Washington Nationals Age Discrimination Settlement: $3M

Fans who purchased a single-game Washington Nationals home ticket for the 2023 or 2024 MLB regular season between March 29, 2023, and March 28, 2024, who were 40 years or older at the time of purchase and would have qualified for the “Millennial” or “Young Professional Discount” if they had been younger.

Class members must provide the MLB.com account email address used for the ticket purchase or other relevant identifying information linked to the ticket order.

The Washington Nationals have agreed to a $3 million settlement to resolve claims that the team discriminated against older fans by restricting access to discounted tickets based on age.

According to the lawsuit, the Nationals offered a “Millennial” or “Young Professional Discount” on tickets for certain home games during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. However, this discount was only available to fans under the age of 40, even when older fans attempted to purchase the same seats directly through the Nationals website, MLB.com, by phone, or at the box office.

Plaintiffs argued this violated the D.C. Human Rights Act, which prohibits businesses from denying goods or services based on age. Fans over 40 who purchased tickets at full price during the covered period were allegedly unfairly charged more than younger fans for the same seats.

The Nationals deny any wrongdoing but agreed to settle the case to avoid the cost of further litigation.

What Class Members Can Receive

Class members can choose between:

• Cash Payment:
  62.2% of the price difference between what they paid and what the discounted ticket would have cost.

• Ticket Credit:
  Twice the actual damage amount, to be used toward purchasing tickets for a future Nationals home game. Credits must be used within 12 months of issuance.

Example Payout:
If you paid $20 more than a “Millennial Discount” ticket price for one seat, you could choose:

• $12.44 in cash

• $40 in ticket credit

Exact amounts will vary depending on the number of tickets purchased and the claims submitted.

Why This Settlement Matters

This case brings attention to age discrimination in promotions and pricing, especially when discounts are tied to arbitrary age cutoffs. The lawsuit aimed to ensure that all Nationals fans, regardless of age, are given fair access to ticket pricing.