The Timberwolves are being sued over the way they sell their tickets.

A class-action lawsuit on behalf of ticket buyers filed Thursday morning in Hennepin County District Court claims the Timberwolves’ use of the digital marketplace Flash Seats makes it too hard for fans to exchange tickets, sell them on the secondary market or even give them away.

The suit, filed by law firm Zimmerman Reed of Minneapolis, claims the Wolves’ new “draconian” and “cumbersome” policies produce “economic harm” and violate contracts, state trade acts and antitrust laws.

The lead plaintiffs, season-ticket holders GLS Companies of Brooklyn Park and James Mattson, contend they were not adequately notified about changes in ticketing policy until after they agreed to spend $32,000 and $21,000, respectively, on season tickets in 2015-16.

Last year, the Timberwolves and Lynx partnered with Flash Seats to become the first professional sports teams to go 100 percent digital for ticket sales. Fans use a computer or smartphone app to obtain, exchange or resell tickets. They lock in tickets digitally, then use a credit card, ID or phone app to enter Target Center.

The lawsuit representing an estimated “thousands” of plaintiffs claims “the new policies were designed to benefit Defendant and harm ticket purchasers.”

Timberwolves President Chris Wright said in a statement the team is aware of the lawsuit.

“The Timberwolves and Lynx organizations are confident that Flash Seats supplies the best possible experience for our fans,” he said. “Flash Seats gives our ticket holders the maximum possible convenience and complete control over their Timberwolves and Lynx tickets. We are committed to continuing to give our fans the best possible experience.” Related Articles Timberwolves’ poor attendance about more than losses

The Wolves have drawn criticism since debuting the digital marketplace this season. One complaint is that Flash Seats sets a minimum price for which tickets can be resold, then charges fees to the seller and buyer. Another is that ticket holders can’t give the tickets to anyone not registered with Flash Seats.

The suit calls these policies “unlawful limitations,” citing legal bases that include breach of contract, unjust enrichment and violation of state acts concerning consumer fraud.

Wolves partial season-ticket holder Adam Webb told the Pioneer Press in January that Flash Seats set a resale price floor at 75 percent of face value, plus fees — sometimes making it impossible to resell his seats.

The suit said the “arbitrarily imposed” minimum resale price set by Flash Seats ranged from 75 to 90 percent of face value and should be much lower for a team with the Timberwolves’ record, 19-42 as of Wednesday.

In January, Wright told the Pioneer Press that Flash Seats generally has been well received by fans. Without going into detail, he said the pricing strategy was established to “make sure that our tickets are not completely undervalued by the market.”

The Timberwolves, who will miss the playoffs for the 12th straight season, rank last among 30 NBA teams in attendance with an average of 14,045 fans for 31 home games at Target Center.

Flash Seats was founded by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert. Its website lists the Cavaliers and fellow NBA teams Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets among its clients.

Zimmerman Reed was involved in a $42 million settlement that former NFL players received in 2013 from the league over the league’s use of players’ names and images without their consent.