Photo by afagen
Responding to a raft of criticism that spiked when yesterday evening’s game was rescheduled to Thursday afternoon, the Washington Nationals say they are reversing course on their ticket exchange policy.
The opener of a two-game set against the Detroit Tigers was postponed last night due to rain, and people who purchased tickets to the game, scheduled for a convenient 7:05 p.m., were told they could exchange them for seats on Thursday. But the make-up game is scheduled for 4:05 p.m., when many of those ticket-holders will still be at their offices.
It didn’t take long for people to start grousing about the time difference. “I’m so glad that they decided to reschedule a 7 p.m. game to a 4 p.m. game when the rest of the world has to work,” one DCist reader commented. The Washington Post also heard from numerous Nationals fans upset that they would not get their money’s worth.
The gripes stemmed from a pre-season shift in the Nationals rainout ticketing procedures. In past seasons, the team allowed people who bought tickets to a postponed game to exchange them for any ticket of equal or lesser value later in the season, depending on availability. It’s a policy practiced by at least 13 other Major League Baseball clubs, the Post notes.
Citing greater attendance than ever at their ballpark, the Nationals dropped this policy at the beginning of the season and switched to a rule in which tickets to rained-out games are swapped only for the make-up date. (Nationals Park has had an average attendance of 31,812 through 16 games this season.)
But it appears public clamoring is stronger than that. In a statement released this afternoon, the club say the the old policy will return for last night’s rainout and all future postponements. People who bought tickets for yesterday’s game can still claim their seats tomorrow—provided they play hooky—or if they have to work like the rest of us, swap them for a game further down the calendar.
One tip, though, should anyone be so inclined to take the Nats up on the resumption of the old policy: Don’t pick tonight’s game. The game is on, but it’s overcast now, and there’s a good chance for more rain later in the evening.
Statement from the Washington Nationals:
The Washington Nationals wish to announce that all fans who purchased tickets for Tuesday night’s postponed game with the Detroit Tigers will be guaranteed their same seats for Thursday’s scheduled 4:05 p.m. makeup game, or will retain the option to exchange their tickets – as they have in the past – for any remaining regular or value home game during the 2013 season, subject to availability. Due to increased attendance at Nationals Park, “rain check” ticket holders are encouraged to contact the Nationals ticket office by phone or online to better ensure seating for those games. The Nationals apologize for any inconvenience.
