Only refund for canceled Hall of Fame Game will be for ticket itself

ByDarren Rovell ESPN logo
Monday, August 8, 2016

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Monday afternoon that the only refund that fans who bought tickets to Sunday's canceled game will receive is for the ticket itself.

In a statement on its website, the Hall of Fame said that credit card purchases will be put back on the card, that checks will be cut to people who paid by check and that fans who paid cash can request a refund in person or by mail.

The Hall of Fame said it is not responsible for any tickets sold on resale sites, but the big sites, including StubHub refunded those who purchased tickets, including all fees, on Sunday night.

Pro Football Hall of Fame president David Baker told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday night that the organization would refund all the tickets at a cost of about $4 million to the Canton, Ohio, non-profit organization.

But some had believed that perhaps they would get more, including a hotel or travel stipend. After all, the fact that the game was not played due to human error -- bad field conditions brought about by the reaction of the field to paint -- not by an act of God.

The issue stemmed from the paint used on the logo and in the end zones. Both the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts were worried about player safety as crews worked feverishly to spray solvent on the area around the midfield logo.

On Sunday, Baker called the decision to cancel the game "difficult," but he added that it was an "easy, ethical decision."

In a joint statement, the NFL and NFL Players Association said that while they were "disappointed for our fans," player safety "is our primary concern."

Multiple attempts to reach a Pro Football Hall of Fame spokesman were unsuccessful.

An executive with Quint Events, the official travel provider of Hall of Fame weekend, told ESPN that its response on compensation would be identical to that of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.