Author Topic: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)  (Read 5823 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Duke of Earl

  • Posts: 743
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #100: May 14, 2020, 11:22:27 AM »

2020 Nationals Impacted Games currently include*: March 24, April 2, April 4, April 5, April 6, April 7, April 8, April 16, April 17, April 18, April 19, April 21, April 22, April 23, May 1, May 2, May 3, May 5, May 6, May 7

Really?   So they MIGHT still play next Tuesday and Wednesday here against the Mariners?  You’d think they’d at least allow refunds up through the end of May. 
.

End of May?  I'd say end of June.  Zero chance of any game before July 1, much less with fans in the stands.

In fact, there is no game on the schedule that won't be impacted.  If you have a ticket for a September game, and even assuming fans will be allowed by then, with distancing protocols, your seat may be one of those vacated.   And suppose you have two tickets, and your seat is vacated but not your wife's, and neither of you wants go go alone?

Bottom line, there is no excuse, none whatsoever, for not offering a full refund.

Offline rbw5t

  • Posts: 785
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #101: May 14, 2020, 05:37:41 PM »
Maybe I'm reading things wrong, but I think they are offering full refunds for 2020 season ticket plans -- it's just that you have to reach out and affirmatively request it.  If you don't, then it rolls over to 2021 and you get the 50% bonus.

In terms of the 50% bonus, my feeling is that isn't really the screwjob that some folks feel like it is.  For instance, I have a half season plan, but with the bonus am considering upgrading to a full season plan for 2021.  Full season seats are a little cheaper per game, so with that "discount" plus the 50% bonus, I'd be paying only a little more to go from 42 to 82 games, and way less per ticket.  Finding takers for all those games might be a challenge of course.

The tougher part seems to be for those who already have full season plans, and really can't absorb more tickets.  But, for people who are there that much, they might actually be able to use that much for concessions.  Say you have a full season plan for 1 seat at $40 per game.  Now you have a credit of $20 per game for concessions.  (And if you're a family of four, for example, multiply all that times 4).  Basically, it comes down to being able to use half your ticket cost on concessions, per person, which until you get into the really expensive seats, seems reasonable.

Assuming there's no 2020 games played at Nats park with fans in seats, then all the 2020 money rolls forward to 2021 anyway (assuming you don't take the refund), so really the only options for a bonus are doing it like they've done it, or else letting you roll it farther into the future, for 2022 season tix.  All in all, the 50% bonus seems fair enough to me.

But, I do like getting myself spun up about getting screwed by the Nats, so if others think I'm thinking about it wrong and ought to be offended by the 50% bonus, please help my understand what I'm getting wrong!  (seriously)

Offline HarperHappy

  • Posts: 20
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #102: May 14, 2020, 08:08:20 PM »
I completely agree. I have a half season plan as well and will end up with roughly $1,300 in bonus credit. Split that 75/25 between food (75) and merchandise (25) and I will easily use that throughout the 30 or so games I go to. Plus, talk about an incentive for keeping your plan partners, giving them a piece of the bonus.

And yes, they will give season plan holders a full refund, if requested.

Offline bluestreak

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11259
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #103: May 14, 2020, 09:03:58 PM »
Maybe I'm reading things wrong, but I think they are offering full refunds for 2020 season ticket plans -- it's just that you have to reach out and affirmatively request it.  If you don't, then it rolls over to 2021 and you get the 50% bonus.

In terms of the 50% bonus, my feeling is that isn't really the screwjob that some folks feel like it is.  For instance, I have a half season plan, but with the bonus am considering upgrading to a full season plan for 2021.  Full season seats are a little cheaper per game, so with that "discount" plus the 50% bonus, I'd be paying only a little more to go from 42 to 82 games, and way less per ticket.  Finding takers for all those games might be a challenge of course.

The tougher part seems to be for those who already have full season plans, and really can't absorb more tickets.  But, for people who are there that much, they might actually be able to use that much for concessions.  Say you have a full season plan for 1 seat at $40 per game.  Now you have a credit of $20 per game for concessions.  (And if you're a family of four, for example, multiply all that times 4).  Basically, it comes down to being able to use half your ticket cost on concessions, per person, which until you get into the really expensive seats, seems reasonable.

Assuming there's no 2020 games played at Nats park with fans in seats, then all the 2020 money rolls forward to 2021 anyway (assuming you don't take the refund), so really the only options for a bonus are doing it like they've done it, or else letting you roll it farther into the future, for 2022 season tix.  All in all, the 50% bonus seems fair enough to me.

But, I do like getting myself spun up about getting screwed by the Nats, so if others think I'm thinking about it wrong and ought to be offended by the 50% bonus, please help my understand what I'm getting wrong!  (seriously)


Quote
however, that the 50% Bonus Credit cannot be applied to purchase the renewal of your 2020 Eligible Product(s) for the 2021 season;

This language makes me think that you can’t do that. If you have heard different from your rep, let me know. I read it to mean that you can’t use it to pay for a plan, and the upgrades are the in park upgrades. I imagine that those will be more difficult to get now that everyone has this credit burning a hole in their pockets.

