Eagles give ticketholders choice to defer payment during lockout

As the work stoppage in the NFL continues, the Eagles are giving season ticketholders the option to defer the second half of their payment.

Ticketholders can pay now or will be allowed to wait to pay the balance until the original due date of June 7, or whenever the league officially announces that the season will go on. Those who opt to defer will need to provide a credit card to help speed the process.

"With the work stoppage that has occurred and is continuing, fans reached out to ask if we would consider alternative payment plans," Don Smolenski, the Eagles' chief operating officer, said. "We wanted to be responsive and that led to this payment option."

The Eagles sent out an email to season ticketholders yesterday, which included a link to their respective Ticketmaster pages so those interested could check a box for the deferment option. A letter also will go out later this week in the mail.

Letters to renew season tickets were sent in January, with the first payment due March 8. Smolenski said the renewal rate "is almost 100 percent every year." About 35 percent paid the entire cost in one payment, he said.

The Eagles previously announced that fans will receive full refunds for any games not played. Refunds will include interest from the due date of the final payment.

The New York Giants have said season ticketholders could pay by May 1, which is the normal due date for full payment, or defer their entire payment until a new deal is reached between the owners and the players.

Smolenski said that was not possible for the Eagles because the team has a multiple payment plan with invoices that are sent out in January rather than a single payment plan that the Giants use. The lockout was not declared until March 12.

"It would have been speculative to presume one way or the other what was going to happen," he said. "The Giants had the ability to sit and wait. We really didn't have that luxury.

"This is really the first opportunity since the work stoppage has occurred. We are aware of what the Giants did and talked to the Giants. We thought they came up with a pretty good way. We also had gotten some feedback from our ticketholders and our season ticketholder advisory board seeking some flexibility. [This option] made a lot of sense and was the right thing to do."

Smolenski said the date for single-game tickets to go on sale "will move until the work situation is resolved."

Eagles quarterback Michael Vick will make his first official return to the Virginia Tech campus since he was released from prison on Saturday.

Vick is among the former Tech players in the NFL who has been invited to attend the final spring football scrimmage at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg. As many as 16 former Hokies could attend, including former Eagles defensive back Macho Harris.

Vick led the Hokies to the 1999 national championship before he was selected first overall by the Atlanta Falcons.

Before the scrimmage, Vick will sign autographs at the school's bookstore for $25 to $30 with the money going to Vick's management company, according to the Roanoke Times.