Woman calls on Ticketmaster to make changes after concert rescheduled multiple times

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Musical acts and artists from all over the world have announced show stops in Columbus recently.

One of them in 2023 was rapper and hip-hop artist Drake. When tickets went on sale for his show, Jenn Dilver and five of her friends made the purchase to make sure they’d be in the crowd.

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But in the weeks leading up to the concert, which was initially scheduled for early July, Dilver said she received notification that the date had moved slightly, still within July. Dilver said that wasn’t a problem for the group, until a few weeks later.

“We found out that the date had moved a second time, this time to October, on a Monday,” Dilver said. “So, at that time, a couple of us had reached out to understand what our options were, in terms of getting a refund or someone reselling their ticket. We were told that it was up to the event holder. In this case, that would be Drake and his company, to cancel the concert. Then, we would receive our refund. Because the concert had not been canceled, it had been rescheduled.”

At the time, rumors started swirling that the concert would be rescheduled again. So, Dilver and her friends waited.

“Our money was still in limbo,” said Dilver.

That’s when Dilver called Better Call 4.

“The ultimate accountability, I do think, goes to Ticketmaster,” Dilver said. “They’re a big company. They should make their experience more clear when a concert is inevitably going to change, be delayed. This is not the last time something like this happens with a big concert.”

Better Call 4 reached out to Ticketmaster. A representative told NBC4, “Consumer support will reach out to [Dilver].”

Then, NBC4 did some digging for information about refunds. On its website, the company stated that “all sales are final and refunds are only allowed in limited circumstances,” adding that, “policies set forth by event organizers generally prohibit us from issuing exchanges or refunds after a ticket has been purchased.”

However, Dilver said that not long after she spoke with NBC4, she did get her money back. Unfortunately, she did not get to see Drake when he did finally come to Columbus in February.

Now, she has a message for other ticket buyers as we head into a busy concert season.

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“Really, understand what you’re signing up for which is the concert itself, and for hopefully a fun time, but also for the possibility that, just like flights… it feels like that’s what’s happening now, there will be changes and those changes will likely be out of your control.”

Before you buy, make sure you’re aware of every possibility and how that could affect you financially. Ticket insurance is always an option, but make sure it’s the right option for you. The Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio has more information about that here.

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