How to get a ticket refund if your event was canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak
Got a ticket in the next few weeks for "The Book of Mormon"? The Milwaukee Bucks or the Los Angeles Dodgers? How about Cher's "Here We Go Again" tour?
First came SXSW, then Coachella. Now waves of cancellations and postponements are rolling in as large ticketed gatherings are being banned to combat the spread of the fast-moving coronavirus.
The NBA, MLB and NHL have postponed their seasons, the NCAA has canceled its March Madness basketball tournaments, and numerous other large-scale and local events have been affected.
In New York, public gatherings of more than 500 people have been banned by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. That means New York City theaters are shutting down for at least a month.
The show did not go on. Now how do you get your money back?
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Will you get your money back? It probably depends on whether the event has been canceled or postponed.
If it's canceled, you'll probably receive a refund soon. Most venues, major ticket sellers and resellers are offering refunds.
If it's postponed, you may have to wait. Those events eventually could be rescheduled, in which case your ticket may be valid for the new date.
If you bought your tickets online, most refunds will be automatically processed to your original form of payment. How long the refund takes varies from company to company.
But, says Ted Rossman, an industry analyst for CreditCards.com, we are in "uncharted territory." Never before have we seen such a massive volume of cancellations and, with swift-moving developments, not all decisions on whether and how to issue refunds have been made yet.
If you are looking for a refund, start with the ticket seller, he advises.
For example, trade group Broadway League says ticket holders for performances through April 12 should contact “their point of purchase” for refunds and exchanges.
If you can't get anywhere, try your credit card company. That added buyer protection is why he recommends using a credit card over a debit card or cash for tickets. Some credit cards have better track records of doling out refunds than others, Rossman said.
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In some cases, refund information has not yet been announced. Be patient.
"It would be a bummer to sit on that long hold time and only get kicked down the road,” he said. “I think polite, persistent action can serve you well.”
Ticket sellers providing refunds
• Ticketmaster: Ticketmaster has a list of events that have been canceled or postponed. If you purchased tickets from Ticketmaster for an event that was canceled, you will automatically receive a refund to the same card you bought them with, minus UPS fees, within seven to 10 business days, according to the company. You can also sign into your Ticketmaster account, select your order, select refund and choose the tickets you’d like refunded.
If an event was postponed, Ticketmaster will contact you by phone or email with the new event information as soon as it has it. If you can’t make the new date, you will see a refund button in your order if refunds are approved “by the artist, team, venue, or promoter.” More information here.
• Telecharge.com: Telecharge.com says ticket holders for Broadway or New World Stages performances between March 12 and April 12 will automatically be refunded to credit cards.
• StubHub: The ticket reseller said it will provide full refunds, including fees, for canceled events. Or, StubHub customers can choose to get a coupon worth 120% of the original purchase toward a future event.
• SeatGeek: If an event is canceled, ticket holders will be refunded to their original payment method within three weeks, the company says. If an event is postponed, tickets will most likely be valid for the new date, but that will depend on the venue’s policy. Ticket holders will receive updates by email. “In general if the event is canceled the buyer will receive a 100% refund,” spokesman Chris Leyden said. More information here.
• Vivid Seats: If an event is canceled and not rescheduled, Vivid Seats says customers will get a full refund including delivery charges through its 100% Buyer Guarantee. But as part of the COVID-19 policy, if an event is canceled, you also have the option of a 120% store credit. For postponed events, the purchase will probably be valid for the new date, though every event may be different, the company said. More information here.
• TodayTix: The company said in a statement: "If you have a ticket to any canceled show in any North American market purchased from TodayTix, you will be given a TodayTix voucher worth 110% of your original order." TodayTix said it would take seven to 10 business days to process vouchers. "Once you receive it, you will be able to use it on any show, for any performance, in any of our 15 cities around the globe, within the next year."
• Theatre Development Fund: TDF said on Twitter that ticket holders will be automatically refunded. “Refunds may take a few days to appear on your credit card,” the tweet read.
NBA teams are issuing refunds after league suspends season
The NBA is taking a time-out. What's unclear is what happens to people who have tickets for upcoming games.
Anyone who buys tickets on StubHub to an event that is canceled is covered by its FanProtect Guarantee. You can choose a StubHub coupon, worth 120% of your original order, or you can get a refund to the original payment method, the company said. The refund may take two to three weeks to process. More information here.
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Individual teams are starting to issue refund policies. The Orlando Magic said tickets for a postponed game would be honored when the game is rescheduled. If games are not played or played in an empty arena, fans can get a refund or receive a credit for a future game.
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Major League Baseball has suspended spring training games and delayed the start of the regular season.
Anyone who bought tickets on StubHub is covered by the FanProtect Guarantee. More information here.
Individuals teams have different policies.
The Boston Red Sox said season-ticket holders would be issued a credit for games that are not played. Individual spring training tickets purchased directly through the club will be eligible for full refunds, the team said.
The Baltimore Orioles issued a statement saying: “We will communicate additional details, including information about refunds, directly to fans when they become available, as this is a rapidly evolving situation.”
NCAA March Madness is off. Refunds are coming
If you ordered tickets from an official NCAA Championship vendor, you will receive additional information via email and you will automatically receive a refund, minus fees, to the original method of payment. Refunds should be received within 30 days. More information here.
Did you buy event ticket insurance?
What if you bought Allianz Global Assistance Event Ticket Protector Insurance? Cancellation because of epidemics or fear of attending an event are generally not covered though coverage can vary state to state.
But Allianz Global Assistance is refunding customers who become ill with COVID-19 and customers who have tickets bought before Jan. 22 to events happening before April 1 in Mainland China, South Korea or the Lombardy or Veneto regions of Italy. More information here.
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