotel room,” said one Packers season ticket holder. “This was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime for my father and we are trying to get this resolved so we can watch the game.”
After hours of confusion, Cowboys Stadium personnel managed to find some empty spots for about 800; the remaining 400+ angry ticket holders were at least able to stay inside the stadium, reportedly relocated to a field-level club located behind the Pittsburgh Steelers’ bench, where they watched the game on monitors.
Needless to say, countless fans were not happy.
“There are a limited number of sections in temporary seating areas inside the stadium that have not been fully completed,” read a release given to media covering the game. “Fans who are not accommodated with seats inside the stadium will each receive the cost of the face value of their ticket.”
One displaced fan vented his frustration to the Associated Press:
The $600 seats in question had been raffled off through a lottery and the winners were planning to sit in a section of the stadium comprised of temporary seats.
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Comments (62)
SoCalOilMan
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:59am1200 tickets at $800 = $960,000.
800 seat found = $640,000
400 refunded tickets at $800 times 3 for compensation = $960,000.
Net loss = $320,000
Peanuts.
Added together, the ticket debacle, the cabbie strike, and the weather…sounds like the worst Super Bowl ever to attend.
And if I was Pittsburgh fan, I would be really PO’d . Steelers never looked like they were really into the game (and I was rooting for them).
Report Post »jeffdubya
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 11:42pmLawsuit!
Report Post »B-Neil
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 11:35pmThat sounds a lot like the Health Care Bill. Ya pay but there might be nothen there…..Carry on McDuff
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 11:05pmSomebody I read online, said this is exactly what would happen, given Jone’s greed. Apparently he was right, speak up young man where are you?
Report Post »bigbro
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 10:31pmThe worst commercials I have ever seen. They had so much crap in them I don’t remember what they were selling.
Report Post »ThatchWeave
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 10:19pmFumble.
Report Post »JSH1oneFAN
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 10:11pmGreen bay wins !!!!
Report Post »chdorb
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:55pmJust another number on the list of screwups at Jerry World “I would do anything for a buck” Jones should be barred from the league and I don’t even like football. I’m a Texan and this is humiliating.
Report Post »southernloyalty
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:47pmOh boo hoo. Thats what they get for waisting 800 dollars on watching a bunch of grown men play a stupid child’s game. The trip of a lifetime huh, must not be much of life then.
Report Post »MOVINGFORWARD
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 10:49pmThat statement is uncalled for
Report Post »mwconservative
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:15amwhoa – someone’s in a foul mood.
take a chill pill.
as long as i don’t have to support them on welfare – i don’t care what they use their money for.
if i spent that much money on something that i wanted (or needed)
- i would expect to get what i paid for.
You don’t want to spend the money – then don’t spend the money.
Report Post »no one is forcing you to.
Jezreel
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:46pmToo much money is being wasted on sports in our country. It is disgusting. Athletes get paid more than those who do public services that are dangerous and those who lay down their lives. It is immoral and twisted out of distortion. Another thing in our country that has to go besides Planned Parenthood.
Report Post »bhelmet
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:37pmI LOVE Jerry Jones ———- NOT!!!
Report Post »Rokoll
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:37pmits likely final work or final inspection did not get completed due to the storm. unfortunate for those who held tickets.
Report Post »JUSTANOTHEROPINION
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:19pmIf the safety problem was in existance before the storm then by all means the Stadium should be held responsible for their verifiable expenses (i.e. travel, hotel, food and tickets), however, if it was due to the storm that went thru the area, then that would have been out of their control and the ticket holders should be grateful that they are willing to give them anything.
Report Post »fan-of-glenn
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:19pmThank God NASCAR starts soon! I’m tired of watching grown men touch each others rears.
Besides I am in Cincinnati Ohio and we don’t believe in professional sports. LOL
Report Post »Go Bengals! And take the Reds with you….
CatB
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 1:37amI agree! Can’t wait!
Report Post »Mark J. Marshall
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:16pmIn Philly they postponed a game due to a blizzard and sighted fan safety as the reason. I sited money as the reason. People called me nuts. Enter the Super Bowl. We had reports of ice falling on people a few days ago. And now seats that aren’t ready. Postpone the game? Nope. Can’t do that. Anyone still think it’s about fan safety and not about money?
Report Post »dcenac
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:15pmSo basically you are saying that just cause someone has money to spend they deserve to get ripped off……you are an idiot!
Report Post »patriot4evah
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:13pmThey should just have it in Detroit. We did a fabulous job, with 10 inches of snow to boot.
Report Post »blanco
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:12pmjerry jones is a vile human being—-sue him for all he is worth!
Report Post »AmericanStrega
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:11pmAs far as I’m concerned the superbowl has jumped the shark. The commercials are terrible too. I am tuned in to the PuppyBowl on Animal Planet. At least there‘s more than 10 seconds of play and the commercials aren’t all a bunch of gays licking each others fingers etc…
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 11:22pmPuppy Bowl rocks! and seating is Free!
