Times wires
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
DALLAS — The NFL has sweetened its offer to Super Bowl ticket holders whose seats weren't available in time for Sunday's game. But that didn't stop the first lawsuits from being filed Wednesday.
The NFL initially offered about 400 fans without seats triple the face value of their $800 tickets and a ticket to next year's Super Bowl in Indianapolis. That ticket would be transferable. On Tuesday, the inconvenienced fans were given a second option: a free, nontransferable ticket to a future Super Bowl, plus airfare and lodging.
The first lawsuit was filed in federal court Tuesday, and a second was filed Wednesday in Dallas County. The lawsuits named the Cowboys, team owner Jerry Jones and the NFL as defendants. Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels and NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy declined comment.
In the federal case, plaintiffs, Mike Dolabi, who lives in Tarrant County and is a Cowboys season ticket holder, and Steve Simms, a Pennsylvania resident, are asking for $5 million. Dolabi's claim is that season ticket holders with the priciest seats received inadequate tickets for the Super Bowl. According to the filing, "almost all of these seats lacked any reasonable view of the stadium's prized 'video board,' which Jones and the Cowboys routinely claim is one of the most unique and best features of Cowboys Stadium." Dolabi said he sat in one of the 1,740 temporary seats that had a overhang blocking his view. Simms was one of 400 fans whose seats were not completed in time. He left at halftime. The league knew by the middle of last week there could be a problem seating the 400 ticket holders because some temporary seats hadn't passed safety inspections.
Super betting: The Nevada Gaming Control Board reported Tuesday that of the $87.5 million bet on the Super Bowl across the state, sports books won only $724,000 even though the favorite Packers won and the 56-point game hurt Las Vegas' need for the total points to be fewer than 45, according to the Los Angeles Times. Nevada's worst Super Bowl was in 2008, when the Giants upset the Patriots and state sports books lost more than $2.5 million.
Labor talks: The league and players union representatives met in Washington, their second session in five days to discuss the collective bargaining agreement. Neither side commented on how the session went, but more talks are set for today.
Packers: Cornerback Charles Woodson, who broke his collarbone in the Super Bowl, won't need surgery, coach Mike McCarthy said. He added that receiver Jordy Nelson (left knee) played through his injury and that linebacker A.J. Hawk (wrist) needs an arthroscopic procedure.