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| Graphic courtesy of MLB.com |
I'm going to answer two questions right off the top of this article. Who am I to comment on the tone of the email to Pittsburgh Pirates season ticket holders? And, who still buys Pirates' season tickets? The answer to the 2nd question is my Dad and I, which is why I can also answer the first question. Since I am a season ticket holder, I can voice how I interpreted the email I received.
After the MLBPA and Major League Baseball's owners could not come to an agreement over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the first two series of the season would be cancelled for each team. This was a devastating blow to fans. After sending some seething tweets, I logged off Twitter and couldn't look at my phone because I was just sad to see the news.
After a good night's sleep, where I had somewhat come to terms with it, I woke up this morning to a very tone-deaf email from the Pirates. It was sent last night to all season ticket holders of the Pirates. They confirmed the announcement that the Pirates would be cancelling both the home opening series against the St. Louis Cardinals, and the following road series against the Cincinnati Reds.
They then went on to let us know that those of us holding tickets for Opening Day would have access to the new Opening Day scheduled on Tuesday, April 12th vs. the Chicago Cubs. No action would be required, the same ticket could be used for entry. Also, any tickets we had for the original April 12th game, as well as April 2nd and 3rd would now be available as a credit for the ticket value onto our Season Ticket Holder account.
First, give us an option. Give everyone an option as to if they want to use their already purchased tickets or if they want a refund. This is the correct thing to do. Since you, the MLB, cancelled these events, we deserve the option of a full refund. It's what was offered in 2020, it's what should be offered now.
Additionally in 2020, if we did select the option of simply rolling over our ticket money into credits instead of a full refund, we were given some sort of a percentage bonus on top of that. Not this time. So not only is the league choosing to take baseball away from us, there is little wiggle room as to any choice we can make about it. Great customer service.
Then, the real kicker. The final paragraph of the email still has me seething.
"We are disappointed in this news and know that you are too. MLB worked hard to prevent this situation. The league requested the assistance of a federal mediator, made significant offers to address the union's concerns, and participated in nine consecutive days of negotiations including a 17-hour day, to reach an agreement."
I don't swear in my articles because I know my family reads them, but honestly Shut the *** up.
Nine days they worked! Woo Hoo! Balloons, confetti, a job well done. Great job guys! Nine consecutive days. *Gasp*
Please Bob. Please, don't throw your shoulder out patting yourself on the back too hard for the first nine consecutive days you've probably worked in years.
17 hour session. Sheesh! How in the world did you possibly stay awake that long?? For the love of all things that are holy how are we not throwing a parade for these guys?! 17 hours straight to come to an agreement over who gets the extra several million coming out of our pockets! How did you survive??
I was marginally on the owners' side because I do believe they are fighting harder to cut the payroll disparity in baseball, but wow does this turn me off to anything they say the rest of the way. How totally tone-deaf. How did people with this level of self unawareness get this successful? And I'm sure Nutting wrote this up and thought to himself, "Nailed it."
This is hardly what we want to hear right now. We don't want to hear about how hard you worked while taking away baseball from us. You're arguing over our money. We buy the tickets, we buy the cable and streaming packages, we buy the food, we buy the beer, we buy the merchandise. It's our money you're fighting over!
It's infuriating. I am sad, devastated, angry, and I really just want baseball back. I also wish I never received this email. It's terrible.
You can read the full email here:
