Red Sox Fans File Class Action Lawsuit Over Ticket Fees

Three Boston Red Sox supporters have initiated a class action lawsuit against the team regarding what they claim are “junk fees” and “drip prices” related to ticket purchases.

Earlier this month, a lawsuit was lodged in Massachusetts. It suggests that the team engaged in false advertising to lure ticket buyers for games at Fenway Park from 2022 through at least 2024.

The complaint states, “Specifically, the Red Sox would advertise ticket prices at unrealistically low amounts. However, when customers tried to buy these tickets, they were met with added fees at the last moment, like ‘per-ticket fees’ or ‘order fees,’ which could hike the total cost by as much as 150%.” It essentially indicates that the tickets advertised were not obtainable at the posted price.

Plaintiffs argue that this practice resulted in millions of dollars in damages to buyers. “The way the Red Sox used drip pricing and junk fees was not only unfair but also deceptive,” the lawsuit claims. They assert that this behavior violated consumer protection laws in Massachusetts and beyond.

The team issued a brief response, stating, “While we do not comment on pending litigation, we have always complied with applicable state and federal law.”

This lawsuit comes amidst a series of similar legal battles for Boston, as they are one of three Major League Baseball teams facing such allegations in recent times. In September, the Washington Nationals were accused in federal court of defrauding customers out of millions through similar fees.

The San Francisco Giants also faced a comparable lawsuit earlier this week. The lawsuit highlighted how instead of fully disclosing total ticket prices upfront, they reportedly added extra ‘service’ and ‘convenience’ fees that frequently exceeded the originally advertised prices by over $50 per transaction.