What NY teams are doing about ticket plans and policies

So you’ve bought and are sitting on tickets for an NHL, NBA or MLB game that hasn’t been played because of the coronavirus pandemic. What are you to do?

A Newsday survey of our area major professional sports teams provided pretty much the same answer: Hang in there.

The NBA was the first to suspend its season on March 11. The NHL followed on March 12. Major League Baseball announced on March 12 that its season, which was scheduled to start on March 26, would be delayed until April 9. Four days later, following updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, MLB delayed the 2020 season for eight weeks after the original Opening Day.

The NFL season isn’t set to begin until Sept. 10. A league spokesman said on Tuesday that is still the NFL’s hope. The 2020 schedule is set to be released no later than May 9.

Here’s a look at the policies from our local teams:

ISLANDERS

(Home games left: 6)

On March 12, the Islanders released a statement that read, in part: “All tickets remain valid for postponed games. If any games are canceled, details about refunds and credits will be communicated at that time.”

On Wednesday, a team spokesman said: “Nothing has really changed from the original policy. Tickets for games already postponed are valid for when they are rescheduled.”

Asked if a ticket holder cannot attend the game on a rescheduled date, the spokesman said: “For whatever circumstances that may come up, we are definitely willing to talk to the ticket holders to alleviate any concerns or issues.”

And as for season-ticket holders, the spokesman said: “We’ve been trying to do our best to be as supportive as possible to our season-ticket members. They are the core of the Islanders’ family . . . We are communicating regularly with all season-ticket members or individual ticket holders.”

When the season stopped, the Islanders were in the playoff race as the ninth-place team in the Eastern Conference. The spokesman said: “Money has not been collected yet for the 2020 playoffs.”

The Islanders have said any rescheduled regular-season games or postseason games would be played at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum. The team’s tenure at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center is over.

RANGERS

(Home games left: 5)

The Rangers have the same policy as the Islanders for postponed games for the regular season. When the games stopped, the Rangers were in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

The Rangers also have offered to defer payments for 2020-21 season ticket buyers.

“During these uncertain times,” a statement to season-ticket buyers read, “we want to show our commitment to our most valued fans, by providing payment deferment options for your 2020-21 Season Ticket Membership. You may choose one of the three options below:

- Defer your next payment until May 15

- Defer your next two payments until June 15

- Continue on your current payment plan

KNICKS

(Home games left: 8)

According to a Knicks spokesman: “Tickets already purchased for a postponed game will be honored when the game is rescheduled. If games are not played or played in an empty arena, we will work with you on a credit for a future game or a refund.

“In addition, we have also delayed our renewal process for the 2020-21 season for all Season Ticket Members, and at this time, we will not automatically renew those enrolled in our ‘Auto-Renew Your Orange and Blue’ program, so that all Members can make a renewal decision at a time when they have less uncertainty.”

The Knicks are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, so postseason tickets are not a concern.

NETS

(Home games left: 9)

On March 13, the Nets announced on their website: “We will honor tickets already purchased for any rescheduled games. If games are not played or played in an empty arena, fans will have the option to receive a credit for a future game or a refund. We will be in touch as soon as we have additional information on the status of future games.”

The Nets are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

YANKEES / METS

Both teams deferred comment on ticket questions to MLB. On Monday, a league spokesman said: “To date, regular-season games have not been canceled. All games not being played are postponed, like a rainout, with the intention of rescheduling as many as possible. We are telling fans to retain their game tickets and await further direction as details are finalized.”

As of Wednesday, the Mets were still selling tickets on the team website for home games beginning with May 15. The Yankees were offering tickets for games beginning on May 22 on their website.

GIANTS / JETS

The Giants and Jets have informed season-ticket holders that they are deferring payments for 2020 season tickets, with deferment periods depending on which plan the ticket holder has.

NYCFC

Major League Soccer suspended play through May 10, but the league has yet to cancel any games and plans to reschedule all matches later in the year if possible.

New York City FC paused its payment plans for season-ticket holders last month, a club spokesperson said Wednesday. Four NYCFC home games already have been postponed — three at Yankee Stadium and one at Citi Field. All individual tickets purchased for postponed matches would be honored for their rescheduled date.

In a March statement, NYCFC chief executive Brad Sims said the club would be willing to work with fans on refunds or credits for future games should matches be canceled.

LIBERTY

The WNBA season is still scheduled to begin on May 15, with the Liberty’s season opener set for May 16 at the Connecticut Sun. The home opener at Barclays Center is scheduled for May 17.

On March 26, the Liberty posted the following update on its website: “The league is conducting ongoing scenario planning around the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the upcoming season, including the currently scheduled start of training camp on April 26 and the scheduled tip of the WNBA season on May 15, and will provide updates regarding any changes to key dates.”

DUCKS

The Atlantic League announced on March 16 that the April 30 opening of the season would be postponed.

A Ducks spokesman on Wednesday said, in part: "Since we do not know how many total games we will play, or when we will start, it is premature to offer any policies regarding refunds, value-adds, or make goods. An announcement on such policies will be made at the appropriate time. We are communicating with fans fluidly, and any that would like to reschedule their event for later in the season are being accommodated. For season-ticket holders, we have always handled their accounts via account credit (we charge for regular season + playoffs, credit account or refund difference at end of season if we do not play full amount of games). Fans can email the club at info@LIDucks.com."

With Erik Boland, Ryan Gerbosi, Andrew Gross, Tim Healey, Al Iannazzone, Greg Logan, Steve Popper, Tom Rock and Colin Stephenson