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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.
Lead plaintiff Derek Hansen accuses Ticketmaster and Live Nation of retroactively changing their policies in order to withhold as many refunds as possible as events are disrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Specifically, the ticketing company will now only issue a refund if an event is cancelled, but not if it is indefinitely postponed.
Have you been affected by Ticketmaster’s refund policy? Get legal help here.
Hansen says that he purchased tickets in February to two concerts scheduled in April of this year for a total of $590 through Ticketmaster.
The shows have been postponed, with no rescheduled dates set yet, and the plaintiff claims that he has not been able to secure a refund because of the new policy issued after he purchased the tickets.
“Plaintiff now holds four tickets to two RATM concerts that have been effectively canceled, will almost certainly be canceled, and which he bought with a guarantee of a monetary refund for cancellation,” contends the Ticketmaster class action lawsuit. “But under defendants’ new, post-hoc policy revisions, he will only be provided a refund if, and when, the events are officially canceled rather than ‘postponed.'”
According to the complaint, Ticketmaster’s refund policy prior to the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions applied to events that were “postponed, rescheduled or cancelled.”
“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,” states the class action lawsuit. “Yet, Live Nation’s president recently predicted that live events will not occur again until fall 2021 at the earliest.”
The plaintiff says that he and other proposed Class Members purchased tickets from the distributor under the impression that they would be entitled to refunds in a variety of situations.
Hansen claims that he and other consumers agreed to purchase pricey tickets to events through Ticketmaster, with all of the fees attached, because of the generous refund policy.
In addition, the complaint contends that the Terms of Use the plaintiff and other Class Members agreed to specifically states that Ticketmaster cannot retroactively change its policies for refunds or otherwise. However, the ticket distributor allegedly attempted to change its policy to apply retroactively on March 14, 2020.
“Defendants now identifies cancellation as the only basis for getting a refund,” alleges the Ticketmaster class action lawsuit. “Refunds are no longer being offered for postponed shows, which are currently postponed indefinitely, or for rescheduled shows, even if ticket holders can’t make the new date”
The plaintiff points out that experts have estimated that consumers now hold $1 billion in tickets to postponed or otherwise disrupted events and that the president of Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, has said that 90 percent of events are postponed.
For its part, the Ticketmaster has reportedly said that it is trying to issue as many refunds as possible, but that individual event organizers determine when refunds can be issued.
Ticketmaster reportedly issued a statement indicating, “the unprecedented volume of over 30,000 events impacted to date, coupled with continued uncertainty over setting new dates while awaiting clearance from regional governments, has led to event organizers needing additional time to reschedule their events before deciding to offer refund options.”
The Ticketmaster class action lawsuit seeks to represent consumers who purchased tickets from the distributor to any event that has been postponed or rescheduled since the March 14, 2020 policy change.
The plaintiff also seeks to represent a California subclass, along with a subclass of those who purchased events promoted by Live Nation.
According to the complaint, Ticketmaster’s retroactive policy change amounts to a breach of contract with all Class Members, and also violated California consumer protection laws. The plaintiff accuses the companies of false advertising, fraud, and misrepresentation.
In the U.K., a similar ticket marketplace Viagogo is facing backlash after informing ticket holders that they would not be issuing refunds for concerts and other events that were rescheduled for 2021.
The Ticketmaster class action lawsuit is seeking a court order requiring Ticketmaster to stop applying its new policy retroactively, along with damages.
The plaintiff is represented by Adam J. Gutride, Seth A. Safier, and Marie McCrary of Gutride Safier LLP.
The Ticketmaster COVID-19 Refund Class Action Lawsuit is Hansen v. Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc., et al., Case No. 3:20-cv-02685, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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10 thoughts onTicketmaster Class Action Says Refunds Unfairly Withheld
I have had the pleasure of not receiving a refund from Ticketmaster. I purchased tickets to a concert Dec 2019. The concert was canceled and rescheduled then canceled again. I was told during a conversation I would receive a refund. I have not received a refund and was told by Ticketmaster that I was not eligible for a refund. This is after being told the refund would take 30 days. I spent well over $500 for this concert. I also noticed the receipt and tickets were deleted from my account at Ticketmaster. I still have copies of the tickets, receipt with confirmation number, and first conversation regarding Ticketmaster agreeing to the refund.
I have been a Ticket Master member for MANY decades, NEVER had an issue before, NOW they are holding $1500.00 dollars of Mine for an event Postponed for over a year. They need to REFUND People’s Money. Not Hold it interest Free for an Event that May or May NOT still go on for over a year from now.
Please add me to the Ticketmaster Class Action lawsuit.
We purchased Taylor swift tickets for her los angles show which was postponed. We don’t even live in the state so at this point I don’t even want to go or pay additional airfare to travel there. I really could use the money for food right now.
I have almost $500 in tickets to the Elton John final concert that was supposed to play this last April in Louisville He postponed so he didn’t even offer a refund for the longest time now they’re offering a refund but we still haven’t gotten it back. Shame on Elton John for not allowing his people fans to get a refund back during the time when things are so hard and then finally when they do allow it shame on ticketmaster for stalling and keeping money they don’t have a right to keep.
I purchased two tickets over a year ago for Pink Floyd show. They canceled that and gave me tickets to a Roger Waters show that still has never happened. I requested a refund in August 2020 and they said it was coming in 30 days. I still haven’t received my refund which is over $200. They”re ripping me off and I don’t like it. I want my money back now.
Bought 3 tickets back in late February, the show was postponed for over 2 months, then cancelled over 30 days ago. I still have not received a refund yet. They changed their refund policy during the pandemic to benefit them and made it retroactive. I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH TICKETMASTER AGIAIN.
Getting over taking money tickets at this time then refusing refunds, not nice at all.
Postponed NBA game and Ticketmaster refuses to refund me. No one feels safe attending an event with a large crowd anymore, especially people such as myself that lives with a Chronic illness
They have postponed the concert indefinitely..insuring we won’t get our money back. I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to a concert ever again…shame on Ticketmaster!!!