Rain Check - Game Cancelled
by Jeff Clark on Oct 19, 2007 9:42 PM EDT
in Boston Celtics Games
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WORCESTER - The Celtics game was cancelled at halftime tonight due to condensation on the floor. Because of the warm temperatures, and the ice under the wood, there was condensation on the floor throughout the day. Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said that the team was satisfied before the game that it was playable, but from feedback from players and officials during the the first half it became apparent that it wasn’t.
There was a brief and chaotic autograph session offered in lieu of the second half that some of the estimated 10,000 fans were able to take advantage of before the players left the floor. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers were among those who remained on the floor the longest.
UPDATE: Celtics.com has information for those who attended the game and who would like a refund or a discount on future Celtics tickets.
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My son’s first Celtics game at age 3, DCU center, Worcester.
7pm, decide to go to game w/my 3-year old son, call DCU to see if tix are available, ‘No problem’, they say, ‘Plenty of seats, come on down!’, so we do.
Parking garage $20, arrive at start of 2nd quarter, $58 for 2 seats, go in, nosebleeds, but we move down close, see some nice basketball for not long enough.
My boy kept asking wher’e Paul Pierce (not on the court, none of the new “triple threat” are).
Half time arrives, we go to get cotton candy, and suddenly people start flooding out screaming and yelling while we waiting in line for cotton candy that the game was cancelled.
The more people that are yelling, the more people start to get concerned, I head immediately to the ticket counter where only a 1/2 hour previous I threw down $58 cash for this mess.
A mob of people amasses, we wait I’d say 25 minutes with no announcement, no nothing from the DCU center.
More people, more people, more people, getting hotter, and hotter.
People are swearing, my boy is on my shoulders the whole time, we’re close to the front at the ticket counter, but no one is there, people murmer that something will happen, finally a guy comes out on a megaphone “see our website tomorrow for refund instructions”.
We bolt to the parking garage, upon exiting the DCU center we can already hear the beeping horns in the garage, proceed to the 4th parking garage floor, wait 45 minutes to exit the garage and a bonus, only pay 1/2 price to park at $10 instead of 20.
10:40 now as I post this.
What an absolute nightmare.
Thanks docextension, I knew this is the place for me to commiserate tonight after that debacle.
I’m beside myself with anger and cannot believe the restraint and patience I showed within the MOB at the ticket counter and the lack of communication (complete ABSENCE of) from the DCU center.
It was SO hot in there, and from what I’m hearing they KNEW the floor was an issue all day…yet they said ’no problem, come on down, plenty of seats.
RRRGGGHHH.
I’m demanding my money back and just emailed the DCU center about it with a direct link to my post, above.
I grew up in worcester and have always thought it was the worst city in new england (tied with springfield). This just adds to how much that place sucks.
by jaquino on Oct 19, 2007 10:27 PM EDT reply actions
mcpu40, here’s a story for you. I know it is nowhere as painful as yours but it aggravated me too. I was in Las Vegas maybe 5 years ago and happened to be their in spring. For whatever reason not much if anything to bet on for sports that day and I end up betting on exhibition baseball. You talk about foolish bets, starters only playing a few innings, etc.
I can’t even remember the two teams playing but they are going to show it in the sportsbook on the jumbo t.v.s and I decide, I’ll put $100 on the team I thought would win it.
The wife and I are playing blackjack and I decide to check out the sports book, sit down around the 3rd inning and I’m intrigued with players I don’t even know trying to get my $100 bet to come through.
Its the 8th inning, the score is tied 6-6, my team has got runners in scoring position. The other coach comes out to the mound and there is discussion between he, the umpire, my team’s manager and suddenly everybody leaves the field.
Game over, 6-6 tie, my bet is a push, WTF!
by docextension on Oct 19, 2007 10:27 PM EDT reply actions
The fact that they sell full-price tickets to exhibitions in the first place is a joke. Everyone understands stars won’t play full minutes, yet they want to get the same amount for the tickets. I mean, NJ didn’t bring anyone, long before they had a clue about the floor. This is a real embarrasment for the Celtics and the NBA in my opinion, not that the moisture was their fault and not that it wasn’t right to call it when they did, but rather the incident just shines a light on what a debacle these games really are.
