In wake of all the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus outbreak, the Bears told some fans this week that Friday’s deadline to pay for season tickets has been delayed — for two weeks — though a team spokesperson later denied that was the case.
On Wednesday, the Bears told fans calling its ticket office that the deadline had been moved back to April 3. Earlier in the week, the team had initially rejected fans’ pleas to put off the deadline.
Asked for a statement, the Bears said the deadline remained Friday and encouraged fans to call the ticket office at 847-615-BEAR to discuss their account.
Either way, some fans say both deadlines are too soon given the current circumstances.
Longtime season-ticket holder Angela Pinta noted the Green Bay Packers postponed their deadline for payment until June 1.
“I’m disgusted,” said Pinta, who is from Hegewisch but now lives in Milwaukee. “The Bears double-doink’d on their fans. This is the double-doink all over again. My heart hurt the day the football bounced off those uprights twice, and my heart breaks again because I’ve been a loyal fan and a season ticket holder for almost 10 years now and this is how a multi-million-dollar organization is going to treat us.”
After the team announced it increased season-ticket prices by an overall average of 3.9 percent in January, Pinta set aside the $2,805 needed for her three seats on the 400-level. However, she now finds herself in an unexpected financial bind as her partner, Kelly Cushion, a school executive, isn’t quite sure how she might be impacted by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ decision to close schools in an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19.
“I’m going to have to pay all the household bills,” said Pinta, an overnight nurse supervisor who believes she might have to pick up more overtime shifts. “So mortgage, utilities, we already live rather frugally. ... And of course, she has student loans and things like that so I’m going to have to pick up the slack.”
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19812324/Screen_Shot_2020_03_16_at_6.05.57_PM.png)
Pinta tried pleaded her case for a longer extension Wednesday afternoon, but she said the team wouldn’t budge.
“I called the Bears ticket office and they just seemed like they were almost annoyed that I brought up the Packers,” Pinta said. “The lady I spoke to said, ‘Well, are you a Packers season-ticket holder?’ Well no, of course I’m not.”
Like Pinta, several other season-ticket holders said they would like the Bears to postpone the payment deadline even further.
Kyle Manning, an insurance adjuster, said while his bill for tickets isn’t a “huge burden,” he would like to wait a few months to pay as there’s still a lot of unknowns around COVID-19.
“I’m not sure there will be any more clarity on April 3 than what we’ll have on the 20th,” Manning wrote in a message to the Sun-Times.
One season-ticket holder suggested that the Bears lighten the financial load by offering payment plans that span over the coming months, while another proposed allowing fans who can’t afford this year’s tickets a year off, but still allow them to renew their package in 2021. Under current rules, fans who miss a season would lose their season tickets.
Other teams are monitoring the situation
As for the Bulls and Blackhawks, the teams say they will honor tickets for postponed games when the contest is rescheduled. If a game gets canceled or isn’t open to fans, both teams plan to offer a credit for a future game or a refund.
Meanwhile, the ticket situation with the Cubs and White Sox remains fluid. Both clubs are working with Major League Baseball, which has postponed its upcoming season, to determine plans for this season.
“Fans should hold onto their tickets until a ticket procedure on rescheduled games is announced at the appropriate time,” a Cubs spokesperson said in a statement. “Given the unprecedented nature and fluidity of the situation, we appreciate our fans continued support and patience.”
