AITA for not lending my season ticket to my friend?
A Reddit user shared a situation with their friend over season tickets for a popular football club. The user had borrowed their friend’s ticket for a game their friend couldn’t attend, and the friend later asked for the favor to be returned. However, the user was really looking forward to attending the upcoming game and denied the request. The friend felt the user “owed” him, but the user sees a difference between the two situations. Read the full story below to see how it plays out.
‘ AITA for not lending my season ticket to my friend?’
Me and one of my friends both have season tickets for one of the biggest football/soccer clubs in our country, where finding tickets for single games is really hard. As he is a seasonal worker outside our city, he misses the first few games at the start of the season. So, I asked him to give me his ticket for a game he couldn’t attend so I could take my cousin with me. Of course he agreed. It was a last minute thing as well, so it’s not like he had anyone else to give it to.
And now we come to the past week, where he asked for my ticket in return, so he could go with his girlfriend. But I had the intention of going to the game, I actually was really looking forward to it as it was a big game as well, so I denied.
He says I owed him, for when he gave me his. Am I the only one who sees the difference between the two situations?
Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:
naraic- − I think you owe him first right of refusal for any games you choose not to attend. Not a ticket when you want to attend.
demon803 − NTA, sure you do owe him a ticket, but you do not owe him the best tickets of the year.
ApprehensiveBook4214 − NTA. He gave you the ticket when you asked because he wasn’t going. If he wanted to be compensated, either with money or a ticket to another game, he needed to tell you this before giving you the ticket. He didn’t. Which means you took it believing he gave it freely, expecting nothing in return. You acted in good faith. He didn’t. I’d tell him if, and that’s a big IF, for some reason you can’t attend a game you’ll offer your ticket to him first.
But it’s not guaranteed. “Friend I can’t let you have a ticket I’m going to be using. I plan on attending all the games. If that changes I’ll let you know before anyone else.” Friend: But you owe me. I gave you a ticket for your cousin.
“Yes you did and I’m grateful. However, my understanding was you gave it freely because you weren’t able to attend yourself. If you had been going I would have bought him a ticket. If you were expecting to get one of my tickets in return you should have said so. Then I could have decided if I was willing to make that trade or not. It’s unfair and unreasonable to expect me to skip a game because you chose not to tell me you wanted something in exchange for it.”
archetyping101 − ESH. Communication is key and it was lacking here. You feel like he didn’t do you a favor since he couldn’t make the game, so you don’t owe him. He clearly feels like you do. Explain that you’d be happy to give him yours (name some game days you’d happily give him your ticket), but that this specific game is one you’ve been eager to watch. Do give him plenty of options to be nice, not just some s**t games.
swissmtndog398 − This is certainly your option, but I wouldn’t ask for his ticket again. If you’re not going to reciprocate in a timely manner, why would he help you out again?
Chained-91 − I guess friendship has ots limits but as you get older you will realize what you really lost.
BrilliantEmphasis862 − Sorry OP – YTA – he could have sold the ticket instead of giving it you. in a reply you say you never plan to miss a game and you don’t feel you owe him anything. you are burning bridges – why,? never want another ticket from this friend? Worth losing the friendship?. Wake up.
BooksandStarsNerd − Honestly you should give him a game in return. You should be able to choose what game but you do owe him a chance to go to at least 1 on you.
D058 − NTA if you’re planning to go and see the game yourself. Your friend cant ask of you not to go to a game you’re able to make agenda-wise. If you’re not be able attend and you’re not giving your friend “first right” to use your ticket, YTA.
Inevitable-Ninja-539 − YTA. If I was in your friend’s shoes, I’d think twice before I ever would give you a ticket again.
Do you think the user was right to deny their friend’s request, given they had their own plans, or should they have honored the unspoken “favor return”? How would you handle a situation where a friend asks for something you’re not willing to give? Share your thoughts in the comments below!