NFL REFUNDS : Teams Trying to Find the Right Ticket to Keep Fans Happy

You’ve heard this one: “The check is in the mail.”

That’s the word around the National Football League these days as ticket offices grope with the problem of refunding money for most of the tickets they sold for two weeks of strike games.

The NFL Management Council told the 28 clubs how to handle the problem in this directive issued Sept. 22, the day the players walked out:

“All ticket-holders desiring refunds for those games may obtain them by personally surrendering their tickets at designated refund locations by the prior Tuesday. Season ticket-holders may waive a refund and instead receive credit toward 1988 season. There will be no loss of seat priority for a season ticket-holder to apply for a refund or credit.”

Generally, the clubs have tried to be more accommodating to their customers than the Management Council would like them to be, but in most cases, fans are finding that it is a good deal more difficult to get refunds than it was to buy the tickets in the first place.

The Management Council, for instance, designated Tuesday of each week during the strike as the deadline for requesting refunds.

That not only gave the ticket- holders little time to get their money back but forced them to decide before they knew who would be playing five days later. What if the strike ended and their seats had been resold? At first, the striking players had until Friday to report, although that was moved up to Wednesday this past week.

Some clubs didn’t think the Tuesday deadline was fair and extended it. Even so, most clubs have set down rigid time frames for returning tickets, most are not giving cash refunds, most are not giving refunds at all of the places where tickets are sold, many are waiting to send out refund checks, and one, Buffalo, was doing no walk-up refunding, handling the entire business by mail.

“No one likes the situation,” said Peter Ruocco, a Management Council spokesman. “We never said it’s the perfect solution. It all comes down to logistics, as far as where you have to go. Some (fans) go to the stadiums. Some have outlets.”

Some also are trying harder than others to serve their fans. When several clubs extended the deadline on their own, for instance, the Minnesota Vikings allowed refunds all the way to Saturday before last week’s home game against Green Bay, which drew only 13,911 after 32,000 refunds.

Viking ticket manager Harry Randolph said: “After all, it’s the fans who are getting hurt most by this. We wanted to make it as easy for them as possible. My people have been working themselves to death, but it’s worth the effort. There might be a semblance of good will when this is over.”

This week, the New England Patriots went to Friday at 5 p.m. They had 34,780 refunds last week and ticket manager Frank Napoli wouldn’t estimate how many they would have today, except to say that refunds were running significantly less than last week.

The Philadelphia Eagles were so swamped with refund requests for last week’s game against the Chicago Bears, which drew a league low of 4,074 spectators, that they extended the deadline to Monday, Oct. 12--eight days after the game.

Ticket manager Leo Carlin wouldn’t estimate how many refunds there will be in the final count. “The last time I did that, it backfired in my face,” he said. “But it’s been terrible.”

Philadelphia newspapers were estimating the total at 45,000 and counting.

The New York Giants had only 16,471 fans for last Monday night’s game against the 49ers and were still busy at week’s end refunding money for an estimated 45,000 tickets which had been sold. One hang-up was that all those certified letters containing tickets had to be signed for.

NFL clubs long have been accustomed to collecting interest on their season ticket-holders’ money by requiring spring payment for fall games. The San Diego Chargers, however, sort of reversed the procedure when they mailed refund checks to all of their season ticket-holders--without being asked--as soon as they learned their Sept. 27 game with Seattle had been canceled.

“Our inclination was to get the money back to the people in the quickest, simplest way,” ticket manager Joe Scott said.

The Chargers were pleasantly surprised when some ticket-holders mailed the checks back, requesting instead a credit on next year’s tickets, which is everybody’s option around the league.

On the other hand, the Washington Redskins won’t give any money back until the strike or the season ends.

“We want to send one check for the entire amount,” said a ticket office employee who refused to give his name. “We’ll just keep a tab on how much we owe ‘em. It’s a lot easier than sending checks every week and taking a chance on one getting lost in the mail.

“When the strike’s over, it’s just a matter of how long it takes the computer to generate the checks.”

Besides, the Redskins will be getting the interest from that money. Apparently, old habits die hard.

The Management Council, however, will not allow the clubs to make half a buck on tickets they couldn’t sell for a buck. Last week, the Seattle Seahawks offered to sell returned tickets for half price to the strikeball games but were quickly told to stop.

“No price reductions or rebates on game tickets will be permitted by any club,” a spokesman for the Management Council said.

Around the league, there seemed to be fewer requests for refunds for this weekend’s games than for the first weekend of strike games.

The Dallas Cowboys were encouraging attendance this week by permitting fans to swap their usual seats for better ones that were turned back.

The Raiders, with a 92,516-seat stadium, were offering to trade strike-game tickets for games later this season, thus doubling a customers’ allotment.

No matter what season ticket-holders do with their strikeball tickets, however, they will not lose seating priority for 1988. By then, it’s hoped, pro football will be back to normal.