Report Post »Creestof
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:09pmNot a football fan myself, and got sick of the mega hype followed by a dull performance usually. Screw it…I’d take the $2700.00 and a seat with my buddies in the hospitality lounge.
To the guy whining about fronting 5 grand to see a game in this economy…shut up ya momma’s boy.
Report Post »dcenac
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:21pmSo basically you are saying that just cause someone has money to spend they deserve to get ripped off……you are an idiot!
Report Post »Creestof
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:36pmNo, I’m saying the ability to earn that kind of money indicates some brains in his skull. If he has some brains, then he is aware of the first rule of life, which is “crap happens.”
He spent more than a minute whining the same 3 points in a different order, over and over again…and it does not take a rocket scientist to see that he would whine the same way if PetSmart had Friskies cat food on sale for 4/$1.00 and they were out of his cats (Fluffy) favorite flavor.
These were TEMPORARY seats. Negative side would say they added them to squeeze as much money from the fans as possible, Positive side would say they were trying to accomodate as many fans as possible. At any rate, out of all the people that paid to go, 1200 lost their seats due to a SAFETY CONCERN, and 800 of those got as good if not better seats. The remaining 400 are being paid $2700.00 each plus getting to see the game there anyway…with their friends…in comfort.
If he couldn’t afford to lose what he paid (for whatever reason the seats might not have been available) then he shouldn’t have gone in the first place.
Now since this is a discussion, maybe you can voice your thoughts and opinions without calling people names…like a big boy.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 11:23pm@Creestof
Report Post »So, say someone dreamed of taking a trip to say “South America” on a cruise with their spouse. Save for years or just simply makes a huge sacrifice to make it happen. They purchase the tickets, take the vacation time, get on a plane with “Pat Down”, go to the ship, and at the very last moment, sorry Charlie, no soup for you.
You are saying, screw them, they deserve it.
I hope the next time you buy a big ticket item, such as a car, you get a lemon, one that the dealer tells you “Up yours, you deserve it, you rich SOB”.
Creestof
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:01am@Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
No, I am not saying that…But, using your example, if I got to the boat and was told “We‘re sorry but due to large pirate activity in the area we’d be going, it has been deemed unsafe to to go. We’re sorry for the inconvenience. We will be reimbursing you for 3 times your ticket price and flying you to Acapulco for the week, all expenses paid on us.” I wouldn’t be on TV whining over and over again, about how I paid for a cruise, not a flight and I want them to go anyways in spite of their fear for my safety. I paid for it so give it to me.”
Btw, I am not rich by any stretch of the imagination…but I do not buy things I cannot afford to lose. When I bought my home, I had realtors and mortgage lendors telling me “But…you can afford so much more based on what you earn. You can get this nicer, larger house and still be able to make the payments.” I stuck with what I had picked out because I didn’t want to be able to just “make the payment”, I wanted to make the payment, put money aside for retirement and be able to pay down the principle with extra whenever I can. When I bought my new F150 pickup, I did a ton of research on the companies, models, engines, accessories and so on…then checked the on-line inventory of several sellers within 50 miles of me. When I was finally ready, I walked into the dealership, stopped them in mid salespitch and handed them the print out of the truck I wanted from their own website. I had what I was willing to pay for it “out the door” written on the bottom of the page and an unsigned check attached, filled out for a $10,000 down payment. She is 3 years old now and never had a problem with her.
Bottom line, money isn’t your “right”, trips are not your “right”, seats are not your “right”…they are all luxuries…and if you can’t afford to lose the luxury item you want and deal with it, then you couldn’t afford it to begin with. Not understanding this basic thing is why so many freaking homeowners are screwed, why this country is screwed, and why this country will eventually get flushed. It is also why that clown whined about losing a SEAT to a GAME, out of concerns for his SAFETY (which he’ll be compensated for) like someone had just kidnapped his first born child.
America really needs a reality check…needs to gain some perspective. Maybe they need to airlift him to a country where they dodge sniper fire daily to get to a Red Cross station for some bottled water and some cheese to feed their starving family.
People need to wake the hell up. This may be an America where he SHOULD be allowed to get to see his GAME…but it is also the America which, in order to allow him that luxury, has sold our future down the socialist path by fiscal irresponsibility for almost a century.
Maybe by this time in 2021 he can get on TV to whine about how he walked all the way to Arlington and they only had 3/4ths of a pound of cheese for him rather than a full pound because they had more mouths to feed that day. Then he can go on and on about his rights.
