The Los Angeles Dodgers are known for their connection with fans, but a recent situation has raised eyebrows about their approach.
Errol Segal, an 81-year-old dedicated fan, has held season tickets for an impressive 50 years. Recently, he found himself caught in a frustrating bind when the team informed him that while his money was welcome, his flip phone was not.
Despite decades of loyalty, the Dodgers denied Segal a paper ticket for the upcoming 2026 season, essentially shutting him out from attending games.
Segal, holding onto his outdated flip phone that doesn’t support the MLB Ballpark app, expressed his bewilderment. He’s not exactly tech-savvy; in fact, he doesn’t even own a computer.
The team’s “digital-only” policy seems to be the sticking point here. Even when Segal offered to pay more for physical tickets, the Dodgers wouldn’t budge.
“If you had a one-year, five-year, or 10-year ticket, that’s a different story,” Segal remarked. “But I’ve had this for 50 years. They really let me down.”
This incident has led some long-time fans to contemplate skipping games altogether, even with refunds being offered for their seats.
“I told them, ‘That’s not fair,'” Segal said, recalling his response to the team’s buyback proposition.
Despite their valuation at roughly $7.8 billion to $8 billion, the Dodgers couldn’t accommodate a loyal fan like Segal, claiming digital tickets help combat scalping and fraud.
While digital ticketing has become standard in sports, Segal’s case brings to light the drawbacks of relying solely on technology.
A local business owner mentioned that although single-game paper tickets can still be purchased, full-season printed tickets are off the table.
As discussions circulated on social media, some commenters suggested that the solution is to simply adapt.
“Can someone teach this poor guy how to store and use digital tickets? It’s way easier than handling paper ones,” wrote a user on X.
As it stands, the Dodgers have yet to clarify if they might make an exception for Segal, leaving other elderly fans feeling uncertain.
