KC Chiefs Fan Swaps Bridal Set for Big-Game Tickets, Deflects Outrage by Clarifying the Jewelry Is From Previous Marriage

November 18th, 2013

When a Kansas City Chiefs fan, known only as Rachael, offered to trade her engagement ring and wedding band for four tickets to the highly anticipated Chiefs-Broncos matchup on December 1, season ticket holder Rusty Jones quickly jumped on the deal.

"I went to Craigslist and found the ad," Jones told ABC News. "I showed my

girlfriend the pictures and asked her if she liked it."

Apparently, girlfriend Janie Young-Tesch gave her approval, because Jones and the bridal set owner met on Thursday to have the jewelry appraised and to work out the final details of their trade.

By Friday night, Jones had popped the question and now the couple is happily engaged.

As the story went viral early last week, Rachael was widely criticized for being desperate and cold-hearted. How could she possibly give up her engagement ring and wedding band for football tickets? Later, she deflected the outrage by clarifying that the bridal set was from a previous marriage and that it held absolutely no sentimental value. The coveted Chiefs tickets would be a belated 40th birthday present for her current husband.

Rachael had described her bridal jewelry in the Craigslist ad as a “nice diamond ring and wedding band" worth $3,100. The engagement ring contained a .45-carat round, brilliant-cut center diamond in a white gold setting accented with 20 smaller diamonds weighing .50 carats. The matching wedding band contained 10 round, full-cut diamonds with a total weight of .25 carats.

Although a Kansas City jeweler appraised the set at $2,800 ($300 less than what Rachael had advertised), Jones still made the deal because the location of his seats in Section 123 near the end zone wasn’t exactly what Rachael requested. She ideally wanted tickets in the Lower Level or Club Level. Jones sweetened the offering by adding two seats to the Chargers-Chiefs game of November 24.

The Chiefs and division rival Broncos are having outstanding seasons. The teams played last night in Denver and will meet again in two weeks in Kansas City, where Rachael's husband and his guests will be cheering in Section 123. The Broncos prevailed 27-17 in Sunday’s primetime contest and are currently tied with the Chiefs at 9-1 for the top position in the AFC West.