Breastfeeding Mom Calls Out New York Giants Over Child Ticket Policy
OCEAN COUNTY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - A New Jersey mother who is a big New York Giants fan is calling out the team over its child ticket policy.
She say the Giants told her she had to buy an expensive ticket for her baby, even though the child doesn't use a seat.
Sarah Zadoyko-Bartee has been a lifelong Giants fan. Her husband surprised her with season tickets last year - club seats. Excited for football season, Sarah, who serves in the National Guard, packed up her 4-month-old and headed into the preseason game on Friday, Aug. 16, only to be told tiny Silas needed a ticket.
"We were taken aback by the question to begin with. It just seemed kind of absurd that they were asking about a baby who can't actually sit in a seat," she told CBS2's Meg Baker.
"So how much would they have charged you for a ticket for him?" Baker asked.
"Almost $800," Bartee said. The high price is because of the club seats. When they asked if they could buy a lower-cost seat, they were told no and if they wanted to bring the baby and have access to the club, they'd have to purchase the same price ticket.
Bartee looked up the infant policy for the MetLife Stadium, which allows children up to 34 inches to enter the stadium free of charge during Jets games and other events. But she was told the ticket charge was a Giants policy, not a MetLife policy.
Bartee is breastfeeding and explained the logistical challenges of bringing a pump and storing milk wouldn't make sense, when she could bring him and feed him herself.
"I mean, you can fly with a baby for free. I wouldn't even think that you can't bring a baby to a football game for free," she said.
CBS2 reached out to the Giants to ask if the team is considering updating its policy.
"We are in the process of revising our longstanding policy to bring it more in line with the policy of MetLife stadium," a representative said in a statement.
Only five teams in the NFL have a policy that does not allow lap children. Bartee hopes the Giants make a change so that families can enjoy the game together.
Bartee says they were eventually allowed into the game as a one-time-only courtesy because it was a preseason game.
The Giants do point out there is a nursing suite in the stadium and a location where the stadium stores milk for mothers who want to pump at the game.