Imagine you have tickets for a concert that you've paid decent money for, and when you arrive at the venue you're told that there is a very slight chance the building could burn down because a nearby building is on fire. But because the chance is so slight they've totally discounted the possibility and they've blocked all the fire exits with more seats so they could sell more tickets. Right now you're thinking that could never happen...
...but that's almost exactly what the Worcester Tornadoes did Friday night.
With a severe thunderstorm warning and (ironically enough) a tornado watch covering our area, the Worcester Tornadoes opened their unprotected ballpark as scheduled for fans with tickets to the BBQ tent. Yep, that's right folks; with the National Weather Service issuing those watches and warning, the Tornadoes decided to allow fans to enter their unprotected ballpark and sit under a tent.
And here's some important information--the Tornadoes have no viable evacuation plan for their ballpark. Their evacuation plan is to have fans at the ballpark exit through the main gate and enter the parking garage next to the ballpark. A parking garage, I might add, that sits higher than the ballpark it serves, and certainly doesn't qualify as a "safe structure" if severe weather were to strike.
Oh, the best part? The BBQ tent is the furthest away from the garage that you can get and still be in the ballpark. And because it's at field level, you'd have to climb to the top of the seating section before you could even make your way out of the ballpark.
Because of the watches/warnings, and knowing the Tornadoes have no ability to protect fans at the ballpark, Fiona and I didn't go to the game. The Tornadoes, after allowing fans into the ballpark, waited out the rain and started the game at 8:45pm, meaning according to their policy I'm not entitled to a refund.
Right now the person who ran the event for us has an e-mail in to the Tornadoes asking for one anyway. If the Tornadoes have any business sense, they'll be writing us a check. If they don't, this could turn into a PR nightmare for them.
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Daryll,
ReplyDeleteGo for it! Don't let them get away with this!
Awww Shrek and Fiona... stop being party poopers! Let's not exaggerate about the weather or evacuation plans. After all, your blog from 3-17-07 presents a different point of view about a remarkably similar situation! How quickly your opinion changes when Mother Nature doesn't cooperate with your plans.
ReplyDeleteNo exaggerate about the weather a SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING and a TORNADO WATCH is exaggerating? Lets see. Snow falling from the sky, or lightning or tornadoes falling from the sky. Hmmm. I think someone is a bit touchy because this hit very close to home with them. Maybe the Tornadoes office? I mean, who else would go back on a blog for a 2 1/2 years old post?
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to explain how a snowstorm (which was the subject of the 3/17/07 post) and a the safety of folks at a location with no legitimate evacuation plan during a severe thunderstorm have in common, because short of them both being weather phenomenon they don't have anything to do with each other.
ReplyDeleteBut thanks for reading our older posts! LOL
Well let me interject into this string. I do work for the Tornadoes, my name is Peterman, and I'm in charge of making sure everyone in the ballpark is having an enjoyable time. I'm sorry that you didn't. Please call me so we can have you back to the park on a night when the weather is nicer. My treat.
ReplyDelete-Peterman
508-792-2288
Hi Peterman
ReplyDeleteI made another post about this, and I'm glad it could be worked out.
glad to see by your next post that this was worked out...i kept thinking SERIOUSLY!
ReplyDelete