Lawsuit Over Refunds for Canceled Events Targets MLB, StubHub and Ticketmaster The divide between "canceled events" and "postponed events" could have significant repercussions. Mr. Hansen, and many like him, have their money tied up in these tickets when they would prefer to have refunds considering how many people are currently struggling in an economy hit hard by the COVID-19 virus. The lawsuit states: “Prior to the coronavirus outbreak and at the time that [the plaintiffs] purchased event tickets from Ticketmaster…[they] assured customers that Ticketmaster would refund ticket purchase prices ‘if your event is postponed, rescheduled or canceled.’ After the coronavirus outbreak forced the cancelation or postponement of most large events and public gatherings, Ticketmaster retroactively revised its policies applicable to the prior ticket sales to allow for refunds only for canceled events, not postponed or rescheduled ones, including when postponed events are ‘indefinitely’ postponed. Ticketmaster has released a statement regarding the uproar over their recently changed refund policy.Unlike in the past, when refunds were available for events that were cancelled or rescheduled/ postponed, the company’s new policy offers refunds solely for cancelled events. At the time of purchasing their tickets, many consumers were under the impression that they would be able to receive refunds for a number of reasons ranging from event cancellations to inevitable postponement. Ticketmaster fired a quick blow at spectators by retroactively modifying its refund policy … claims one of its customers in a new legal action. 800 North Belcher Road Up until March … [Note: This section has been updated to reflect clarifications to Live Nation’s new refund policy that were announced after the blog was originally published.]. (727) 451-6900, A Team Committed to Personal Service and Accessibility, Ticketmaster Refund Policy Class Action Lawsuit, © 2021 Dolman Law Group. The settlement covers people who bought tickets from Tickermaster between Oct. 21, 1999 and Feb. 27, 2013. This browser does not support PDFs. Live Nation and subsidiary Ticketmaster have been hit with another proposed class action lawsuit over their apparent failure to issue refunds for events canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Live Nation implemented the Rock When You Are Ready program which offers the choice between a 150% credit towards future live events or a full refund for postponed events. This proposed settlement (“Settlement”) is on behalf of a nationwide class of consumers (the “Class”) who (1) purchased tickets on Ticketmaster’s website, www.ticketmaster.com (“the Website”) between October 21, 1999 and October 19, 2011 (the “Class Period”), (2) paid money to Defendant Ticketmaster for an Order Processing Fee (“OPF”) that was not refunded, (3) did not and do not opt … Grocery stores are experiencing shortages of certain products, video conferencing software is seeing an unprecedented boom, preparations for funeral services have taken on a new level of intensity, and nearly every live event has been indefinitely postponed or canceled altogether. Erin works primarily on ClassAction.org’s newswire, reporting on cases as they happen. The transaction between Ticketmaster and their customers came with the assurance that they would not unfairly go back on their promise to maintain their refund policy as specified in the Terms of Use each customer agreed to. One see can clearly see why people like Derek and others are frustrated with this change. Ticketmaster Class Action Says Refunds Unfairly Withheld. The concert has been indefinitely postponed and will likely not occur this year. Following the massive outcry against their questionable refund policy changes, Ticketmaster has changed its policy once again to allow ticket buyers the opportunity to seek refunds for events that have been postponed. Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc. and Live Nation Entertainment Co. have joined the ranks of companies facing lawsuits for allegedly refusing to issue refunds after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the lives of millions of Americans. “By assenting to the [terms of use], [the plaintiff] also assented to the arbitration agreement contained therein,” the judge wrote. Those who have been affected have called this a violation of their rights as consumers. This class-action lawsuit aims to provide people who have purchased tickets from Ticketmaster for an event that was postponed or rescheduled to any time after March 14, 2020, an opportunity to seek restitution and injunctive relief for the damages that these policies have caused them. Last week, a man in Wisconsin filed a class-action lawsuit against StubHub — widely used for reselling tickets — when the company