Q: I purchased tickets through StubHub for The Jason Bonham Experience at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix as a wedding anniversary celebration. My husband is a drummer, and we specifically wanted to see Jason Bonham perform.
I chose Section A-3, Row 10, Seats 1 and 2 and paid $348 because I thought they’d provide the best angle to watch the drums.
When we arrived, our view of Jason Bonham was completely obstructed by equipment and curtains. We could only see part of one cymbal! Additionally, stage lights were shining directly into our eyes, giving me the start of an ocular migraine.
A theater employee told us the stage wouldn’t rotate and was configured for limited view — something neither StubHub nor the venue made clear.
I contacted StubHub immediately for a refund under their FanProtect Guarantee, which promises to “make it right with comparable or better tickets or your money back.” StubHub refused, saying it is just a third-party marketplace. The venue’s promoter later confirmed the original tickets were marked “limited view,” but my StubHub tickets weren’t marked that way. We left before the show started. Can you help me get my $350 refund?
— Charlene Burgett, Fountain Hills, Ariz.
A: It sounds as if you got played by the secondary ticket market — and I’m not talking about drums.
StubHub should have disclosed the obstructed view upfront. When companies like StubHub promise consumer protection through guarantees like FanProtect, they need to honor those commitments. That FanProtect guarantee states they’ll make it right when there’s an issue with your order — and boy, was there an issue!
The venue promoter confirmed the original tickets were marked “limited view,” but your StubHub tickets had a limited view. That’s textbook misrepresentation. StubHub’s obligation under its own policy was crystal clear: provide comparable tickets or refund your money.
You could have prevented this by buying directly from the venue’s authorized ticket outlet. Secondary marketplaces like StubHub buy up tickets and resell them, sometimes without complete information about seat restrictions. As the promoter bluntly told you: “This is why it is so wrong to buy through them.”
Under Arizona’s Consumer Fraud Act, businesses can’t misrepresent their products. When StubHub sold you tickets without the “limited view” designation that appeared on the originals, it potentially violated state consumer protection laws.
You should have escalated this to StubHub’s executives. I publish their contact information on Elliott.org, including the CEO and other key decision-makers who have the authority to override frontline customer service denials.
After I contacted StubHub about your case, the company reconsidered its position. The company provided you with a full credit as a “one-time courtesy” — essentially acknowledging it should have handled this differently from the start.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at the nonprofit’s site.
Leave a Reply