The companies contacted fans less than a week before the match to inform them that their ticket purchases would not be fulfilled by the sellers, who had sold them speculatively – including fans who had already travelled to Madrid. Whilst StubHub has promised fans a full refund, including shipping and service fees, and Viagogo has promised either alternative tickets or €500 compensation, many customers will still be left out of pocket – not least because of the inflated cost of travel and accommodation in Madrid.
Viagogo and StubHub have informed hundreds of buyers of secondary tickets for the Champions League final in Madrid that their tickets – some of which cost upwards of £10,000 – were sold speculatively and do not in fact exist.
StubHub has also offered €1,500 in compensation for each ticket purchased, but it is understood that if fans accept this offer, they will not be able to sue. This year’s Champions League final has seen extraordinarily high levels of ticket touting, according to the Times. Over 8,000 tickets have appeared on secondary ticketing sites with prices far higher than face value, due to extremely high demand.
The scandal has gained coverage from media outlets across Europe, with fans expressing their outrage at such blatant disregard for consumer protection.
Whilst the European Union has recently taken an unprecedented step forward in tackling ticket profiteering – by outlawing the use of bots to bulk-buy tickets as part of the New Deal for Consumers – this latest news demonstrates the continued need for tougher legislation, stronger enforcement and greater consumer awareness in the fight against touts.