Should owning a smartphone be required for modern life? A controversy involving the Los Angeles Dodgers is stirring debate about companies going all-digital after a longtime 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 season ticket holder for over 50 years. But the LA Dodgers recently denied his request to continue receiving paper tickets since the team has transitioned to an all-digital policy.
That’s a problem because Segal owns 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 all-digital 10 years ago, CBS LA reports, and made an exception for Segal over the past decade—for an extra $600. This year, however, the team declined to exempt him from the digital-only policy.
The LA Dodgers didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But the team went all-digital only for season ticket buyers, not for single-game tickets. The paper versions can still be purchased at the stadium, which enabled Segal to recently buy four printed tickets.
The controversy has sparked debate about whether the adoption of new technologies threatens to leave some users behind. “My dad is 82. He can’t figure out apps or buying things online. I help him,” wrote one 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 out. “Man, imagine 20 years from now they might be asking for a retinal scan or you can stay home lol. Somebody in corporate needs to get their head out of their ass,” wrote another user.
Others have little sympathy. “Cmon, you can operate a cell phone big guy,” wrote one user on X. In response, one user shot back: “He shouldn’t have to.”
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Michael Kan
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I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start 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’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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