Right call though…I’d rather my lame story than an injury to a player had the game continued.
What gets me is I just feel like a complete sucker.
The DCU operator enthusiastically said at 7pm, ‘come on down, plenty of seats!’ when I called.
No mention of the floor, no nothing…and no communication as it unfolded.
They were quick to take my $58 when I got there though.
That was NO problem.
A total waste of money…though the guy after 25 minutes finally megaphoned that there’d be instructions at dcucenter.com tomorrow for refund.
- jaquino, you are right.
the quality of humankind which amassed at the ticket counter in Worcester tonight during my 25-minute test of patience and will to retrieve my hard earned $58.00 was quite sad, to put it mildly,
They began chanting ‘Refund! Refund!’, louder & louder, swearing, throwing things at the ticket windows. Tough place for a 3-year old with a Paul Pierce jersey on.
All during which not word one from the paging system out there, or any real order what so ever.
Doesn’t say much for the DCU center, and the people in general that were there tonight at all.
Oh, and we had to be guided around a colossal pile of yellow sprayed vomit on the floor by a security guard on the way to the ticket counter…seriously.
The whole night is an experience I’ll never forget.
Refund info already on the website:
Boston Celtics Ticket Policy[/b]
For fans who purchased tickets to the preseason game in Worcester on October 19, the Celtics apologize for the cancellation of the game at halftime and invite fans to take advantage of one of two refund or exchange options:
. Refund [/b]- to receive a refund on tickets purchased at the DCU Center, please visit the DCU Center Box Office between Wednesday, October 24 and Wednesday, October 31. If you purchased online or over the phone, please send your tickets (must be postmarked by October 31) along with your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address to:
Ticketmaster Boston
Attn: Celtics Preseason
1320 Centre St.
Suite 301
Newton Center, MA 02459
. Discount Offer - you also have the option of exchanging your October 19 tickets for a discount on tickets to a future Celtics home game during the 2007-08 season. To choose this option, please send your tickets along with your name, mailing address, phone number, email address to:
Boston Celtics
Attn: Worcester Exchange
226 Causeway St.
Boston, MA 02114
Upon receipt of your tickets, the Celtics will email you with information on your choice of games. All games and discounts are subject to availability.
All refund requests or discount offers will be valid through October 31.
by invisible on Oct 19, 2007 11:14 PM EDT reply actions
I took my wife and two sons. Decent seats right at halfcourt up in the first tier. Sloppy game early. KG stands out just with his movement at his size. Ray Allen’s stroke looks better in person. Kids are enjoying game. My wife gets called down for halftime knockout show. Kids and I are really excited as we watch her go all the way down to the floor. After a few minutes we see her and the other contestants come off the floor and back to the stands. You could see the ice under the floor was a problem all through the first half. I even think some of the sloppy play was guys being tenative in the paint, where it seemed the worst.
Anyway, my wife comes back and says they can’t let the halftime show on the court. I had a feeling things would get worse. Sure enough, cancelled. They could have made the annoucement before everyone headed to the concession for the halftime fleecing for expensive food and drinks. I knew as soon as the announcement was made that the sooner I got the family in the car and out of the arena the better. While the autographs were tempting, the sense of unruliness in the crowd was apparent. I didn’t want the kids to remember an angry mob at the game. Anyway, while they did stick me for the full $20 for the parking, it is nice to awake this morning to a refund posting.
Really, overall I am happy as several times during the first quarter I kept thinking is Worcester so bad that KG is going to tear his ACL on this shitty floor condensation. Whew! -MrG
by MrG on Oct 20, 2007 5:22 AM EDT reply actions
Sounds like management, coaching and players did their best to make a bad situation right last night. If the playing conditions were bad, they made the right decision to cancel the game.
Now if they’d only refund or discount tickets for their customers who were subjected to that pathetic tanking job of the last half of last season……..
$20 for parking in freakin’ Worcester???..Crazy…Geez, I’m glad I live in Iowa.
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