USA TODAY International Edition
NFL will give full refunds
In case you’ve paid for tickets and are wondering: Of course you’ll get a full refund for a 2020 NFL game that is canceled or excludes fan attendance.
It’s pretty much a no- brainer of a policy when it comes to customer relations. Yet with the NFL set to release its regular- season schedule on Thursday night despite layers of uncertainty tied to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Commissioner Roger Goodell has confirmed that all 32 teams will follow a uniform approach on refunds for patrons who purchase tickets directly from the clubs.
Also, the NFL has pledges from licensed ticketing partners Ticketmaster and SeatGeek to comply similarly within 30 days of the affected event. StubHub will do so only in instances required by state law.
“They’re giving fans some confidence that if things don’t go as planned, they’re protected,” Andrew Brandt, executive director of the Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law at Villanova University and a former Green Bay Packers executive, told USA TODAY Sports. “They’re not going to be left high and dry.”
Sports consultant Marc Ganis said the league’s teams have, for years, had “a de facto policy” stating as much, but it was wise to reiterate the consistent approach given the current conditions.
The refund policy, though, is merely one reflection of the efforts by NFL teams in recent weeks to connect with paying customers.
A USA TODAY Sports survey of all 32 teams found that nearly 60% of the franchises ( 19) have deferred payments for season ticket packages, with several teams instituting or considering multiple deferrals.
“Everybody understands that this year is an aberration,” said Ganis, president of Sportscorp Ltd.
It is unclear whether the pandemic will result in a widespread reduction of NFL season ticket sales. Some indicators, such as a recent Seton Hall poll that found 72% of respondents declared they would not attend sporting events until a COVID- 19 vaccine is available, suggest waning interest. Yet several NFL teams are poised to match or exceed previous demand.
While the Buccaneers would not reveal season ticket sales, the demand appeared to spike in March immediately after Tom Brady signed as a free agent.
The Broncos, meanwhile, had a season ticket renewal rate of about 95%,
which will ensure that the franchise will extend its record streak to 51 years for selling out each home game – as long as fans are able to attend games. The Broncos also have a waiting list of 80,000 for season tickets.
The Jaguars, who announced this week a creative season ticket option that allows buyers of a two- year package to defer 40% of the cost for this year’s tickets to next year, have had the best two- week boost of sales since the draft. The Jaguars also have picked up two additional games in Jacksonville, Florida, with their “home games” pegged for London moved.
Chad Johnson, the Jaguars’ senior vice president of sales and service, told USA TODAY Sports that the club was driven to expand options after eliciting feedback from fans. His 50- person sales staff talked to roughly half of the 13,000 season ticket account holders over a seven- week period, with the polling revealing some concerns related to economics.
“We got a lot of feedback,” Johnson said. “We found that there is cautious optimism among the fans but still uncertainty. There was also the sentiment, ‘ I know I’m going to bounce back, but it might take time.’ This plan was based on that feedback.”
Every NFL team, even those that didn’t adjust payment dates, indicated that it is willing to work with individual season ticket holders on a case- by- case basis if a hardship is expressed. The Bears, for example, held firm on a payment deadline date of March 20.
“But in 100% of cases where a customer asked for an extension we granted it and tailored it to their individual needs,” spokesman Adam Widman said in a statement. “We understand and are sensitive to everyone’s individual situation and how fluid this is for us all.”
Yet even in deferring payments and with dire projections of how overall revenue could be affected, the NFL has been afforded more time than other leagues to formulate plans, with the pandemic emerging during the league’s offseason. Several teams had season ticket renewals – and payments received – in February, before the outbreak resulted in stay- at- home measures. At least four teams ( the Buccaneers, 49ers, Dolphins and Lions) have year- round payment plans and didn’t automatically defer any payments.
As Ganis pointed out, in a normal year, the liquid revenue from season ticket sales are important from an operational standpoint, as payments from the massive national TV contracts don’t begin until August.
Of course, this is no normal year, with the NFL, which generates at least $ 15 billion in annual revenue, bracing for the potential need to adjust whatever schedule it releases on Thursday night.
“But you still have to have the cash,” said Ganis, who has consulted with three leagues and at least a half- dozen teams on matters involving reopening the sports landscape. “That’s where the liquidity comes in. The league is so strong financially that they can find ways to help teams that may need some help in the short term. There aren’t many of them, but there may be a few.”
Especially if season ticket sales are down ... and if refunds are up.