Event Tickets Center Facing Class Action Over Hidden Fees

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit claims Event Ticket Center misled consumers by hiding fees and violating New York's ticket pricing disclosure laws.

Consumers Affected: Consumers who purchased tickets to events in New York through Event Ticket Center.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Event Tickets Center, an online ticketing platform, is facing a lawsuit in New York, alleging it deceives consumers by tacking on hidden fees at the final stages of ticket purchases. According to the lawsuit, the company violates the state’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, which requires upfront disclosure of all fees before tickets are selected for purchase.

The lawsuit claims that Event Tickets Center entices consumers with fee-less prices during the initial stages of browsing and purchasing. However, once customers input their personal and payment information, the platform allegedly ambushes them with unexpected "service fees" in small, hard-to-spot font on a cluttered checkout page. Adding to the pressure, a countdown timer creates a sense of urgency, suggesting tickets may sell out if consumers don’t act quickly. 

Event Tickets Center Accused of Hiding Fees and Misleading Consumers

Bronx resident Osheé Baugus filed the proposed class action lawsuit after purchasing tickets through Event Tickets Center’s platform. On two occasions, Baugus says he was hit with surprise service fees that were only revealed during the final checkout process. In September 2023, Baugus bought tickets for two events—SuicideBoys at Madison Square Garden and Joey Valence & Brae at the Mercury Lounge—and paid these hidden fees.

The lawsuit alleges that by withholding fee information until the final moments of checkout, Event Tickets Center forces consumers into rushed decisions, often leaving them no time to reconsider or compare prices elsewhere. This practice, the lawsuit claims, not only breaches consumer trust but also allows the company to profit unfairly from hidden costs, ultimately unfairly misleading buyers and violating New York’s consumer protection laws.

New York Law Requires Upfront Disclosure of Ticket Fees

To combat such practices, New York enacted updated regulations under the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law in 2022. The law mandates ticket sellers to clearly display the total cost of tickets, including all fees, before customers select them for purchase. It also prohibits price increases during the buying process and requires all ancillary fees to be disclosed in an obvious and conspicuous manner.

Event Tickets Center’s alleged failure to comply with these rules is central to the lawsuit. The complaint highlights how the platform’s cluttered checkout page and small-font fee disclosures run counter to the law’s intent to provide transparency for consumers.

Other Ticketing Platforms Face Similar Lawsuits Over Hidden Fees

Event Tickets Center joins a growing list of ticketing platforms facing lawsuits over hidden fees. Companies like See Tickets, BookTix, and SeatGeek are accused of similar practices, with consumers claiming these platforms mask the true cost of tickets until the final purchase step.

Major players like Ticketmaster and StubHub are also under fire, with lawsuits alleging deceptive pricing tactics and monopolistic practices that inflate ticket costs. These legal actions reflect increasing scrutiny of the ticketing industry’s fee structures and growing demands for transparency.

In his lawsuit, Baugus wants to represent people from across the country who have used Event Tickets Center’s website or app to buy tickets to events in New York after August 22, 2022. He is suing for alleged violation of the New York Arts and Cultural Affairs Law and is seeking statutory damages and attorneys’ costs and fees.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Baugus, et al. v. Event Tickets Center, Inc.
• Case Number: 1:24-cv-09552  
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Philip L. Fraietta and Stefan Bogdanovich (Bursor & Fisher, P.A.)

Have you purchased tickets through Event Tickets Center? Share your experience with their pricing and fee disclosures in the comments below.