dropped their refund policy. Violation of consumer rights is an issue that is becoming more prevalent in this time where quarantine has led to exploitation by some. The plaintiff claims he and other online ticket buyers relied on this policy when deciding whether to pay “premium prices” for event tickets, noting that the availability of refunds is a “major component” of Ticketmaster’s value. For many events, that is the case. For context, the lawsuit states that Live Nation’s president, Joe Berchtold, recently told CNBC in an interview that “about 90% of Ticketmaster’s events are postponed.” As of the date the complaint was filed, roughly 30,000 events have already been postponed, with recent estimates suggesting that live events will not be available until Fall 2021 at the earliest, according to the suit. A San Francisco man has filed a class action lawsuit against Beverly Hills-based Ticketmaster on behalf of would-be concertgoers, seeking refunds for … As a result, lawsuits have been filed against the ticket vending giant because of complaints that Ticketmaster retroactively changed their refund policies amid the pandemic to prevent consumers from getting their money back. One of the unexpected results of coronavirus that has been making headlines recently has to due with the latter: the canceling of events. Yes, with some restrictions. We look forward to helping you. The lawsuit has … Additionally, Live Nation and Ticketmaster were sued by New York baseball fans demanding refunds for spring MLB games that are unable to be played amid the season’s delay. Derek Hansen filed a class action claiming that Ticketmaster, which is a division of Live Nation, had a policy stating that customers get a refund on ticket purchases “if your event is postponed, postponed or canceled.” Chris Chmura reports. The proposed class action detailed on this page, Hansen v. Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. et al., has been sent to arbitration for resolution. In the nine-page order, found here, Judge Chen held that the plaintiff “validly assented” to Ticketmaster’s terms of use, which contain a binding arbitration provision, when he signed into the company’s website to purchase event tickets. The lead plaintiff of this legal effort is a past customer of Ticketmaster named Derek Hansen who alleges that the ticket vending company purposely changed their refund policies in reaction to COVID-19 quarantine in order to prevent as many consumers as possible from getting their money back. The plaintiff, who says he’s been left holding four tickets to two Rage Against the Machine concerts that “will almost certainly be cancelled,” claims he and other ticket buyers have unfairly been forced to bear the financial toll that COVID-19 has taken on the entertainment industry. Clearwater, FL 33765 One measure of the anger was a class-action lawsuit filed against Live Nation and Ticketmaster this month in California on behalf of a man who says he … ClassAction.org is a group of online professionals (designers, developers and writers) with years of experience in the legal industry. Now, the company, as well as Ticketmaster, StubHub and every team in Major League Baseball are being sued over ticket refunds. Home Blog Ticketmaster Refund Policy Class Action Lawsuit. Ticketmaster’s new policy only allows for people to refund their tickets if the event they were purchased for is canceled but not if they were indefinitely postponed. If you have purchased tickets for an event through Ticketmaster and have been unable to get refund because of their policy changes, you may be entitled to take legal action via a class action lawsuit. However, whether or not this is fact is yet to be determined by a court of law. For some, this is not a problem since their event was canceled outright, but many consumers have not been so fortunate and are now stuck with expensive tickets to events that will likely not occur, will not occur within a timely manner, or will not fit their schedule. To contact Sibley Dolman Gipe Accident Injury Lawyers, PA about a free consultation on your claim you can either call our office at (727) 451-6900 or fill out our contact form online. Sibley Dolman Gipe Accident Injury Lawyers, PA Last Updated on January 28, 2021 — 3:01 PM. This loophole still leaves many people unable to access refunds with Ticketmaster still holding on to their money. According to a proposed class action out of California federal court, online ticket seller Ticketmaster and concert promoter Live Nation have retroactively changed their refund policy to only allow refunds for canceled events—not those that have been “indefinitely postponed” or rescheduled. |. Joe Berchtold, the president of Ticketmaster’s parent company Live Nation, stated that 90 percent of events are postponed rather than