Should having a smartphone be necessary for modern life? A controversy involving the Los Angeles Dodgers is sparking debate about businesses going all-digital after a lifelong fan was denied access to his season tickets because he doesn’t use a smartphone.
The 82-year-old fan, Errol Segal, has been a subscriber for more than 50 years. But the Los Angeles Dodgers recently denied his request to continue receiving paper tickets as the team transitioned to an all-digital policy.
That’s a problem because Segal has a flip phone and doesn’t know how to use a computer. according to NBC Los Angeles, which interviewed him about the debacle. “50 years, five generations, I’ve had these tickets, 50 years, and they threw me under the bus,” he said.
The team went fully digital 10 years ago, CBS LA reportsand he made an exception for Segal during the last decade:for $600 extra. This year, however, the team refused to exempt him from the digital-only policy.
The LA Dodgers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the team went fully digital only for season-ticket buyers, not single-game tickets. Paper versions can still be purchased at the stadium, allowing Segal to recently purchase four paper tickets.
The controversy has unleashed debate on whether the adoption of new technologies threatens to leave some users behind. “My dad is 82 years old. He can’t understand apps or buy things online. I help him.” wrote a use on Reddit. “I don’t think it’s acceptable for organizations to leave older generations behind.”
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Some also fear that future technologies will keep baseball fans away. “Man, imagine in 20 years they’ll ask you for a retina scan or you can stay home lol. Someone at the company needs to get their head out of their ass.” wrote another user.
Others have little sympathy. “Come on, you can operate a big guy with a cell phone.” wrote a user on X. In response, one user replied, “I shouldn’t have to.”
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About our expert
Michael Kan
senior reporter
Experience
I have been a journalist for more than 15 years. I started as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I currently reside in San Francisco, but previously spent more than five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I have covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing more than 600 stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over expanding satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I scoured the FCC files for the latest news and drove to remote corners of California to test Starlink cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. At the beginning of this year, the FTC forced Avast pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly collecting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint report investigation with motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages took me camping in front of Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. Now I’m following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so hit the comments with your feedback and send me tips.
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