The main reason I don’t like this is that posted all over the website “best ticket offer in baseball,” when it’s super restrictive.

1) I have a full season plan. I don’t need more tickets. At all. And eating and drinking thousands of dollars worth of ballpark concessions isn’t possible
2) They make you select at the beginning whether you want to allocate to donations, merch/concessions, or tickets. And that allocation can’t change. Ideally you should be free to use it how you want. And then donate your unused portion at the end.
3) the thing most people would buy with a huge credit is memorabilia, their season plan, or parking. You can’t use it for any of those.

It just annoys me that the Lerners are making this seem like they are being generous. When they have set this up so that most of it goes unused. It feels like they are trying to trick people into leaving their money with them.

In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter because I’m just going to get a refund.


Offline rbw5t

  • Posts: 785
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #104: May 14, 2020, 11:43:59 PM »
I think “2020 Eligible Product” means your 2020 plan details. For me, that’s a half season plan. They are advertising that you can use the money to upgrade, so my reading is that I can use the bonus toward the difference between my existing half season plan and new full season plan. But, it wouldn’t shock me to be wrong, in which case, like you, I’d opt for the refund instead of the credit. I’ll check with my rep and will report back on whether upgrading to a more expensive season plan is an eligible use of the credit.

Offline MtPleasantNatsFan

  • Posts: 90
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #105: May 15, 2020, 09:21:39 AM »
I think “2020 Eligible Product” means your 2020 plan details. For me, that’s a half season plan. They are advertising that you can use the money to upgrade, so my reading is that I can use the bonus toward the difference between my existing half season plan and new full season plan. But, it wouldn’t shock me to be wrong, in which case, like you, I’d opt for the refund instead of the credit. I’ll check with my rep and will report back on whether upgrading to a more expensive season plan is an eligible use of the credit.

My rep told me that the base money can be used but the 50% bonus cannot


Offline eastie

  • Posts: 115
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #106: May 15, 2020, 11:49:52 AM »
I think “2020 Eligible Product” means your 2020 plan details. For me, that’s a half season plan. They are advertising that you can use the money to upgrade, so my reading is that I can use the bonus toward the difference between my existing half season plan and new full season plan. But, it wouldn’t shock me to be wrong, in which case, like you, I’d opt for the refund instead of the credit. I’ll check with my rep and will report back on whether upgrading to a more expensive season plan is an eligible use of the credit.
This is how I'm positioning it to my SPH group (and I still don't know how I'm going to handle divvying this up): the 50% bonus is only for "extra stuff".  It has zero impact on the committed plan money we are paying for 2020 and 2021.  From the email I got yesterday it sounds at least like the Nats acknowledge that money in hand now for 2020 plans will exceed the value of any games played in 2020; they've graciously :roll: deferred the May 15 payment like they did for April.  But "Pay us your full amount by 8/15 and will give you more 50% Bonus BuxTM for your troubles".  Basically that's pre-paying for 2021 on a even longer time frame, which benefits the team the most since they get their money earlier.  The calculus is on each plan holder if they think they will use the 50% money fully and how valuable it will be, and if you are on a less-than-81 plan and use concessions heavily it probably is.  I'd rather have the option of my 2020 unused balance back and restart payments for 2021 as scheduled, but maybe that will be part of the SPH refund plan they will announce if and when MLB settles on a season start date and plan.  I can't imagine what this is going to look like if they restart in July and are then forced to shut down again due to new spikes ....

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25688
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #107: May 15, 2020, 11:55:51 AM »
It’s pretty sad that the Nats were the last team to issue its policy and then it’s confusing enough that people here have to debate what it means. 

Offline HalfSmokes

  • Posts: 21606
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #108: May 15, 2020, 11:56:55 AM »
One man’s sad is another’s impressive

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25688
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #109: May 15, 2020, 11:58:26 AM »
One man’s said is another’s impressive
It usually only takes me a day or so to write something really confusing.

Offline bluestreak

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11259
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #110: May 15, 2020, 12:38:59 PM »
My rep just got back to me. He said you can use the Credit to upgrade your entire plan for 2021.

Offline rbw5t

  • Posts: 785
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #111: May 15, 2020, 01:06:26 PM »
My rep just got back to me. He said you can use the Credit to upgrade your entire plan for 2021.

Your rep is quicker than mine, but good news!  Not sure yet that I'll take it -- need to canvass current partners and potential new partners to see whether I can absorb a full season.  But the math on the per ticket price is pretty good taking into account the price break on going from half to full pricing, coupled with the credit.  Makes good sense from the team's perspective to allow it too.  If people take the credit for concessions, they're just consuming more food than they otherwise would have and not paying any additional money out of pocket.  If you use the credit to actually come to more games, then that's more concessions sold.  From a revenue standpoint, letting people upgrade the number of games they are buying is probably the best use of the credit from the team's perspective.

