The NFL has distributed in the press box at Cowboys Stadium a statement that will keep some fans who have tickets from actually getting in to tonight’s game.
“There are a limited number of sections in temporary seating areas inside the stadium that have not been fully completed,” the statement reads. “We are working to resolve the matter and expect that by game time most of the fans affected will have been accommodated in their seats or relocated to similar or better seats.
“Those fans that are affected by this will be directed to the Party Plaza area while the matter is resolved.
“Fans who are not accommodated with seats inside the stadium will each receive a refund of triple the cost of the face value of their ticket.
“We regret the situation.”
Regret is an understatement.
Frankly, a triple-cost refund isn’t enough. The NFL also should reimburse the affected fans for all travel and lodging expenses. Regardless of how this happened, it’s inexcusable for the fans to find out upon arriving at the stadium that they’re S.O.L. At a bare minimum, the affected fans should be refunded every dime spent to make a trip they otherwise would not have made.
And how is this something that comes up now, on game day? Surely, the league knew about this before Sunday. Why not be candid about it so that the affected fans could choose either not to make the trip to Dallas or not to make the trek to the stadium.
Of course, that would have increased the numbers of folks who’d be eligible for refunds, and it would have prevented the league from getting as many folding chairs as possible crammed into the venue so that refunds of some big-dollar tickets wouldn’t be required.
It’s disappointing to see a league that gets so many things right whiff on something so fundamental as ensuring that every ticket sold will translate to a corresponding seat.