StubHub is facing a class-action lawsuit from fans who claim they did not receive World Cup tickets they purchased, leading to them being unable to attend matches despite having paid for them. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, follows numerous complaints from customers alleging that StubHub cancelled or failed to fulfil ticket orders for the matches.
According to the 25-page lawsuit, plaintiffs and other class members bought World Cup tickets only to discover they either did not exist, were revoked without warning, or were erased due to what FIFA termed “poor digital infrastructure.” The complaint suggests that StubHub misrepresented its authority to sell these tickets.
Allegations of unmet guarantees
The lawsuit claims that fans incurred significant expenses on flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements, relying on the belief that their ticket purchases through StubHub were secure. Many reportedly arrived in host cities only to find they could not attend the games.
Plaintiffs accuse StubHub of breach of contract, deceptive business practices, and failing to uphold its FanProtect Guarantee. This guarantee is intended to ensure the authenticity of tickets and provide replacements or refunds if issues arise.
One plaintiff, a California resident, reported purchasing three tickets through the platform for a game at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, only for the order to be cancelled. Another plaintiff stated they spent a significant sum for two tickets to a match, which were also cancelled. While a refund for the seats was issued in this instance, the complaint alleges that additional travel costs were not recouped.
The lawsuit seeks damages for affected customers and requests that the court certify the case as a class action. Attorneys for the plaintiffs are seeking damages of at least $5 million.
Industry concerns and company response
The legal challenge highlights ongoing concerns within the sports ticketing industry. The lawsuit describes the situation as “a new low for a sports ticketing industry that has been rampant with consumer protection issues time and time again to the detriment of the fans who make sports special.”
Many consumers turned to secondary marketplaces like StubHub to purchase tickets resold by fans who initially bought them directly from FIFA. However, FIFA only guarantees the validity of tickets it sells directly and restricts the sale of tickets through third-party sellers.
StubHub has acknowledged that some World Cup orders experienced fulfilment issues. The company stated it has been working to provide replacement tickets or refunds when sellers failed to deliver. A spokesperson for StubHub attributed many of the problems to unprecedented demand and sellers who did not transfer tickets as required.
The company also stated that it does not comment on pending litigation but assigned blame to FIFA for any ticketing mishaps. A StubHub spokesperson told a news outlet that their goal is to get fans into events, and their FanProtect Guarantee provides replacement tickets or a full refund if anything goes wrong, adding that the issues fans experienced are largely driven by problems with the event organizer’s ticketing infrastructure.
The World Cup has attracted millions of fans to the U.S., with ticket demand reportedly reaching record levels throughout the tournament.
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Source: abc3340.com
