Disappointment and Dwindling Returns

Before I get to the next pack and card talk - a story to share, so skip ahead if you just want card content.

So, I bought tickets for my son and I to go to Friday Night Smackdown this bast July 5th held here in Toronto (like Money In The Bank last night). I bought them as soon as they were available and spent the near $1k for the two tickets to be right on the superstar entranceway to the ring. I spent the money specifically for the experience of being able to have my son hang his sign on the guard rail along the entrance, to be seen and more so to be able to reach out and high five or slap hands with the wrestlers entering and leaving. A very cool experience and one I have waited for 40 years as a wrestling fan to experience as well.

Getting to the show was great, arriving when doors first opened 90 minutes prior to go time, as soon as our tickets were scanned to enter, we were told we were being relocated and to go to fan services.

May not be totally clear on the mapm and the map is, I think, one version of the seating at Scotiabank, but it's close enough to give you an idea, but essentially we were moved from being right on the entrance to the ring, to the other side of the floor on an angle to the ring - see the green "x" marks. Still on the floor, but was NOT the experience I was paying for. I wouldn't be surprised if the tickets were close in how they were valued for selling prices at the event, but again, not the experience at ALL that I was looking to have.

I kept my cool as disappointed as I, and my son were, and went back to fan services. I know it isn't their fault, but asked if there was anything they could do. We were definitely not the only people reassigned, but the tickets we got were the best they had and they couldn't help me any more, and they suggested reaching out to Ticketmaster.

So, before the show even started, I emailed Ticketmaster as well as WWE Events directly outlining the issue. To their credit, Ticketmaster actually got back to me before the event started asking for more details, and had escalated the issue up the chain advising they could not guarantee anything like a refund, but understanding the situation, and it would be 7-14 days before I hear back. I have not yet heard back from WWE events, but given the Friday night and weekend, I don't expect to.

I don't know if the right move would have been to leave, but we had entered when being advised of the seat change, and wanted to make the most of it - and wasn't going to then pull my son out completely, so we did try to make the most of it.

It was fun, but in all honesty, where we sat are tickets I never would have bought. I didn't go there in my emails, and maybe I should have, but being legally blind myself, I am specific on when/where I spend the money to be able to sit and see as well, I wouldn't have spent the money to have so much of the view blocked by people standing in between us and the ring - on the aisle, would have had a better view through the aisle, or at least opportunities to see everyone up close in and out of the ring.

I have no idea what if anything will be able to be done by Ticketmaster, or if WWE will be able to do anything as well, but it definitely has me disillusioned at it all right now. I've watched wrestling since 1984 as a young child, I have been in upper seats a few times, but watched WWF/WWE religiously as long as I can remember and signed up for WWE network since it was available - Day 1. It was a "fine" experience which could have been amazing and what I had paid for.

The added bitter pill - the last few days, I told my son, I'd expect the main event (A-Town Down Under versus #DIY to be a title change with #DIY winning and it would be a great moment. It did happen, and was great, but seeing them celebrate and going back up the aisle, slapping hands, cheering and high fives, it was one of the many moments from the night that I could have only dreamed happen, and could have, but didn't with the seat move. Unfortunately, no matter the resolution, it's a moment that seems to have slipped through my fingers and that I will be bitter about for a while.

Hence, sharing it here to try and get some of it our. I love wrestling, and it's always been a part of my life, just a shame that I felt taken advantage of or taken for granted - not that it was done to "me" specifically, just how circumstances worked out, but it sucks.

Will let you know what, if anything comes from it, but on the positive side - the pop up store was decent and the family all have nice new wrestling shirts, there were some great moments on the show as my son got to at least see LA Knight (may not be the high five / hand slap going by down the aisle, but still saw him and get a couple photos of in ring action), enjoyed Yeet-ing with Jey Uso, and saw Nia Jax head quickly to the ring to interfere which was neat.

Will try and keep positive and wait and see....

and actually, here's a first update - Ticketmaster responded quickly advising they can't do anything about the ticket price itself paid to WWE, but they are fully refunding all of their fees - on $992, that's $127. They said otherwise can't because WWE didn't provide a refund policy they can work under (ie. cancelled event or other rule), so deal with them directly. So now just waiting to hear back from WWE Fan Services.

Never fear - a complete dupe pack is here!

I suspect with about 5 packs left to go through, only one or two are going to have the "missing" base cards I need from the 2020-21 Upper Deck Extended base set so a couple more packs like today where there's nothing new for me, wouldn't be a surprise.

Not only that - there isn't even an insert in this one. The lone highlight is another copy of the Brodie Leaf card, but other than that the Oilers duo checklist is about the only highlight.

I get not winning them all, but this is where we get a bit of a pull down because you get a bunch of cards and the set is small, so not going to score as well overall (which makes sense), unless we get a great pull in the last few packs.