Atlanta Falcons Fans Stranded at Dome: Bus Company, ‘Bird Lady’ Point Fingers
Some Atlanta Falcons fans were all set for a tour bus trip to Houston for the Super Bowl, but unfortunately they were left stranded after paying big bucks.
According to Atlanta’s 11 Alive News, Atlanta Falcons super fan Carolyn Freeman (affectionately known as “Bird Lady”) and a Missouri company – SYTI Events – are at odds over who stranded some Super Bowl-bound passengers at the Georgia Dome.
It’s a finger-pointing game now, with the would-be passengers caught in the middle after having shelled out over $1,000 each for a Super Bowl package to cheer on the Falcons in Houston.
Per the report, nine people were left standing outside the Georgia Dome Wednesday evening awaiting buses that never showed up. SYTI blames Freeman, saying she called and canceled the buses, but the “Bird Lady” says the company is at fault.
Can’t we have a Falcons Super Bowl without some drama?
From 11 Alive:
"Barbara Phillips of Forsyth says she and a friend paid more than $1,000 total for a Super Bowl package, but were left stranded at the Georgia Dome.She says when they called SYTI, the company told her they’d expected to fill five buses for the trip to Houston, but instead didn’t sell enough tickets to fill one bus. The company said a total of only 15 tickets were sold."
SYTI said they’re making refunds to customers who bought tickets to the canceled Super Bowl trip.
So who is to blame? Did the events company drop the ball, or is the super fan trying to shift the blame? Oh what tangled webs we weave in Atlanta.
11Alive was able to speak with Freeman Thursday morning.
In Houston.
Where she flew to the game.
Hmmmm…Anyone ever tried to book a last minute flight? Gets mighty pricey these days, especially for Super Bowl week.
Freeman told reporters, “I have no ticket to the game now,” adding “My reputation is on the line” insinuating that she too was duped by SYTI.
What is curious is that these packages – which appeared to include the bus ride, hotels and tickets to the game – were going for just over $1,000 per person, yet even the cheapest Super Bowl tickets alone were at $800 face value (more than triple that price on the secondary market). That’s quite a bargain. How did only 15 seats get sold at that price?
From the 11 Alive report:
"A woman who described herself as an event planner for SYTI told WMAZ-TV they’re in the process of refunding all payments for the Super Bowl trip. She said customers will also be given the option of switching to a bus that leaves on Friday.“We had hotels and everything set up,” said the woman, who declined to give her name."
Seems like a lot of shadiness going on here.
"11Alive spoke with SYTI Founder, Nell Minton, who said he and his attorneys are on their way to Houston with a copy of the contract and additional paperwork that will back up their side of the story. Minton also said he’s considering a defamation of character lawsuit against Freeman for blaming them for the fiasco."
Somehow it seems like this one will get uglier before it comes even close to being settled. Just another day in the life of being an Atlanta Falcons fan it would seem.
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One thing is for sure…someone is being a dirty bird, and those stranded passengers are the ones left to clean up the mess.