Question for the readers: are any of you season ticket holders for Pitt basketball? Not the student section. I’m talking about the mandatory donation for the right to buy season tickets group. I’m wondering whether season ticket-holders have to sign anything else or get further documentation from Pitt, to the effect that the “university reserves the right to change the terms, yada, yada, yada.” Send me an e-mail if you are.

I’ve been looking over the complaint for the class action. It makes the basic claims, but there is not much there. The causes of action are: Breach of Contract; Promissory Estoppel; and Violation of the PA Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (73 PS Sec. 201-2(xiv)). The last is essentially a codified contract claim (“Failing to comply with the terms of any written guarantee or warranty given to the buyer at, prior to or after a contract for the purchase of goods or services is made”).

All of the claims are essentially based on the brochure sent out in 2000 that stated they would be guaranteeing the right to their seat.

They don’t cite to any precedents in the initial complaint. I live and practiced law in Ohio, so I don’t know how Pennsylvania would treat this sort of fact pattern. It doesn’t really pass my “sniff test,” but you never know if the case ends up before a grandstanding judge in the Allegheny Common Pleas Court.

I don’t think much of the ticket policy, as I keep repeating, and I think Pitt is badly overestimating the demand for season tickets. Rex, in the comments, probably summed this up best.

leave it to Pitt to ruin a good thing. The Pete was always filled, fans and alumni were happy, the team was winning, now they are gouging the fans and expect them to have no opinion. Another stupid mistake.

A particularly ham-handed approach.