Stubhub is facing an investigation by British Columbia’s consumer watchdog over reports that some people who purchased tickets for the FIFA World Cup did not receive them, says B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma.
In a release Friday, Sharma called the reports “deeply concerning.”
“I understand Consumer Protection BC, which independently administers B.C.’s Ticket Sales Act, is currently investigating these complaints to see if the law has been broken,” she said. “While I cannot comment on this investigation directly, and StubHub has publicly committed to honouring its refund guarantees to fans, I want people to know they may have options available to them if they have been affected.”
FIFA World Cup matches are taking place in several North American cities from June 11 to July 19. Vancouver is one of two Canadian host cities for the tournament, along with Toronto.
Multiple media outlets have reported that fans who paid hundreds or thousands for World Cup tickets said they were not able to attend the matches due to issues with their tickets purchased on StubHub.
StubHub is an online platform that allows people to buy and sell tickets to one another. While StubHub does not directly sell tickets, it says on its website that every order is 100 per cent guaranteed.
Sharma notes that B.C. legislation bans selling tickets that a business doesn’t actually own or control.
The government said people who bought tickets and didn’t receive them may be able to cancel their purchase within 30 days of the event.
It said consumers can request a charge reversal with their credit card provider if they don’t get a refund within 15 days of cancelling their purchase, and file a complaint with Consumer Protection B.C.
In an email to Vista News, a StubHub spokesperson declined to comment on the investigation or Sharma’s statements.
“The issues fans have experienced at this World Cup are largely transfer problems, not ticket problems,” they said. “The event organizer’s own ticketing infrastructure, including a new app launched right before the tournament began, has had significant performance issues that have affected transfers across all resale platforms.”
It said StubHub has set up a dedicated World Cup support team and is expanding its capacity to source replacement tickets for affected customers.
Vista News has reached out to Consumer Protection B.C. for details about the investigation.