Offline eastie

  • Posts: 115
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #112: May 15, 2020, 01:08:03 PM »
My rep just got back to me. He said you can use the Credit to upgrade your entire plan for 2021.
The "Total Credit" or the "50% Credit"?  If the latter that seems to contradict the language in the notice.

Offline Upper Level Dad

  • Posts: 45
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #113: May 15, 2020, 01:33:09 PM »
My rep just got back to me. He said you can use the Credit to upgrade your entire plan for 2021.

I’ll probably use mine to upgrade to the diamond club once or twice

Offline hohoho

  • Posts: 1990
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #114: May 15, 2020, 03:14:46 PM »
It’s pretty sad that the Nats were the last team to issue its policy and then it’s confusing enough that people here have to debate what it means.
They are just setting traps for the suckers.

Offline varoadking

  • Posts: 29499
  • King of Goodness
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #115: June 06, 2020, 11:21:14 AM »
FWIW...I applied for a refund for 2 GEICO Lot parking passes on May 12th.  I received a credit to my AMEX card for those passes this morning, so a little less than a 4 week turn around from request to refund.  Not horrible, all things considered...except, unless they change the process, you can't request a refund until after a game would have been played, so this process will continue into October.

It will be interesting to see how well refunds to the Stadium Series concert that had been scheduled for August 22nd will be processed by the Nationals.  There is likely a 60 day wait from June 1st until they start accepting requests, unless the 2021 rescheduled concert dates are released prior to that, which is unlikely because baseball certainly isn't gonna be releasing the 2021 schedule within the next 2 months...

Offline HalfSmokes

  • Posts: 21606
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #116: June 06, 2020, 11:37:24 AM »
I’m guessing that when they have a return agreement, that effectively cancels the games that are currently postponed, especially if the agreement mandates no fans

Offline rbw5t

  • Posts: 785
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #117: June 24, 2020, 10:00:26 PM »
Are we assuming no fans permitted for the 30 homes games to be played?  If fans are allowed, will season plan holders be charged, or do we think we'd be allowed to the roll the money to next year?

Separately, out of curiosity, how many of us are asking for refunds and how many of us are rolling amounts paid forward to get the 50% bonus credit?

Offline bluestreak

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11259
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #118: June 24, 2020, 10:07:18 PM »
Are we assuming no fans permitted for the 30 homes games to be played?  If fans are allowed, will season plan holders be charged, or do we think we'd be allowed to the roll the money to next year?

Separately, out of curiosity, how many of us are asking for refunds and how many of us are rolling amounts paid forward to get the 50% bonus credit?

There is zero chance that fans will be allowed into games in a stadium in the District of Columbia this year.
I’m asking for a refund. I’m not sure what baseball will look like in 2021 and I’m not sure I want to get on the metro and go to a stadium full of people until there is a vaccine.

Offline OldChelsea

  • Posts: 8160
  • Nats Supporter in Exile
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #119: June 25, 2020, 11:30:29 AM »
[...]Separately, out of curiosity, how many of us are asking for refunds and how many of us are rolling amounts paid forward to get the 50% bonus credit?

Still sticking with the rollover to 2021. I understand the health hazards and the silly rules changes they're putting in, but I waited for baseball in DC too many years to quit...I've come too far to turn back now.

Offline bluestreak

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11259
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #120: August 05, 2020, 11:38:52 PM »
The opt out period for Nats for Life is open now. You have a month to decide whether you want to continue next year. In other news, prices will stay flat for next year. I can’t believe it would even be a consideration to increase them.

Offline bluestreak

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11259
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #121: August 19, 2020, 04:51:15 PM »
I officially gave up my tickets for next year. Makes me sad. But figure I saw the pinnacle. It would only get worse from here.

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42522
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #122: August 19, 2020, 05:10:44 PM »
I officially gave up my tickets for next year. Makes me sad. But figure I saw the pinnacle. It would only get worse from here.

Maybe buy a cardboard cutout at least?

Offline DCFan

  • Posts: 16722
  • What are you dense?
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #123: August 19, 2020, 05:23:58 PM »
I officially gave up my tickets for next year. Makes me sad. But figure I saw the pinnacle. It would only get worse from here.

We still have trips to West Palm in March to look forward to.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

  • Posts: 17657
  • babble on
Re: 2020 Season Ticket Holders (STH)
« Reply #124: August 20, 2020, 11:21:16 AM »
The NHL is still talking the talk about fans in seats for the 2021 season.  Maybe this year's STH gift will be a carton of red N95s and nitrile gloves. 
I officially gave up my tickets for next year. Makes me sad. But figure I saw the pinnacle. It would only get worse from here.