THE US BRANCH of Ticketmaster found itself in hot water this week amid reports that it would no longer be giving refunds for rescheduled events.
Due to the spread of coronavirus, live events have been affected worldwide, including thousands of events in Ireland alone up until the end of May. While some events have been cancelled outright, others have been rescheduled – but not always to dates that suit fans.
The New York Times has reported that fans were having trouble securing refunds from Ticketmaster for events that were rescheduled due to the coronavirus.
The Times said in its article that:
Fans have drawn attention to the fact that Ticketmaster recently adjusted the language on its website. Whereas a few weeks ago, it said that people can get refunds “if your event is postponed, rescheduled or canceled,” now it only lists cancellation as a basis for getting your money back, though it suggests there may be other circumstances in which refunds might be considered.
Ticketmaster told the publication that it had “changed language to clarify matters” but “its refund policy has remained the same for years”.
Here in Ireland, fans have been contacting Ticketmaster on Twitter to ask if they can get refunds for rescheduled events.
In its current terms and conditions, the Irish Ticketmaster website says regarding refunds (our emphasis in bold):
11.3 Rescheduling: If an event for which you have purchased Tickets or Packages is rescheduled, Tickets and Packages will usually be valid for the new date (or you will be offered Tickets or Packages of a value corresponding with your original Tickets or Packages for the rescheduled event, subject to availability). If you notify us within the specified deadline that you are unable to attend the rescheduled event, you will be able to cancel your order and obtain a refund of the Sale Price of your Tickets or Packages plus the relevant Service Charges. Your Order Processing Fees will not be refunded if your Tickets or Packages have already been dispatched or delivered to you. Failure to notify us within any specified deadline that you are unable to attend the rescheduled event will be deemed to be a reconfirmation of your order for Tickets or Packages for the rescheduled event, and you will not be able to claim a refund.
TheJournal.ie asked Ticketmaster Ireland for more clarity on the issue in Ireland. In response a spokesperson said that: “If an event is cancelled, ticket purchasers don’t need to do anything. Ticketmaster will be in touch.”
They said that anybody else should visit the COVID-19 page on the Ticketmaster website.
On this page, it says: “As a result of the high volume of cancellations and rescheduled events, we encourage you not to reach out directly with a refund request. The best way to check your event status is through this portal.”
The page also has an apology for the fact that due to the high volume of enquiries, its Fan Support team is experiencing longer than normal wait times. This is borne out by the volume of requests being sent to the Ticketmaster customer support Twitter account.
Those asking Ticketmaster on Twitter if they can get a refund for a rescheduled event are being directed to the Ticketmaster.ie helpdesk.
The UK Ticketmaster told the NME that it also will refund punters if an event has been rescheduled and they can’t attend.
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