Since this guy clearly doesn't understand the meaning of the word "volunteer," here's the definition straight from dictionary.com (pay particular attention to No. 2):
vol·un·teer
[vol-uhn-teer]
noun
1. a person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking.
2. a person who performs a service willingly and without pay.
3. Military. a person who enters the service voluntarily rather than through conscription or draft, especially for special or temporary service rather than as a member of the regular or permanent army.
4. Law. a. a person whose actions are not founded on any legal obligation so to act.
b. a person who intrudes into a matter that does not concern him or her, as a person who pays the debt of another where he or she is neither legally nor morally bound to do so and has no interest to protect in making the payment.
5. Agriculture. a volunteer plant.
I'm not exactly sure what this guy thought he was getting into, but as a fellow volunteer (whose done it twice), I'm embarrassed for the entire remainder of our group. This guy doesn't care if any of us get paid. He just wants it for himself. And that's even more wrong than the fact that he filed the lawsuit in the first place.
Every detail that he lists as a complaint in the suit is something that MLB made very clear well before FanFest started. Everyone was required to pass a background test. Yeah, so? Sorry they didn't want people with criminal records helping out. Everyone was required to attend a mandatory orientation. Again, that's a problem why? Volunteers weren't given admission to the All*Star events, but had a chance to win tickets to the game. One of the first things they say at that orientation is that no volunteers are needed at the stadium on the day of the Home Run Derby or All*Star Game. Armed with that knowledge, what did you expect? To play in the game?
Now on to the part that bothers me the most: that MLB recruited these volunteers and that's why we should've been paid. That's not why I volunteered. I wanted to be a part of the All*Star festivities, and this was a fun way to do it. Instead of paying $35 to go to FanFest, I got to go for free as often as I wanted. All I had to do was donate a couple hours of my time three times that weekend. Not a bad deal if you ask me. Or, most likely, if you ask any of the other volunteers, save one. And to him I ask, "Why did you volunteer then?" They made it pretty clear that we weren't getting paid. If you wanted some sort of compensation other than what we got, you shouldn't have volunteered then.
As for the claim that MLB should stop recruiting volunteers to staff these massive events, get with the program! All of these major events rely on a volunteer workforce. And every single one of those volunteers knows exactly what they're signing up for, yet do it without a second thought. The reasons for doing that are many, but the thought of compensation isn't one. Do you think any of the thousands of volunteers at last year's Olympics wanted anything other than to be a part of that once-in-a-lifetime experience?
He also made a point of mentioning the ridiculous prices for food/beverages/merchandise, as if that's remotely relevant. All that proves is that when you have a captive audience, you can get away with charging whatever you want and people will still pay it. This just in, the prices at sporting venues where games are actually being played are just as high.
The last point highlighted in the suit that I want to touch on is the opportunity volunteers have to automatically work FanFest again at subsequent All*Star Games. Since I volunteered in 2008, the process was a lot easier for me this time than it was for first-time volunteers. This point was made at the volunteer orientation. If you want to work in Minnesota next year, all you have to do is sign up once they start the process in January. But they also said that they're not paying for anything. If you want to go to Minnesota, it's on you to get there and take care of all your expenses while in the Twin Cities. MLB couldn't be more clear about that. Their expectation is that they won't have many returning volunteers, but there will probably be some. During one of my shifts, I was talking to a guy who helped out at FanFest last year in Kansas City.
This entire thing is ridiculous, and I think any judge in his/her right mind will throw it out immediately and try to keep from laughing while doing so. But if it somehow does go to trial, I'll gladly volunteer for MLB once again. I would love to go on the witness stand and explain why I volunteered. Twice. I almost want to go face-to-face with this guy and defend the process. They don't even need to pay me.
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