canceled. United States District Judge Edward M. Chen signed off on the defendants’ motion to compel arbitration on December 11, 2020. The case alleges that the defendants’ Terms of Use contain “unconscionable provisions” that purportedly allow the companies to change the terms at any time and “bind” all users to the new agreement. A new lawsuit haas targeted MLB, as well as two popular ticket sellers. Until then, keep up with ClassAction.org’s coverage of COVID-19 litigation here and over on our Newswire. A San Francisco native has accused Ticketmaster of “deceptive practices relating to their sale of live events tickets and refusal to provide refunds for live events that have been rescheduled or postponed.” After facing criticism from fans and two lawmakers, Live Nation rolled out its Ticket Refund Plan, an updated policy that allows ticket buyers to receive refunds for both canceled and rescheduled events. When do you need to hire a car accident lawyer? Ticketmaster Refund Policy Class Action Lawsuit. The lawsuit looks to force Ticketmaster and Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, to reverse the “unlawful” changes to their refund policy and to offer refunds for all postponed or rescheduled events. As the COVID-19 pandemic began forcing the postponement and cancellation of large events and public gatherings, the defendants allegedly “retroactively changed” their refund policy to allow refunds only for canceled events. Adding insult to injury, the new policy was implemented retroactively — meaning regardless of what the fine … It should be noted that the refunds once again come with a catch. The attorney general's office sent a letter to Ticketmaster in April expressing concern over the change to the company’s refund policy. Ticketmaster is finalizing a plan to begin offering refunds for 18,000 concerts and events that had to be postponed ... StubHub Hit With $5M Class Action Lawsuit Over Coronavirus Refund Policy. Ticketmaster’s policy now states that, ‘If the event was moved, postponed, or rescheduled, the [promoter or venue] may set refund limitations'”. A California man has filed a class action lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation, for allegedly changing their refund policies to force consumers to cover the costs of events suspended during the coronavirus outbreak. Live Nation and Ticketmaster have also been sued by MLB fans who were denied refunds for tickets to baseball games that have been postponed because of COVID-19 quarantine. Full refunds are only available for those whose postponed events have been rescheduled (of course, most have not) which leaves the matter of refunds to the organizers of the event rather than Ticketmaster. When the new plan was first announced, one of the plaintiff’s attorneys said she was “pleased” with the improved policy but expressed concerns that the refund decisions have been left to the event organizers. Resale site StubHub was hit with a similar consumer lawsuit last month regarding their change in refund policy. Ticketmaster also faced a class action lawsuit over allegations of misleading processing and delivery fees. Didn’T Ticketmaster Say Refunds For Postponed Events Will Now Be available? ® All Rights Reserved. The fallout from COVID-19 seems to have no end. Ticketmaster, one of the largest ticket vending companies in the world, has recently come under fire for its controversial policies (or rather change to policies) regarding refunds during this difficult quarantine. “Defendants have quietly sought to force their buyers to endure the financial losses that Defendants would suffer in the entirely foreseeable scenario that world occurrences would cause the simultaneous cancellation of numerous public events,” the complaint reads. What Ticketmaster has done could be considered a breach of contract between them and their customers who are now taking legal action. The Lawsuit. Sibley Dolman Gipe Accident Injury Lawyers, PA is passionate about assisting those affected by unlawful business practices and will work with you to bring a class action lawsuit that can recover financial relief after you have been exploited by these businesses. Ticketmaster/Live Nation Refund Class Action Lawsuit ... P.C’'s consumer attorneys have filed a class action against Ticketmaster and Live Nation for unilaterally changing their refund policy. “[The plaintiff] has not made any other argument as to why he should not be compelled to arbitration, consistent with the arbitration agreement.”