Fans sue NFL and Cowboys 10/02/2011 |
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A group of fans is suing the National Football League (NFL) and the Dallas Cowboys, saying they were denied seats to last weekend’s Super Bowl despite having paid thousands of dollars for tickets.
The lawsuit was filed after the league admitted to mistakes that left about 400 paying supporters unable to watch Super Bowl XLV in person, and other Cowboys' season ticket-holders watching from temporary metal chairs with obstructed views.
Fans filed the lawsuit late on Tuesday (February 8) in federal court in Dallas, accusing the league and team of breach of contract, fraud and deceptive trade practices.
They are seeking class-action status, more than $5m of damages and unspecified punitive damages.
The league had invited the 400 affected fans who paid for tickets but did not get a seat at the game to a future Super Bowl of their choice.
It also offered the choice of a cash payment of $2,400 – three times the face value of the ticket – or round-trip airfare and a hotel.
"We are ultimately responsible for the fan experience and we want it to be the best it can possibly be," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said.
The lawsuit contended that the NFL knew of seating problems before the game, but failed to tell fans in advance.
It also accused Cowboys owner Jerry Jones of causing the problems with the hope of setting a Super Bowl attendance record. He fell short by 766, after some temporary seats were deemed unusable.
Many affected fans ended up watching the game in standing-only positions.
The lawsuit, filed by law firm Eagan Avenatti, also accused Jones of deceiving Cowboys season ticket-holders known as ‘founders’ into paying $1,200 a seat for Super Bowl tickets, only to be offered temporary metal fold-out chairs, many with obstructed views of the field and the stadium's giant overhead video board.
"Frankly, it is astounding to us that the Cowboys and the NFL would treat its fans like this," lead attorney Michael Avenatti told Reuters. "What is perhaps even more amazing is that they still haven't done the right thing."
The NFL needs to fully compensate the distressed fans for their out-of-pocket expenses, he added.
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