REFUND POLICIES

Raiders--The deadline last week was Tuesday for walk-up refunds at El Segundo headquarters. Mail requests had to be postmarked by midnight Tuesday. Tickets also could be traded for another game. All refunds were made by check.

Rams--Cash refunds were given in person until Tuesday at 5 p.m. or by checks through the mail if requests were postmarked by midnight Tuesday.

Atlanta--Deadline for refunds or credits was Tuesday for games last week and this week, but this week the deadline was extended until Friday at 5 p.m. Refunds are received in the mail about two weeks after date of game refunded.

Buffalo--Refund requests for last week’s game had to be postmarked by midnight Friday. Checks are being mailed, but mail is still being received from some season ticket-holders who live in Canada. The mail is slow because of a Canadian postal strike. No walk-up refunds.

Chicago--Tickets mailed to Bears will be refunded by check within 10 days. Refund deadline in person this week was Tuesday. Mail requests must be certified and postmarked by Tuesday. Club has resold about 2,000 of 16,000 tickets refunded.

Cincinnati--Deadline was Tuesday for cash refunds at Central Trust Bank branches in Cincinnati, Dayton and northern Kentucky. Mail deadline was midnight Tuesday. Checks are being mailed.

Cleveland--Deadline for cash refunds at ticket windows was extended from Tuesday to Wednesday because of a rock concert Tuesday. Mail requests had to be postmarked by midnight Monday.

Dallas--Wednesday at 6 p.m. was the deadline for in-person cash refund or certified mail requests. Checks are mailed. Ticket-holders can exchange this week’s tickets for better locations.

Denver--The Broncos follow the Management Council’s guidelines explicitly. Cash refunds or credit on 1988 season tickets were available at Mile High Stadium until 10 p.m. Tuesday. Mail requests were accepted only from out of state, with checks to be sent.

Detroit--Deadline was Tuesday. Lions gave ticket-holders vouchers at the window. Refund checks will be mailed within the week.

Green Bay--Deadline was 10 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets mailed had to be postmarked by midnight Tuesday.

Indianapolis--Cash refunds were made until the close of business Monday at 45 branches of Merchants National Bank, not at the ticket office, or at Ticketmaster locations if tickets were purchased there. Mail requests were honored if tickets were purchased from club and if the requests were postmarked by midnight Monday.

Miami--Refunds were made by check at the ticket office or ticket outlets through Wednesday, or by mail if requests were postmarked by midnight Wednesday.

Minnesota--Last week, the ticket office allowed refunds until noon Saturday. The Vikings gave ticket-holders checks or credit, whichever was preferred, writing the checks on the spot.

New England--Refunds made in person or by mail if requests were received by 5 p.m. Friday. All refunds were made by check.

New Orleans--Deadline last week was Thursday at 5 p.m.

New York Giants--Deadline for mail and walk-ups was 6 p.m. Wednesday. About 1,000 tickets have been resold.

New York Jets--Deadline for requests last week was extended to Wednesday by mail postmark and Thursday in person. Next week the deadline will be Tuesday, by mail or in person.

Philadelphia--No specific deadline last week. Refunds for the game were given as late as Wednesday of this week, but no refund figures were available.

St. Louis--Allowed exchange or refund until Friday at 8 p.m., but mail requests had to be postmarked by midnight Thursday.

Seattle--The deadline was Tuesday at 5 p.m. in person, or a postmark of midnight Tuesday by mail. Refunds by check only.

Tampa Bay--Deadline was Wednesday for cash refund or checks by mail. Cash refunds available at area banks.

Washington--Deadline was Thursday at 8 p.m. for last week’s game against St. Louis. Ticket-holders requesting refunds received vouchers and will be mailed refunds for all games when strike or season ends.

All teams have offered credit on 1988 season tickets in place of refunds.

Teams with no home games the first three weeks of the strike were Houston, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, San Diego and San Francisco. Teams with home games canceled the first week of the strike, with no deadlines announced for refunds: Rams, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Francisco, San Diego, Tampa Bay, Washington.

NFL REFUNDS SOME FIGURES ARE ESTIMATES

Home Team Att. Refunds Last Wk Last Wk This Wk Raiders 10,708 17,500 -- Rams -- -- 20,000 Atlanta 16,667 20,000 10,000* Buffalo 9,860 29,200* -- Chicago -- -- 16,000 Cincinnati 18,074 20,000 -- Cleveland -- -- 29,622* Dallas -- -- 10,000 Denver 38,494 40,200 26,600 Detroit 4,919 22,000 -- Green Bay -- -- 30,000 Indianapolis -- -- 10,000* Miami -- -- 3,400* Minnesota 13,911 32,000 -- New England 14,830 34,780 25,000 New Orleans 29,745 7,500 -- N.Y. Giants 16,471 45,000* 20,000 N.Y. Jets 12,730 40,000* -- Philadelphia 4,074 45,000 -- St. Louis -- -- 3,000* Seattle 19,448 33,000 18,000 Tampa Bay -- -- 4,700* Washington 27,728 10,700 --

* Refund requests by mail incomplete