Ticket Refund Suits Against StubHub to Get MDL Treatment

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation's order created the first MDL involving lawsuits stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuits will go before U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam, in the Northern District of California, where four cases against StubHub are pending.

The MDL panel wrote in its recent order: "[F]or the parties' request for the creation of a StubHub -only MDL, we find that the actions against StubHub involve common questions of fact, and that centralization of actions against StubHub in the Northern District of California will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of the litigation. The actions involve common factual issues arising from similar putative nationwide class actions alleging that StubHub wrongfully changed its policies for refunds for cancelled or rescheduled events as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Plaintiffs allege that StubHub, which reportedly touts itself as the 'world's largest ticket marketplace,' for years prior to COVID-19 had assured customers, via its 'FanProtect Guarantee,' that ticket purchasers would receive full refunds for cancelled events."