If Pitt's home schedule is not played the value of the affected tickets will be refunded to fansGETTY IMAGES
Pitt is selling tickets for its seven home football games with "full-refund options" as COVID-19 questions shroud the '20 season, according to John McGonigal of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. The guarantee states that if for "any reason Pitt's home schedule is not played -- or a portion of it isn't played -- the value of the affected tickets, scholarship seating and parking payments will be refunded to fans." Pitt Assistant AD/Marketing Markeisha Everett said that while it "wasn't specifically addressed in the release, the same refund policy will apply if games are played at Heinz Field without fans in attendance." She added that Pitt season-ticket holders were "informed of their options about a month ago." Everett also said that Pitt administrators are "having 'a ton of discussions' internally about possible capacity concerns at Heinz Field related to COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 6/23).
HOLD UP: In Des Moines, Mark Emmert notes the Univ. of Iowa will "pause ticket sales at the end of this month." Only fans who have "renewed their season ticket orders and paid per-seat contributions by June 30 will be included in any potential Kinnick Stadium seating plans." Iowa already has "sold about 40,000 season tickets, including those going to students, which is roughly 60% of the stadium's capacity." Iowa AD Gary Barta had been saying that he was "preparing for capacity crowds of 69,250 at the seven scheduled Hawkeye home games until he was instructed otherwise." But that path "seems unrealistic, given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic." By halting ticket orders, Iowa "can take some time to figure out how seating will look" (DES MOINES REGISTER, 6/23).