. Well, a $1.50 per ticket order windfall. The case looks to cover anyone who purchased tickets from Ticketmaster for an event that was postponed or rescheduled to any time after March 14, 2020. Unfortunately, Ticketmaster included what the lawsuit describes as “unconscionable provisions” that purportedly allow the companies to change the terms at any time and “bind” all users to the new agreement. Please download the PDF to view it: Download PDF. It is projected that major concerts and live events will not start back up again until late 2021, possibly as late as Fall. In general, there’s no action you need to take to join a lawsuit. The suit, filed in Illinois federal court, looks to represent consumers nationwide who bought tickets to events Live Nation and Ticketmaster has “postponed” indefinitely, allegedly as a means to “keep their customers’ money as a form of interest-free loan.” According to the case, Live Nation and Ticketmaster have “quietly sought to force their buyers to endure the financial losses” the companies created for themselves in the “entirely foreseeable scenario” that world events would cause the simultaneous cancellation of a number of public events. If you used Ticketmaster's website to buy tickets between October 21, 1999 and October 19, 2011, you're in for a windfall. Now, it’s an average customer taking aim at Ticketmaster with a lawsuit. Live events that have been canceled or postponed have led many people to seek refunds for the tickets they have purchased, but there have been complications to this otherwise straightforward process. Additionally, Live Nation is offering an opportunity to “maximize your refund” for tickets to canceled events at Live Nation-owned venues. According to the 22-page lawsuit, Ticketmaster until March 13, 2020 used to allow refunds “if your event is postponed, rescheduled or canceled.”. Ticketmaster Refunds COVID-19 Class Action Lawsuit Investigation Sauder Schelkopf is investigating class action lawsuits on behalf of individuals who purchased tickets on Ticketmaster for events that were canceled or rescheduled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have sold your tickets for the postponed, rescheduled, or moved event through Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster.ca, or Livenation.com (i.e., you resold your tickets through one of those sites, and you’ve been paid for them), your tickets will be returned to your account if: (1) the Event Organizer has authorized refunds, and (2) the buyer has requested a refund. If an event organizer is offering refunds for postponed or rescheduled events, a refund link will appear on your Ticketmaster account.” Otherwise, “if your event was postponed or rescheduled and you are unable to attend (and resale is enabled for your event), you can sell your tickets to other fans ” on the Ticketmaster site. Stubhub, which is a ticket resale site, has seen a similar lawsuit over breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation filed by consumers. A lawsuit seeking to force Ticketmaster to refund tickets for events “postponed” rather than cancelled has hit a snag. If Ticketmaster’s refund policy would have stated that postponed event tickets were not refundable at the time of purchasing, many would be more understanding. Derek Hansen filed suit against Ticketmaster in April 2020 after the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent COVID-19 lockdowns lead to the mass cancellation of … The plaintiff says he spent $590 on four tickets to two Rage Against the Machine concerts that have now been “effectively cancelled.” Under the defendants’ new “post-hoc” policy revisions, he will be left without any relief until the events are officially canceled instead of “postponed,” the lawsuit states. The lead plaintiff of this legal effort is a past customer of Ticketmaster named Derek Hansen who alleges that the ticket vending company purposely changed their refund policies in reaction to COVID-19 quarantine in order to prevent as many consumers as possible from getting their money back. Instead of a refund, ticket holders can choose a 150-percent credit to use toward buying future tickets, and for each ticket originally purchased, Live Nation will donate one ticket to healthcare workers through its Hero Nation program. When do you need to hire a personal injury lawyer. People covered in the suit won't be receiving refund checks, rather they … According to the lawsuit, as of March 14, 2020, Ticketmaster’s refund policy stated, “If the event was moved, postponed, or rescheduled, the [promoter or venue] may set refund limitations.”. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) — A class-action lawsuit filed against Ticketmaster is looking to force the company to refund tickets for events … However, the lawsuit against Ticketmaster focuses on their efforts to retroactively change their policy. In addition to Ticketmaster’s recent controversy regarding refunds during this pandemic, other ticket companies and event organizing companies have also seen an outcry from consumers. 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