StubHub to Pay $10 Million in Settlement Over Deceptive Fees

StubHub has agreed to a $10 million settlement for ticket buyers who were affected by unfair and misleading fees, according to a recent announcement from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

On April 9, the FTC revealed that StubHub, the largest ticket resale platform in the U.S., faced charges for not clearly advertising ticket prices. Specifically, it was alleged that the company failed to disclose the total costs that consumers would actually encounter, including all mandatory fees, in a clear manner.

This settlement pertains to tickets bought between May 12 and May 14, 2025.

In a statement, StubHub expressed its long-standing support for all-in pricing to enhance transparency for its customers. “This settlement includes a limited number of transactions over just three days,” the statement noted. They also acknowledged that some listings on their platform might show ticket prices without fees included.

While StubHub disagrees with the FTC’s stance, they are addressing the agency’s concerns by issuing refunds for a portion of the fees buyers paid. The affected consumers are those who purchased tickets during the specified three-day window. StubHub has been in contact with these individuals to provide further details.

According to the FTC, StubHub must initiate the payment process by July 8, which is 90 days following the order issued on April 9.

Consumers don’t need to take any extra steps to receive their refunds; they should expect to see the money return to their original payment methods, or to PayPal if the first method fails. This payment will cover the fees that customers paid when purchasing tickets, such as service and fulfillment fees.

However, if the total reimbursement amount surpasses what’s available in the consumer fund, not everyone may receive the full amount they are owed.

This notification follows a warning from the FTC to StubHub regarding inaccurate ticket pricing for the 2025 NFL season. As the FTC intensifies its scrutiny of ticket pricing, new rules against unfair fees, known as the Junk Fee Rule, will take effect on May 12, 2025.

A specific instance cited by the FTC involved tickets for the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys game in November 2025. Customers initially saw tickets listed at $236, but upon selecting them, they discovered the actual cost would be $319 after a $59 handling fee and $24 in taxes were added.