Washington Commanders agree to $625,000 D.C. settlement over alleged season-ticket deposit refund practices

Settlement resolves District consumer-protection allegations tied to long-running ticket deposit refunds

The Washington Commanders’ corporate owner, Pro-Football Inc., has agreed to pay a total of more than $625,000 to resolve District of Columbia consumer-protection allegations that the franchise failed to return certain ticket-related security deposits and made refunds difficult for affected fans. The agreement, announced April 10, 2023, requires both payments to impacted District residents and a separate payment to the District.

Under the settlement terms, the Commanders must return more than $200,000 in outstanding security deposits to eligible District consumers and pay $425,000 to the District. The District payment is structured to cover restitution components, attorneys’ fees, investigative costs, and contributions to litigation support, while the consumer portion is intended to restore funds to affected ticket holders.

Allegations centered on withheld deposits and undisclosed hurdles

The District’s case focused on security deposits associated with premium seating and season-ticket arrangements. The allegations asserted that deposit refunds were not consistently issued within the timeframes promised in ticket contracts and that additional, burdensome conditions were imposed on consumers seeking refunds.

District officials stated that, as of March 2022, the team still held more than $200,000 in unreturned deposits connected to District residents. The legal claims were brought under the District’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act, which prohibits materially misleading practices and omissions in consumer transactions.

The settlement was framed as requiring corrective steps to ensure eligible fans receive refunds and that refund processes are clearly communicated and monitored.

Operational requirements: outreach, disclosures, and reporting

Beyond financial payments, the settlement sets out compliance obligations intended to locate affected consumers and make refunds more accessible. The Commanders are required to follow outreach and notification protocols designed to maximize the likelihood that eligible ticket holders can be contacted and reimbursed.

• Conduct a public-records search to identify updated contact information for eligible fans.
• Attempt to notify impacted consumers using multiple methods, including email and phone outreach.
• Prominently disclose the refund process and relevant instructions on an official team website location.
• Provide periodic reports documenting refund efforts and progress, enabling ongoing oversight.

Context: multi-jurisdiction scrutiny of ticket deposit handling

The District settlement was part of a broader set of investigations and resolutions related to historic handling of season-ticket deposits. Similar consumer-protection actions were pursued in neighboring jurisdictions, reflecting regional scrutiny of how long-dormant deposits were tracked, refunded, or otherwise handled over time.

The Commanders have stated in connection with these matters that the disputed practices were tied to earlier periods of ownership and that the organization had not collected such deposits for more than a decade, while working to return remaining amounts.

The D.C. settlement concluded the District’s deposit-refund case while establishing monitoring provisions intended to ensure remaining eligible refunds are delivered.