Nats320
Like most every Washington Nationals Season Ticket Holder, I received the email from the team concerning payment on my account for the upcoming 2007 season. I've been expecting it, and like last year, if you pay the full amount by December 19th--the Nats will give everyone that does, a token prize. This year, a "Nationals" MP3 Player.
But, unlike last year, you may pay off your amount over 3 equal payments, depending on your seating preference. Its all one in the same to me, I will make the full--one time payment by the 19th. Its not a big deal to me.
There is, though, one interesting caveat. Each of the past two seasons, at RFK, began with an Exhibition Game--a few days before the beginning of the regular season. The game is billed as a CHARITY EVENT for The Washington Nationals Foundation. Under MLB control, this game was "OPTIONAL", and as a FULL SEASON TICKET HOLDER, I did not have to purchase that game.
Apparently, that's not the case for 2007. All Full Season Ticket Holders received an invoice for "82", not "81" Home Games. So, I emailed my ticket rep to ask if I may "opt out". I was informed that ALL FULL SEASON TICKET HOLDERS MUST BUY THIS GAME. Its all or nothing. Supposedly, an effort on part of The Nationals to get the season off to a swinging start, was the reply. Similar to the Washington Redskins now, making it mandatory for ticket holders to also take their two exhibition games.
As much as I love Our Washington Nationals, I don't like being "FORCED" to buy something that is basically a Meaningless Exhibition Game. The cost for those 2 seats pays for the "GIFT" of a MP3 Player, that you presume is free. And, of course donates a ton more cash to The Foundation--at the expense of Season Ticket Holders--the most faithful of fans.
It could be handled better. We are not Daniel Snyder and The Redskins.
5 comments:
At least the Orioles had the good sense to knock all the tickets to their exhibition game to $10 last year.
I'd make a joke about paying good money to watch AA-ballers play baseball, but that's called the regular season now. :P
Shades of Danny Snyder, if you ask me. Beyond that, at least Danny is willing to spend some money, even if he does it in a rather stupid manner. With Teddy, everything is the bottom line.
I think it is safe to say that Nats fans' biggest fear is not that the Lerners will turn out to be Peter Angelos in disguise (both Ted and his son Mark are unlikely to make the same PR blunders as the Toad) nor Dan Snyder, but rather Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy. Even though the Pirates play in what is one of the most beautiful of new ballparks, they don't want to spend any money. In other words, Nats fear that the club's frugality is not the means to an end, but rather the end itself.
So, if these exhibitions are for charity, is the ticket price tax deductible?
Yes--The tickets would be deductible--but whether you could deduct the entire amount depends on a debate based on "value received" with the IRS.
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