Report Post »dcenac
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 3:40pm@ Creestof
That would be big girl panties and your logic is still completely flawed. It’s not about luxury item purchases. It’s about a retailer selling space that they did not have. False advertising comes to mind. People not only bought those tickets, they bought the hotel rooms to use those tickets, the flights to get to the city to use those ticket and probably took time off work to once again use those tickets. If a company sells you a bill of goods and you put out your hard earned money to buy it and then additional money to use it then the company turns around and says well we didn’t actually think this thing thru or get the proper approval so it sucks to be you…..I would find that a justifiable reason to get upset. To be honest you seem to be more upset that what these people spent their money on. Just because it’s something that you find frivolous does not mean that these people deserved to get ripped off. If you saved for your cruise, waited with anticipation and then showed up to be told that the cruiseline just hadn‘t prepared enough and couldn’t get the permits to put you in the section of the ship you had bought your ticket for….somehow I think you WOULD be slightly ticked. They sold tickets they had not had the fire marshall permit them for…that is BAD planning and BAD business. Not bad consumership!
Report Post »Creestof
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 5:25pm@dcenac
Hi…I’m not upset at all. But let’s be real here. These seats were won in a raffle for temporary seating. Yes, somebody screwed up…but no, it was not intentional. Yes, they (sounds to me anyway) did their best to find seats for as many as possible and compensate those that they could not find seats for. America, the ideal, is alive and well. The America we actually have right now, sucks like a Hoover. Do you guys really want to propose and support someone being able to tie the courts up with a lawsuit because they could not sit where they thought they were going to…given the above facts?
Geez Louise…how many concerts each year are cancelled at the last minute due to the singer having problems (often due to drugs/alcohol/crime) and the most the ticket buyers get is an apology, their money back 1:1, or tickets to another concert at a time or date yet to be determined.
You all whip out the American flag to pat firefighters on the back as often as you can (and rightly so) for 99% of things…now when a fire department/fire marshall denies access to the seats due to concern for the safety of the people…you hop on board the ticket holders side and want to crucify the fire department. the stadium and its owners.
Sounds to me like the stadium added seats to get as many fans into the game as possible…and something got screwed up. I see these “screw ups” every week in new home construction. It’s a pain…but it is not intentional…and it is not criminal. It’s just example of the “crap happens” law.
There have been “big games” in recent years where there were hardly any drinking fountains and it was HOT, not enough bathrooms and so on. You just deal with it and plan better next time. Once they were told they could not sit there, the stadium did all it could to help those effected. What good was throwing tantrums and whining going to do? Were they going to get marched out onto the field and given seats in the endzones? No…crap happens, deal with it.
Of all the hardships/horrors/pain/loss we are all dealing with right now…why are we giving a damn if some people did not get to sit where they wanted/paid to sit for a football game.
What I want to know…after seeing the film of all those people standing together outside a fence…is how did they find them or stop them? Were the ticket collectors checking tickets for those seats and then saying “Please step over to the chainlink fence…someone will be with you shortly”?…then they were handed an apology letter.
No, I’m not upset…maybe if I gave a damn about sports I might have more sympathy.
I see your points and those of others who have posted here…and I understand them. I guess I’m just not the type to whine on national TV over and over, shake chainlink fences while yelling/screaming chants and acting like the world was coming to an end because of a game.
A wise man once told me…”If you try and fight all the little battles that irk you along the way, you won’t have nothing left for the war when it comes.”
Take care…respectfully,
Report Post »Creestof
dcenac
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:05pm@Creestof
I’d rather be on a beach drinking a Margarita than spend the money at the Superbowl…but that is just me. I know some rabid (which means my family) football fans who live and breathe football. Once again to each his own. I equate the Superbowl excursion to a 10yr olds trip to Disney World. While I can logically understand why the delays happened, it still doesn‘t make telling a 10yrold that Disney World had to close due to safety issues any easier and doesn’t really make that 10yr old feel any better. So if a tantrum ensues…you usually cut that kid some slack…..that was my point. As to my manner….you were quite right to call me on the name-calling. My only excuse was that I did sit thru the Obama interview and the half-time show…..my patience was running thin. I do sincerely apologize.
Report Post »orcainohio
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:09pmWas this really a fire hazzard or just another Beauracrat flexing thier muscle like the health dept. that shut down christain food servers helping the homeless?
Report Post »TruthTalker
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:08pmBecause they gave them away to celebrities.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:07pmI am a TEXAN. This is NOT the way TEXANS operate. I am so very sorry, and I do apologize to each of you who were sold a bill of goods. The COWBOYS and the COWBOY organization have never been the same since Tom Landry died. The day jerryjones took over, the COWBOYS lost their soul. I know that is not much condolence, if any to you; but, I hope you know a real TEXAN is mortified that this happened to you. If I could fire his arrogant behind, I would.
Report Post »Oh, God!
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:42pmI am a Texan also and this is disgraceful. I am with you KICKAGRANDMA.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 11:00pmKickaGrandma, I don’t know where in Texas you live, but I love Texas!You do have one loonytune Representative (Sheila Jackson Lee) but thankfully there’s Jeb Hensarling who is absolutely outstanding as a Christian and conservative leader.
