Change In Stadium Seating Policies Leaves Yankees Fan In The Lurch: 'It's So Last Minute, I Can't Meet Their Requirements'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Before the pandemic, going out to see a baseball game wasn't all that complicated, but in this new normal, with so many changing policies, one family is striking out.
For Barbara Anderson, being a Yankee fan is a huge part of her life. She wore a jersey the day she got married 30 years ago. Before the pandemic, she would go to games with the family. Even the dog is a fan.
So, when her eldest daughter, Lauren, bought tickets to see the Bronx bombers, there was almost a sense of relief.
"It was just finally exciting to be able to go see something in person and have something to do other than sit home," Lauren Anderson said.
She had planned to see the Yankees on May 26 with her boyfriend and bought tickets off of StubHub in section 210. At the time, getting in required her to either be vaccinated or have a negative COVID test.
But now, that section will only hold fans who've been fully vaccinated.
"Unfortunately, I can't sit there anymore," Lauren Anderson said.
That's because she hasn't gotten her COVID vaccine just yet, and with less than two weeks before the game, she wouldn't be fully vaccinated in time even if she tried to get the shot.
"It's so last minute that I can't meet their requirements of what they're asking me to do," Lauren Anderson said.
"So much has been lost in the past year, this was probably her first really big outing," Barbara Anderson said. "So just to feel that let down again."
It hurt.
In an email, StubHub wrote:
"StubHub is working closely with both the Yankees and the Mets on how they are handling tickets given quickly changing guidelines. At this time, there isn't a one-size-fits-all policy as different venues and teams are handling tickets differently. StubHub follows the lead of event organizers and primary ticket marketplaces.
"When the Mets turned sections into vaccinated sections, they reissued the tickets into the marketplace. StubHub followed suit and canceled orders offering 120% credit as our default, with refunds available by request.
"When the Yankees turned sections into vaccinated sections, the original tickets remained valid. In this case, StubHub emailed customers with instructions on how to relist tickets and waived the sell fee for those unable to meet the conditions of entry.
"While StubHub has no control over a venue or team's decision to make changes, we understand this can be a frustrating experience. We work with our customers on a case-by-basis and suggest they reach out to customer service for help. And just for context, as I'm not sure the age of the daughter, all those younger than 16 coming with an adult do not need to be vaccinated."
It suggested they sell the tickets, which they tried to do.
"The ones that are vaccinated don't want to sit in a section where they're going to be on top of people when they have the opportunity to go buy tickets and sit in a section where they're a little bit more socially distanced and comfortable," Barbara Anderson said.
For now, the Yankees have only sold individual game tickets through the upcoming home stand. They say they created these sections due to the demand from fans.
COVID VACCINE
- New York State book online here or call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX
- New York City book online here or call 877-VAX-4NYC
- Track NYC vaccinations by zip code
- Nassau County more info here
- Suffolk County more info here
- Westchester County more info here
- New Jersey book online here or call 1-855-568-0545
- Connecticut book online here
That said, a team spokesperson says they intend to fully resolve what they call small glitches.
They say they'll help Lauren find another spot in the stadium and intend to work with other fans who may be caught in a similar situation.
Meanwhile, walk-up vaccinations are administered at the stadium. Anyone who gets vaccinated there receives a voucher for two free tickets.
CBS2's Kevin Rincon contributed to this report.
