Ticketmaster is one of the largest ticket distribution companies in the world. They sell tickets for a wide variety of events, including concerts, plays, and sporting events. With the COVID-19 pandemic causing cancellations and postponements across all events, many Ticketmaster customers are wondering about refunds for games that were not played as scheduled. Here’s a quick look at Ticketmaster’s refund policy for unplayed games.
Ticketmaster’s General Refund Policy
In general, Ticketmaster’s refund policy states that refunds are available if an event is postponed, rescheduled or canceled. Customers can choose to receive a full refund or a credit for a future event. The specifics may vary depending on the event promoter’s policies.
For sporting events like baseball, basketball, football, and hockey games, Ticketmaster will issue refunds if the game is canceled and not rescheduled. Refunds are typically issued to the original method of payment used to purchase the tickets.
Refunds for MLB Games
For Major League Baseball games purchased via Ticketmaster, refund availability depends on the team’s policy. Most MLB teams have offered refunds for games canceled due to COVID-19 that are not able to be rescheduled. Fans had to request refunds within a certain period of time after the cancellation announcement.
Some specific MLB team policies include:
New York Yankees
– Full refunds issued for canceled games not rescheduled.
– Credit for future games offered for postponed games.
Boston Red Sox
– Refund or credit offered for canceled games.
– Postponed games can be exchanged for future game tickets.
Los Angeles Dodgers
– Refund or account credit given for canceled games.
– Exchanges offered for postponed games based on availability.
So in summary, Ticketmaster refund availability for MLB games follows the teams’ individual policies. Full refunds are generally offered only for canceled games that are not able to be rescheduled.
Refunds for NBA Games
The NBA suspended the 2019-2020 season on March 11, 2020 due to the pandemic. Ticketmaster offered refunds for all NBA games that were not played during the suspended season based on the NBA’s refund policy.
The NBA set a deadline of May 31, 2020 for fans to request refunds for regular season games not played March 11 – April 10. NBA fans had until June 18, 2020 to seek refunds for unplayed playoff games originally scheduled between April 18 – June 12.
The refunds were available for those who purchased tickets directly via Ticketmaster or the NBA team box offices. Those who bought from third party resellers were instructed to contact those sellers directly regarding refunds.
So Ticketmaster made refunds available for all unplayed NBA games in accordance with the NBA’s league-wide refund policy.
Refunds for NHL Games
The NHL paused its season on March 12, 2020 and ultimately canceled some regular season games. For NHL games purchased via Ticketmaster, refund availability depended on the individual team’s policies.
Some NHL teams that offered full refunds for canceled regular season games via Ticketmaster include:
– Chicago Blackhawks
– New York Rangers
– Toronto Maple Leafs
Other teams like the San Jose Sharks only offered credit for future games equivalent to 110% of the paid amount.
Several NHL teams extended their refund request deadlines for 2020 playoff games through June 30, 2020. Others like the Boston Bruins only offered account credit for postponed playoff games.
So refund options varied more widely for NHL games based on individual team policies. Ticketmaster facilitated those refunds in accordance with each NHL team’s criteria.
Refunds for NFL Games
The NFL season was able to be completed in 2020, so there were no cancellations. However some games were postponed and rescheduled.
For postponed NFL games purchased through Ticketmaster, refund availability depended on the individual team policies. Some examples:
Kansas City Chiefs
– Issued refunds for canceled preseason games.
– Account credit for postponed regular season games.
Pittsburgh Steelers
– Refunds only issued if unable to reschedule.
– Account credit otherwise provided.
Baltimore Ravens
– 120% credit for future games offered for postponed matches.
So NFL fans had limited refund options for postponed games that were rescheduled. But if a game was outright canceled, refunds were generally available through Ticketmaster.
Conclusion
In summary, Ticketmaster’s refund policy for unplayed games depends primarily on the event promoter and league policies. Full refunds are typically only issued by Ticketmaster if a game is permanently canceled and not rescheduled.
For games postponed or rescheduled due to COVID-19, most leagues and teams only offered account credit or exchanges. Exceptions could be made for canceled NHL and MLB regular season games in some cases. All NBA ticket purchases were refunded for unplayed games in 2020.
So while Ticketmaster’s standard policy is to refund canceled events, sports fans are mostly limited to account credits or exchanges for games postponed by COVID-19. The availability of true refunds depends on the individual league and team policies. It is best to check directly with Ticketmaster regarding options for impacted games purchased through their site.