From MWC to E3, events are being cancelled all over the world because of the coronavirus. And it’s not just conferences that are taking a hit - with many countries banning mass gatherings and the WHO advising that event organizers take extra care, acts from Madonna to Miley Cyrus are calling off concerts. Even Coachella has been pushed back to October.
The best concert ticket sites will have measures in place to protect you in case of cancellation or if your concert is rescheduled, but every site is different. We’ve included everything you need to know about ticket websites and how they’re responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, and where there’s been no comment, we’ve contacted them, and will update this article to keep you informed.
In most cases, ticket sites will refund you only if your event is cancelled. This can be frustrating for people who can’t make the rescheduled date of their event, as they may lose out. The best thing to do if your event is rescheduled and you can’t get your money back is to list your ticket for sale - many of these ticket sites will let you sell as well as buy tickets, so you may not end up losing out. The exception to this is Ticketmaster, who will refund you if you can’t make the rescheduled date of your event.
StubHub has generously said that, in addition to offering a full refund for cancelled events, you can alternatively get a StubHub coupon valued at 120% of your ticket price in the place of a refund. With so much uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s nice to see that not everyone has to lose out.
StubHub
If you bought your ticket through StubHub, it recently issued a statement regarding the impact that COVID-19 will have on all its events. StubHub reassured customers that ‘StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee protects every purchase – the ticket you’ve purchased on our site will get you into the event or your money back.
‘If an event is canceled, you do not have to do anything. We will contact you… Additionally, the terms and conditions in StubHub’s buyer policy guarantee a full refund if an event is canceled. Given the unique circumstances surrounding coronavirus, we’re offering an alternative option: if an event is canceled, you have the option to receive a StubHub coupon, valued at 120% of your original purchase, so you can enjoy an event of your choosing in the future.’
Ticketmaster
In our Ticketmaster review, we were impressed that it is one of the few ticket sites to offer a full refund if your event is rescheduled and you’re unable to attend the new date. Like StubHub and VividSeats, Ticketmaster has said that it’ll contact you if your event is impacted by COVID-19.
‘If your event has been cancelled, we’ll be in touch to confirm when your refund will be processed... We’ll also get in touch if your event is postponed. Your tickets will be valid for the rescheduled date but if you can’t make it, you can get a refund.’
SeatGeek
SeatGeek is our top pick for the best sports ticket sites. It’s said that ‘if an event is canceled, you will be protected by SeatGeek’s Buyer Guarantee, and your order will be refunded in full. There is no need to reach out to our customer experience team in this case, we will send you an email when your event refund is being processed.
If an event is postponed, your tickets will most likely be valid for the new date, although this will depend on the venue’s policy. Similar to a cancelation, there is no need to take any action on your end, once we have confirmed the changes with the event organizer we will contact you over email with an update.’
VividSeats
Vivid Seats has a 100% customer guarantee. You should be able to get a full refund for any cancelled events but, like other vendors, you won’t get your money back if your event is rescheduled. Vivid Seats has said that they will contact you if your event is cancelled, but the site hasn’t issued a statement on coronavirus. We’ll keep you updated if they do.
Razorgator
We’ve contacted Razorgator for comment, but its refund policy states that you’ll need to return tickets within 15 days if you want a full refund for cancelled events. Time will tell if it makes exceptions for events cancelled due to coronavirus.
TicketCity
TicketCity offers a standard customer guarantee. We’ve contacted them for comment, but you should be able to get a full refund if your event is cancelled.
What about travel costs?
If you've booked flight or accommodation so you can see your favorite act in concert, you'll need to get in touch with the individual transport and hotel companies to see if you can get a refund.
