What Happens If You Buy Tickets to Game 7 and It Doesn’t Happen?
Purchased Game 7 tickets for a game that never happened? Get clear guidance on refund policies and how to secure your money back.
Fans often purchase tickets for a potential Game 7. If the series concludes before the seventh game is necessary, ticket holders may wonder about their purchase. Fortunately, established procedures address these situations.
Understanding Ticket Policies
Ticket refund policies for canceled events are governed by the terms and conditions of the purchase, varying significantly depending on where the ticket was acquired. It is important to distinguish between primary ticket vendors and secondary resale platforms, as each has different rules for refunds. Primary vendors include official team box offices, league-specific ticketing sites, and major ticketing companies like Ticketmaster. Secondary resale platforms are marketplaces like StubHub, SeatGeek, and Vivid Seats, where individual sellers list tickets. Before initiating any refund process, review the specific terms and conditions and gather proof of purchase and order details.
Primary Ticket Purchase Refunds
When tickets for a Game 7 that does not occur are purchased directly from primary vendors, the refund process is often automatic. Ticketmaster generally processes refunds for the unplayed games without requiring any action from the ticket holder. The refund is issued to the original payment method used at the time of purchase. These automatic refunds typically appear in the account within 14 to 21 days, though some exceptions may exist. If tickets were purchased directly from a team’s official channels, such as a team box office or their website with a credit card, an automatic refund is common. In cases where tickets were paid for in cash at a box office, the ticket holder may need to return in person to process the refund.
Secondary Market Purchase Refunds
Refunds for tickets purchased through secondary resale platforms for a Game 7 that ultimately does not take place follow the specific buyer guarantees and policies of each platform. For example, StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee ensures buyers receive a full refund if an event is canceled and not rescheduled. StubHub typically offers a credit to the buyer’s StubHub Wallet, equivalent to 120% of the original purchase amount, but a cash refund to the original payment method can be requested, usually processed within 10 business days.
SeatGeek also offers a full refund to the original payment method for canceled events that are not rescheduled, or they may issue a credit for future purchases, at their discretion. They will often notify the buyer of the cancellation and provide instructions for the refund or credit.
Vivid Seats generally processes refunds for canceled events, which typically include the entire amount paid for the tickets, including service fees. Vivid Seats may initially offer a Rewards Cash loyalty credit for 110% of the total order value, but a full cash refund can be requested by contacting customer service, with processing usually taking 3-5 business days to appear on the credit card.