Why Are Some StubHub Customers So Mad?

StubHub World Cup ticketing failures2:09

• StubHubclip

  World Cup ticketing disruptions were caused by obstacles with FIFA's mobile ticket app.

• Hannah Krugerassertion

  StubHub's ticketing troubles predate the World Cup and include failures for many other types of events.

StubHub's founding and business model4:25

StubHub was founded in 2000 to legitimize the secondary ticket market by acting as a middleman that handles payments rather than owning tickets. The company's core product is trust, backed by a Fan Protect Guarantee promising replacement tickets or refunds if buyers cannot enter an event.

Rising complaints before StubHub IPO7:19

Customer complaints about StubHub climbed 63% in the eight months leading up to its September 2025 IPO, peaking the same month the company went public. Many complaints centered on sellers failing to transfer tickets to buyers who had already paid.

Secondary market ticket fraud and speculation10:12

• StubHubclip

  Speculative ticketing is prohibited in its terms of service, though legitimate tickets can sometimes enter the marketplace prior to public sale.

• Hannah Krugerassertion

  Penalties for sellers who fail to deliver tickets are often far less than the profit they make.

Reggie Jean Bryce World Cup ticket dispute11:24

Customer Reggie Jean Bryce paid nearly $12,000 for field-level World Cup tickets but received a major downgrade to nosebleed seats instead of an upgrade. After refusing the replacement, he faced a two-week battle involving a dozen calls to finally secure a refund.

StubHub customer service budget cuts16:28

• Former employeesassertion

  StubHub's customer service infrastructure is rickety and discombobulated, and agents sometimes cannot see if refunds were promised.

• StubHubclip

  The operations and support budget excludes some fraud protection, technology, and engineering expenses, and the company has invested significantly in customer service and operations.

StubHub arbitration mailing address issues18:05

Customers attempting to initiate mandatory private arbitration against StubHub report that physical mail sent to the address in the terms and conditions repeatedly came back as undeliverable. The mailing address reportedly changed seven times over a year and a half, making it difficult for customers to follow dispute procedures.

StubHub CEO acknowledges World Cup issues18:59

• Eric Bakerclip

  A small percentage of customers had issues with World Cup tickets, but the company takes the failures seriously and strives to do better.

StubHub's trust and future viability19:53

A guarantee is only as valuable as a company's willingness to fund it, and StubHub's expansion has been accompanied by support cutbacks that leave customers suffering. The company's next moves regarding customer service investment will signal what it values and determine its future viability.