Following an intense wave of backlash, Ticketmaster will reportedly begin offering refunds to events that have been postponed, in addition to those that have been cancelled, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Starting May 1, ticketholders who have tickets to postponed events will begin getting emails from Ticketmaster informing them of the new concert dates, as well as the option for an immediate refund, Billboard reports. Ticketholders will have 30 days to request the refund, and if they do not, their ticket will be valid at the reschedule date.
There will also be another option via Live Nation allowing fans to receive a 150 percent credit for the value of their tickets to be used for a future show put on by the company, Billboard reports. They will be able to donate the proceeds of their refund to a charity offering up their concert tickets to health care workers, and Live Nation will match the value of each donation.
So far, Ticketmaster has not officially announced the plan.
The news comes after the ticketing giant faced widespread criticism when it changed its policy to only provide refunds for concert events that were cancelled, while denying refunds for events that had only been postponed or rescheduled.
Ticketmaster released a statement earlier this week, essentially saying it was up to event organizers to outright cancel shows and not postpone them, if they wished ticketholders to receive a refund.
UPDATE (4/20, 6 p.m. ET): Though Ticketmaster has still not confirmed plans to offer refunds to postponed shows, it has detailed a new initiative called "Rock When You're Ready," which will provide ticketholders an option to get "Concert Cash" (though not yet real cash). The project is described like this this:
Live Nation will soon be rolling out Rock When You're Ready, a full program of options for fans with tickets to shows that have been cancelled or rescheduled. Our venues will be offering loyal fans a variety of Concert Cash credits to put towards future ticket purchases. For cancelled shows fans can choose to receive up to 150% of their ticket value as Concert Cash, and for rescheduled shows they will receive Concert Cash once they attend the new date. Those looking for ways to give back can opt to donate their tickets to health care workers through Live Nation's expanded Hero Nation program. And anyone who needs or wants their money back will have the option to get a full refund within 30 days once a show has been canceled or new dates have been finalized. It takes an entire ecosystem to bring live events to life, and we appreciate the patience of fans as our teams work through the details of shifting these shows with artists, venues, and communities around the world. Exact offers will vary based on show and venue, and will be shared directly with ticketholders when they are available, beginning May 1.
Starting May 1, ticketholders who have tickets to postponed events will begin getting emails from Ticketmaster informing them of the new concert dates, as well as the option for an immediate refund, Billboard reports. Ticketholders will have 30 days to request the refund, and if they do not, their ticket will be valid at the reschedule date.
There will also be another option via Live Nation allowing fans to receive a 150 percent credit for the value of their tickets to be used for a future show put on by the company, Billboard reports. They will be able to donate the proceeds of their refund to a charity offering up their concert tickets to health care workers, and Live Nation will match the value of each donation.
So far, Ticketmaster has not officially announced the plan.
The news comes after the ticketing giant faced widespread criticism when it changed its policy to only provide refunds for concert events that were cancelled, while denying refunds for events that had only been postponed or rescheduled.
Ticketmaster released a statement earlier this week, essentially saying it was up to event organizers to outright cancel shows and not postpone them, if they wished ticketholders to receive a refund.
UPDATE (4/20, 6 p.m. ET): Though Ticketmaster has still not confirmed plans to offer refunds to postponed shows, it has detailed a new initiative called "Rock When You're Ready," which will provide ticketholders an option to get "Concert Cash" (though not yet real cash). The project is described like this this:
Live Nation will soon be rolling out Rock When You're Ready, a full program of options for fans with tickets to shows that have been cancelled or rescheduled. Our venues will be offering loyal fans a variety of Concert Cash credits to put towards future ticket purchases. For cancelled shows fans can choose to receive up to 150% of their ticket value as Concert Cash, and for rescheduled shows they will receive Concert Cash once they attend the new date. Those looking for ways to give back can opt to donate their tickets to health care workers through Live Nation's expanded Hero Nation program. And anyone who needs or wants their money back will have the option to get a full refund within 30 days once a show has been canceled or new dates have been finalized. It takes an entire ecosystem to bring live events to life, and we appreciate the patience of fans as our teams work through the details of shifting these shows with artists, venues, and communities around the world. Exact offers will vary based on show and venue, and will be shared directly with ticketholders when they are available, beginning May 1.