People know what kind of folks live in Texas and that Texans are absolutely embarrassed to tears over this miss with the Super Bowl. I’m over here in Georgia, but I watch for illegal aliens and drug traffickers crossing the Texas border at http://www.BlueServo.net. That’s how much I love Texas. So, excuse me for now. Am going to watch the border and then turn in.
Report Post »Oh, God!
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:08am@ SHOWTIME- thanks for the link. While I don’t live in the Houston area to be able to appreciate the wonderful Sheila Jackson Lee, I can proudly say (not) that we have the wonderful Eddie Bernice Johnson here in Dallas. She was running against Stephen Broden in the midterms and unfortunately he lost.
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:07pmThat’s really messed up … sounds like the same guys who sell us a load of empty promises in congress was in charge of this endeavor
Report Post »UPSETVET
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:18amThis is a good opportnity to let the NFL and whoever is responsble for the stadium seating to know that the “fans” are the most important thing about a sports event. Without the fans there wouldn’t be an event. Upset ? I would be “beside myself” and very vocal of my disapproval and demand a full refund for all expenses, travel and lodging as well as the price + of the ticket.I’ll bet Jerry Jones had a good seat. A lawsuit needs to be put into motion so this sort of thing won’t happen in the future. If not, it will become a standard practice.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:04pmscrew em and sue em i would want 300 times face value for the inconvenience and false advertising
selling tickets to unavailable seats is against he law
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:38pmThats B.S.. I cant believe the NFL would allow anything like this to happen. 3x value is not nearly enough for the inconvenience, false advertising etc… I am not a litigious person, but I would sue.
Report Post »http://guerillatics.com
Dustyluv
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 9:48pmFire Marshall…Bureacratic Bullcrap. Plain and simple…
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 10:01pmLegally, you cannot sell anything that doesn’t exist, they had a capacity for the stadium already set, sold extra seats they had to construct and get inspected. They didn’t have them ready until the day of the superbowl, and they failed inspection, thus because they didn’t have the seats prepared and verified before they sold the tickets, they commited fraud.
That would be the same if I said I am going to sell you a house on the beach, but I didn’t buy the land, had no building permits and no guarantee I can accomplish any of it. For me to come back after you traveled to the so called “Beach” site to get your house, and I told you, “I will give you the face value x2. I would be facing fines, fraud charges, and if I sold this over statelines, Federal charges.
Report Post »drbage
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 10:32pmGee, I didn’t think Jerry Jones was a Congressman! How many years has Dallas known they would have the Super Bowl? When was the last game played at the stadium this year? Having worked in Miami during three Super Bowls, you knew everything about everyone who had a ticket including contact information and to wait until the people got to the stadium to let them know about the “problem” is just gross incompetence and malfeasance. But how much do you want to bet that the unionized fire marshall will get a pay raise????
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 10:38pm@drbage
Report Post »Supports my charge that the NFL should be brought up on Fraud charges, with the Feds looking into wirefraud if any transaction was held by telephone, internet, or across state lines. God help them if they used US Mail.
CanteenBoy
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 11:21pmAirlines do it regularly as policy.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on February 6, 2011 at 11:31pm@CanteenBoy
Report Post »The diffence is when I fly, which is at least 1 a month for buisness, the airlines have another flight within hours, a replaceable asset.
How is flying down to an event that happens once a year, and for most teams, once in a lifetime, become a replaceable asset such as a flight?
CatB
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 1:32amWhat are the odds that at least one of those ticketholders is a lawyer ?…. I think pretty darn good. I also think a class action suit would be in order. If the ticket is treated as a contract — then the stadium was in breach.
Report Post »the_ancient
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 3:27am@CANTEENBOY
The difference is that most Airlines have a policy of Overselling and a Legally defined process of compensation in the Contract of Carriage, that you agree to when you buy the ticket.
I am sure the Super Bowl did not have a similar clause in the terms of conditions or contract for the the event it had with the attendees that bought the ticket
Report Post »Polwatcher
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 5:35amDoes the word “fraud” apply to the NFL and the Superbowl? Selling tickets to seats that do not exist (except in some hopeful minds of promoters) is plain fraud. It was not a mistake either, since the seats did not exist prior to selling the tickets and seats don’t exist unless the fire marshal says they exist. We don’t need to put people at great risk due to fire or other tragedy
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:06amAnd we complain about 3 dollar a gal gas ?
Report Post »good thing we were not born in Palestine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zovK2BZdG-g&feature=related
chazman
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:02amThe Black Eyed Pissants and their crappy show. That dingbat, Christine, and her lousy, mistake riddled rendition of our National Anthem. And now this story. Yeah … I’d sue.
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