Baseball ticket refunds in the middle of April sounds like something occurring in an alternate universe, but unusualness is now the new norm as a result of COVID-19. Several Major League Baseball (MLB) teams announced that refund polices of some sort will be put into effect due to the postponement of the 2020 regular season.

The polices in place will only cover tickets which were purchased directly from the club and not through any third-party server. As of Thursday, April 30, 28 teams announced a complete refund or “credit” which can be applied to the following season. The credit referred by the MLB will re-compensate season ticket holders for missed games which can be used toward future games.

Some teams have different percent bonuses that can be added to the fan’s ticket account and applied to future games. Percentages range from 5% to 30% and also include several other credit perks such as concession, parking and merchandise bonuses. While some clubs are requesting that ticket holders contact them directly, other clubs are contacting the season ticket holders themselves, so it is important that fans are aware of their own team’s policy.

The Yankees and Mets announced their ticket refund policy which ended up facing public backlash. The ticket policies from both New York franchies will only account for games which were scheduled through April 30. 

The clubs “pushed fans toward accepting credit for already-paid-for tickets, good for future purchases, but also offered refunds,” said Newsday’s Tim Healey.

With sports on hold, the ticket industry is struggling. And if the MLB season is cancelled, we will see baseball box offices take an even bigger hit.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement