Skins sell ticket straight to scalpers

So people should just be allowed to break contracts with no consequence? In what reality does this happen?

So people should just be allowed to break contracts with no consequence? In what reality does this happen?

Playing devil's advocate here, Baltimore said if they have someone cancel seasons tickets they don't sue and just give it to the next guy.

I'm not saying the person shouldn't be held responsible here, they should, they signed a contract. But I just don't think slapping a $60k judgement on someone is the best idea in the world. How about a "breaking your contract" clause? Maybe a 1 year fee? Just a thought. Kinda like a rental agreement. It's a 12 months lease w/ a 2 month penalty for breaking it.

It's w/n their right and i'm sure some other teams do it. I just think the Skins (The Danny) needs to build up a little bit of good will in the area and this isn't exactly the way to do it.

I also understand the corporate seat/suites might be handled a little different too.

I have 2 rentals. If someone has been a good tenant and they want to break their lease I charge them 2 months unless someone rents it sooner and I'll help them out a little. So, if i get someone in there in a month, I'll only charge them 1 months rent (the unrented time). I don't have to but if they've been good, paid well, then i'm ok w/ it.

So people should just be allowed to break contracts with no consequence? In what reality does this happen?

Like I said, this isnt a car dealership or furniture store, its different. Its way more about public sentiment and goodwill than $. Not that $ isnt important but IMO its secondary to fan support and public goodwill. The Skins say they have a 160k person waiting list and if the demand for tix is so high they wouldnt have any problem selling these tix (as they did after the judgement) so I dont see why they would create all these public bad feelings for something they can easily sell to the next guy in line. For the Redskins, this wasnt a battle worth fighting.

So people should just be allowed to break contracts with no consequence? In what reality does this happen?

According to the article, it is a reality for every other team in the NFL besides the Washington Redskins. New England sues its fans, but only in rare cases.

I guess what people don't like is that they are suing the fans over seats the fans never got or used.

under contract law in maryland, parties are under an implied agreement to mitigate damages.

that means if someone defaults on their skins season ticket contract, the skins are under an obligation to try and re-sell those seats. if they can then the damages should be reduced to the skins actual damages.

people get a lawyer and show up to court. dont let the skins get a default judgment on you. the skins attorneys know better.

the law is very clear on this . . unless there is a specific clause in their contracts but i would argue (probably successfully) that the clause in unconscionable and not enforceable.

go skins!! screw the danny.

I'm not saying it's the best course of action to sue fans, but I can also see the legal side of things. A breach of contract is a breach of contract. It should also be noted the Skins don't sue everyone, they do try to work deals out and as the article points out.

"The Washington Redskins routinely works out payment plans and alternate arrangements with hundreds of ticket holders every year," Donovan said. "For every one we sue, I would guess we work out a deal with half a dozen."

Donovan said the team has agreed to reduce the number of seats in a contract, waived contracts for a year, shortened contracts and terminated contracts early. Most of the lawsuits are filed after people "simply refuse to negotiate with us. They've been made an offer, but they just said no," he said.

Of course, you have the case with the guy whose contract was altered by the Redskins after he signed it. That is blatant fraud.

Then you have the case where people who negotiated a year to year contract but later found out they had a six year contract. They are fully responsible because they signed the contract and should have read it. But, it is still fraud commited by the ticket office (I doubt it is legal to tell someone they are signing something that they are not). But this type of fraud is very hard to prove because of the signed contract.

The point being is that you have all these cases of fans getting suckered that ranges from slimy sales techniques to unprovable fraud to blatant provable fraud. It seems obvious to me that the pressure or incentive to sell these seats in the ticket office encourages all these activities. They are all one in the same.

According to the article, it is a reality for every other team in the NFL besides the Washington Redskins. New England sues its fans, but only in rare cases.

I guess what people don't like is that they are suing the fans over seats the fans never got or used.

Here is what the article said:
But spokesmen for the following National Football League teams said they do not sue their fans over season ticket contracts: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and Jets, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans.

The New England Patriots have sued multiyear premium ticket holders. A Chicago Bears spokesman said, "In rare instances, we have sued."

Officials with the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts declined to comment on the query. Other teams did not respond.

I would guess the no responses or declines are probably actually saying "yes we do sue,but we don't want our local paper running this type story".

still mudraking

Here is what the article said:


I would guess the no responses or declines are probably actually saying "yes we do sue,but we don't want our local paper running this type story".

still mudraking

Agreed. I just find it hard to believe the Skins are the only big bad bully on the block.

washingtonpost.com (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/02/AR2009090203887.html?hpid=topnews)

I don't get it. For team that is Forbes #2 most profitable NFL Team, and proudly boast about how much revenue they generate. Now they are suing a 72 year old grandmother who was suddenly hit by the hard economic times. Classy.