Class Action Alleges Chicago White Sox Refuse to Sell Accessible-Seat Tickets on Team Website [UPDATE]

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The Chicago White Sox faces a proposed class action that alleges the American League Central team has discriminated against individuals with disabilities by refusing to list all available accessible-seat season and single-game tickets on its website. 

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The 18-page case says that although the general public can purchase White Sox season tickets and single-game tickets on the team’s website, season tickets for accessible seats are not sold online and “the vast majority” of single-game accessible seats are falsely listed as unavailable. 

According to the suit, the White Sox’ refusal to sell season tickets for accessible seats on its website forces those with disabilities to call to make a purchase and limits the seats they can buy to only a few offered by phone, seemingly in disregard of all the other unsold accessible seats around the ballpark. 

Further, the suit alleges the White Sox also has “discriminatory restrictions” on the team website as far as the sale of single-game tickets for accessible seats, as the club offers only a small percentage of accessible seats online and “frequently limit[s] them to only certain areas of the stadium or certain games during the year.” The case says that many of the existing accessible seats at Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field “remained empty during games throughout the season,” and for the majority of this year’s campaign, the White Sox’ website offered accessible seating primarily in the upper deck or outfield. 

“Only after the White Sox were assured of not making the playoffs did the White Sox release some accessible seats for sale closer to the infield on the main level,” the filing states. 

The lawsuit accuses the White Sox of violating the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which governs public accommodations and protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of a disability. Under ADA regulations, individuals with disabilities must be afforded an equal opportunity to buy tickets for any accessible seating through the same methods of distribution, and in the same types and numbers of ticketing sales outlets, as the general public, the complaint relays. 

The lawsuit looks to cover all people who qualify for wheelchair-accessible seating and seek to attend a home game played by the White Sox by purchasing either season tickets or a single-game ticket on the White Sox’ website. 

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