ComplaintsforSMU Athletic Department

• Initial Complaint

  03/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In June 2022 the SMU Athletic Department ************* offered an incentive for quick renewals of men's basketball season tickets. Immediate renewal provided for an invitation to a special "***** Magic Tip-Off" event. I immediately renewed my season tickets and received a confirmation within 24 hours that I had qualified for the special offer. The confirmation e-mail included notification that schedule information about the event would be forthcoming in August 2022. There were no such e-mails in August 2022. The next e-mail about the promised event was on October 4, 2022 reporting that the event scheduled for October 5, 2022 had to be postponed and would be scheduled at a later date. Subsequent to that e-mail *** has not initiated any communication about this promised benefit. The only information has been in response to periodic phone calls and e-mails by me every four to six weeks. The regular season has now concluded and the promised benefit has not been provided.

  Business response

  03/23/2023

  The planned event the complainant references had to be canceled due to an unscheduled facility repair. All other fans have been satisfied with our efforts to address this necessary change of plans. We have made multiple offers as "make-goods" to the complainant, all of which would have greater "value" than the large-scale Tip-Off event. These offers have included an invitation to attend a men's basketball practice where he could have one-on-one, face-to-face discussions with the head coach and student-athletes and complimentary upgraded season tickets for the remainder of the season. Until today, the complainant had refused all reasonable offers, but we did resolve the issue with him over the phone today.

  Customer response

  03/26/2023

   
  Complaint: 19841984
  
  I am rejecting this response because the response is full or misrepresentations and falsehoods that need to be corrected.  Specifically the promised benefit was "postponed" not "cancelled" as per the *** e-mail of October 4, 2022.  Subsequent to that date ***'s ticket office through ******************************* has continually maintained the event was still being planned.  As recently as the last week of January I contacted ************ by phone and was told the event was still in the works with the ***********************, an SMU athletic department sponsor, still taking the lead.  It was in this conversation that ************ offered compensation of upgrading my game tickets for one game.  I declined because in that same conversation he maintained the event would still be held.

  Additionally, upgraded seats for one conference game was a lower level benefit offered at the time of season ticket renewal.  I could have delayed my purchase and received that benefit.  I made an immediate renewal inspired in part by the offered "********************* Tip-Off" event.  To accept compensation at this lower level would be like a promise of a steak dinner only to be served a hamburger.

  Finally, I corresponded via e-mail on Friday, March 24, 2023 with Deputy Director of Athletics/Chief ********************************** Her response included the following: "As we discussed yesterday, we will have an event or a VIP portion of the event where the 75 individuals that renewed during the timeframe will be invited and will have exclusive access."

  Until that event is delivered I cannot accept the response or resolution.

  Sincerely,  
  
  ***************************

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