Lakers fan claims StubHub took away tickets to Kobe Bryant’s final game

One Lakers fan thought he struck gold when he purchased four tickets to the team’s final home game this season a month before Kobe Bryant announced his retirement on ticket reselling website StubHub. Unfortunately, the broker had seller’s remorse after prices skyrocketed, so the purchase was voided, leaving Jesse Sandler and his friends ticketless.

One Lakers fan thought he struck gold when he purchased four tickets to the team’s final home game this season a month before Kobe Bryant announced his retirement on ticket reselling website StubHub. Unfortunately, the broker had seller’s remorse after prices skyrocketed, so the purchase was voided, leaving Jesse Sandler and his friends ticketless.

TheLeadSports.com has the scoop on Sandler’s claims with the fan providing emails and voice mails from the online ticket broker. StubHub’s original email informs the spurned buyer that the price he paid for the April 13 game was simply too low.

”The Seller let us know that these tickets were listed incorrectly. Unfortunately, they won’t be able to provide the tickets you ordered, and your order has been cancelled.”

“Comparable tickets were not available. Your original tickets were listed below market value at $195.89, and other similar tickets are listed for well over $1,490.00”

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Sandler then goes through a maze of customer service representatives who all explain that there is “nothing they could do” and offer him a series of StubHub giftcards.

The original order of four tickets cost $906.77, and even with the $250 in-store credit he received, Sandler points out he is still $400 short from being able to purchase a single ticket for the game now.

StubHub policy is to charge sellers a penalty of 20% of the ticket price for cancelling an order, meaning it is still worth a ticketholder’s while to pay the fee and relist the tickets in cases where prices jump dramatically, like for Kobe’s final game.

The jilted Kobe fan also added that one of the many StubHub representatives he spoke to admitted the same thing happened to many people when Derek Jeter announced his retirement before the 2014 season.

This is not the first time Bryant’s retirement has given ticket sellers an opportunity to put the squeeze on fans as the 76ers hiked up prices for the former Lower Merion star’s final game in Philadelphia.

The story may end well for Sandler though as Budweiser is searching for the fan to present him with tickets and also a can of beer.

Help find Jesse Sandler! He wanted to see @kobebryant in his last game but his tix were taken away #ThisBudsForJesse pic.twitter.com/O3IsOET64T

— Budweiser (@budweiserusa) January 6, 2016

UPDATE: Since the story went StubHub has reached out and offered Sandler a set of four tickets to the game, only to be topped by Tickets For Less, who offered the Lakers fan a set of tickets in even better seats, according to TheLeadSports.

We shot an air ball on this one. Rest assured we'll take care of Jesse & get him to the game. @theleadsports pic.twitter.com/ZGOacVJT38

— StubHub (@StubHub) January 7, 2016

It looks like things will work out for Sandler although StubHub has not announced any change in its policies.

[TheLeadSports]

– Brendan Maloy