Dear MLB

[bill cooksey]

Not just MLB, and not just professional sports. Lots of colleges have moved to online only, and many high schools are doing it too.

I don’t like it, but I can’t change it. Ticket stubs from special games have always been neat keepsakes. Didn’t help when the Wi-Fi at a bowl game was sketchy last year and it took twenty minutes to load the tickets. Screenshots (like you use for airline tickets) won’t work.

 

[Close Shot]

I ask the question "Why?"
...there will be one “Reverse ATM” machine that can exchange cash to card for use at concession and merchandise stands. The machine is located on the Lower-Level Concourse adjacent to First Aid near Gate D.
One machine for 20-40,000 people. That sounds super awesome. Sounds like they don't do physical tickets either? They want attendees to gain entry using digital tickets using the parks complimentary Wi-Fi - that's great, until thousands of people are trying to get in and it goes down.. or something happens to the network that hosts the "tickets".
What could go wrong?

I know you guys didn't hear about it down south, but Canada had a bit of an episode a couple weeks ago. Rogers Telecommunications (which holds quite a bit of a monopoly up here) had an outage that started about 5am on a Friday morning and lasted into Saturday. It affected interact, ATM's, wire transfers, most credit cards, cell phone service, emergency networks, etc... all as millions of people headed to work on a Friday morning. Many were supposed to get paid and didn't. I don't know how many filled up their tanks on the way to work and then found out they had no way to pay (because everyone has learned to rely on digital currency and plastic). I actually keep cash in my wallet and was happy I had it.
Technology is great until it fails. Dependence on it is short-sighted and mind-bogglingly stupid.

Anyone with recent military service or backcountry experience has likely used GPS and found it convenient to use. That doesn't mean you throw away basic land navigation or the ability to read a compass. Because if you're clueless on that chit and the GPS goes down, you're kinda F^@#'d.

Seems like society is hell bent on dangling a carrot in front of the jaws of disaster. I don't get it.

I know this is likely out of date but back in my business classes in the 80s, they said that cash was "legal tender" and had to be accepted when items are for sale. It is some kind of federal law or something. Maybe that changed or maybe we just don't follow laws anymore. I know that is the popular trend now days.

 

[Northhunter]

I know this is likely out of date but back in my business classes in the 80s, they said that cash was "legal tender" and had to be accepted when items are for sale. It is some kind of federal law or something. Maybe that changed or maybe we just don't follow laws anymore. I know that is the popular trend now days.

I was curious so I googled. Current production bills/coins in Canada are "legal tender".
There is nothing currently at the Federal level in the US. It's up to the State. 7 million US households don't have a bank account, primarily Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans.

So MLB is racist

 

[hobbydog]

I was curious so I googled. Current production bills/coins in Canada are "legal tender".
There is nothing currently at the Federal level in the US. It's up to the State. 7 million US households don't have a bank account, primarily Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans.

So MLB is racist

With the cost of going to a game with a family, who wants to be carrying that much cash on them? If you don’t have a bank account I doubt you can afford a game and probably not on the top list of your priorities.

 

[hobbydog]

If you think sports are expensive, what about concerts. Springsteen tickets were going for thousands of $$$.

Which brings up a question, back in the 70s when concert tickets 5-7 bucks, where did we buy them from? I went to a lot of concerts but I honestly can’t remember how or where we acquired the tickets.

 

[Northhunter]

With the cost of going to a game with a family, who wants to be carrying that much cash on them? If you don’t have a bank account I doubt you can afford a game and probably not on the top list of your priorities.

I was taking cash to games. Tickets were the biggest expense, but those are bought beforehand... I don't buy food in the arena. Better eats/value on the strip after the game. Just merch and beer. Maybe a 50/50 ticket.
Cash in a wallet is a good way to keep tabs on what you're spending when you're having a good time and getting half cut. Throw $200 in and you know how much you've spent and how much ya got left. Easy to lose track when you use debit/credit and just tap everything. Math and booze don't mix well.

 

[bill cooksey]

I don’t believe there has ever been a law requiring anyone to accept cash.

 

[Native NV Ducker]

I don’t believe there has ever been a law requiring anyone to accept cash.

It is a widely held belief that U.S. law requires that businesses accept cash payments from their customers. Some people take the argument a step further, arguing that if a business refuses to accept cash from a customer, the business loses its ability to charge the customer. Neither belief is true.

Is it Legal to Refuse Cash Payment | ExpertLaw

With U.S. paper money imprinted with the declaration, "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private", when can a business or government office refuse to accept cash payments.

www.expertlaw.com

 

[Sam Ortmann]

I know this is likely out of date but back in my business classes in the 80s, they said that cash was "legal tender" and had to be accepted when items are for sale. It is some kind of federal law or something. Maybe that changed or maybe we just don't follow laws anymore. I know that is the popular trend now days.

Government institutions are required to take any form of legal tender. Private companies can you require you to pay in monopoly money and chocolate coins.

 

[Sam Ortmann]

Stubhub. Bought tickets to many MLB games. Not difficult.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRUud3De/?k=1