By Amy Tennery and Shariq Khan
NEW YORK, July 3 (Reuters) – The Texas Attorney General announced an investigation into StubHub Inc on Friday, amid dozens of complaints that World Cup tickets purchased on the resale platform were never delivered.
Reuters last month spoke to World Cup fans who purchased tickets through the U.S. resale platform months in advance, only to learn hours before their matches that the tickets could not be delivered.
StubHub’s promises to deliver new tickets at no extra cost through its “FanProtect Guarantee” went unfulfilled, some buyers told Reuters.
StubHub would not comment on the investigation but a spokesperson said in a statement it was “working tirelessly to resolve ticket transfer issues and get every fan into their match.
“Even a single bad experience is deeply disappointing for fans and for us. That’s why, in the rare instance that problems arise, our FanProtect Guarantee provides replacement tickets or a full refund,” the statement added.
StubHub has said the problems were largely driven by issues with FIFA’s ticketing infrastructure. The global soccer governing body has denied that claim, saying its system has functioned reliably.
“My office is investigating reports that StubHub is failing to deliver tickets that Texas fans have rightfully purchased,” Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement.
“In many cases, attending a World Cup match is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If StubHub is ghost ticketing Texans out of that experience, my office will use every tool available to hold them accountable and help fans who have been wronged.”
Two cities in Texas – Dallas and Houston – are among the hosts for the tournament, which spans Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
The Texas Attorney General’s office encouraged residents who purchased World Cup tickets through StubHub and did not receive them to file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.
Fans introduced a proposed class action earlier this week against StubHub over issues related to their tickets for World Cup games.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery and Shariq Khan in New York; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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