Ticket sellers Ticketmaster and StubHub are currently facing the ire of thousands of music fans as these companies modified their refund policies amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This situation has caused widespread frustration and confusion among many who purchased tickets for events across the globe.
As events worldwide were canceled due to the pandemic, many ticket holders found themselves waiting for refunds for sports events and concerts. However, recent changes in the ticket sellers’ cancellation policies have left fans concerned about receiving their money back.
In a statement shared on Twitter, Ticketmaster indicated that over 30,000 events have experienced cancellations or postponements, emphasizing that organizers required additional time to evaluate rescheduling options before determining refund availability. “As of today, more than 11,000 events, which include over 4,000 postponed sports, concerts, and arts events, have already authorized refunds,” stated the announcement. “While we cannot guarantee all event organizers will provide refunds on their rescheduled events, we expect that the vast majority will open a refund window once new dates are finalized.”
Many frustrated fans are now vocalizing their discontent regarding a recent modification to Ticketmaster’s refund policy. According to a report by the New York Times, Ticketmaster altered its policy from “Refunds are available if your event has been postponed, rescheduled, or canceled” to “Refunds are available if your event is canceled.” While Ticketmaster has acknowledged this change, the company insists that the refund policy has consistently remained the same for years, with only clarifications made regarding the specifics.
A spokesperson for Ticketmaster conveyed to USA TODAY that the refund policy related to postponed events has always been determined by the event organizers, not Ticketmaster itself. Furthermore, the company’s blog recommends that ticket holders for postponed or rescheduled events consider selling their tickets on Ticketmaster’s resale marketplace.
In a related lawsuit, a Wisconsin man took legal action against StubHub after the ticket resale marketplace changed its refund policy, offering coupons worth 120 percent of customers’ original ticket costs instead of issuing cash refunds. The man reported purchasing two tickets for an NHL hockey game at $120 each, but after the NHL announced the season’s suspension on March 12, he requested a refund. The lawsuit claims that StubHub declined his request because the game had merely been postponed, not outright canceled.
A help page on StubHub reveals their policy regarding the issuance of a 120 percent coupon for canceled events. A StubHub spokesperson informed the New York Times that the volume of refunds required for canceled events is nearly insurmountable.
The event industry has been significantly affected during this pandemic crisis, with the concert sector alone at risk of losing nearly $9 billion if performances continue to be canceled throughout the year, according to a report by Pollstar, a notable publication within the concert industry.
