Some Rangers Fans Who Bought Tickets To Games Not Played Anxiously Await Refunds
ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Major League Baseball announced it will be allowing teams to refund tickets for games affected by COVID-19.
The Texas Rangers would have played their 30th game of the season this week.
But there are no games happening at Globe Life Field or any other stadium.
Randy Martin and his daughter are disappointed about missing their annual game, but he's also getting upset about not receiving a refund on the tickets yet.
"I've been taking her to games since her first birthday, and every year, I take her to a game in or around her birthday," Martin said.
That game was postponed like the rest. Now Martin said he really needs his $150 back.
"This past week has been dismal," Martin said. "We're working about half of what we normally work."
He asked the team's general manager Jon Daniels about the issue during a Facebook live chat last week.
While Daniels took questions about player salaries and Netflix shows, he did not address any comments about refunds.
"They completely ignored me," Martin said. "I felt that was a total slap in the face."
Another fan, Michael Whitchurch, said he's not comfortable attending games, even if they are rescheduled.
"My wife has lupus, and I'm high risk because I have pre-diabetes," said Whitchurch, who is waiting on a $400 refund from the Rangers.
"I paid for a baseball game to be played on a certain date so I could take my family and they didn't do it," Whitchurch said. "I understand it's not their fault, but that doesn't give them the right to keep my money."
Last week two baseball fans sued the league, its 30 teams and ticket resellers over refunds during the pandemic.
Previously, the Rangers told CBS 11 it's up to the league to cancel games.
But on Tuesday, the MLB updated its policy to allow teams to issue refunds.
A Rangers spokesman said starting Wednesday, the team will issue single-ticket refunds for "impacted" games on a case-by-case basis.
Customers can head to the Rangers website for more information, which should be posted sometime this week.
But a spokesman indicated the team's hope is that customers will hold onto their tickets, as no games have been officially cancelled just yet.
"We're probably not going to go and be around crowds of people in, I don't know how long," Whitchurch said.
Whitchurch is holding onto more than just baseball tickets.
He bought two passes for a Michael Buble concert at the new Dickie's Arena in Fort Worth.
But there's been no music and no money returned.
Online ticket seller StubHub changed its refund policy during the pandemic, replacing the cash-back guarantee with credits for other shows scheduled through next year.
The question is how long the coronavirus poses a threat.
"I don't know that I'm going to go sit in a crowded arena and watch Michael Buble or anybody," Whitchurch said.
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group has released a guide about refunds.
Depending on the company, refund policies may vary. First, determine whether your event was cancelled or postponed.
Eventbrite asks customers to complete a refund form to see if they qualify, while Ticketmaster allows consumers to search its site for an event's status.
Then, review each site's refund policy. It's possible a company will not issue a refund if an event has been scheduled for a later date.
If a ticket vendor is refusing to issue a refund, contact the venue or event organizer directly. The USPIRG states tagging a company on social media could encourage a policy adjustment.
