The original post is below - here is my reddit post with much more info:

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/4e8ikq/how_my_nba_experience_turned_into_a_nightmare/?ref=share&ref_source=link

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Instead of posting my experience word for word, I am just going to post my email to StubHub's customer service regarding the worst experience I have ever had purchasing tickets and how they cost me my chance to see the final game at ARCO. I wouldn't wish this on any fan.

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4/9/16

Regarding Order #: xxxxxxxxx





Good Evening,





I am writing regarding an absolutely unbelievably bad experience I just had with a Stubhub purchase.





I want to give you some background so that you understand that this was not just any game that I bought tickets to.





My wife and I are lifelong Sacramento Kings fans. I have been going to games at Sleep Train Arena (formerly ARCO Arena) since I was a child. The arena has been the home of the Kings since 1988. Tonight was the final Sacramento Kings game at the arena before they shut it down and move to the new arena to open next year's NBA season.





My wife and I were desperately wanting to go to this final game as they were doing many festivities and celebrity meet and greets. There was going to be the chance for me to meet many of my childhood heroes at this game since they were allowing the fans to go on to the floor after game for pictures, meetings, shooting free throws, etc. There were around 50 former players from the 80s until now available to meet the fans.





I was absolutely thrilled to find tickets for a reasonable price on Stubhub at approximately 5:20pm tonight (2+ hours before tip off). I quickly bought the two tickets for $356.00 which were seated in row H (great seats!). I received the confirmation email at 5:22pm stating that I was good to go for my tickets.





We rushed home from work, changed, and got in the car for the 30 mile drive to the arena. We arrived at the gates at approximately 7:05pm where I slid my phone under the scanner for entry (the email even says "It’s easy to get into the event with your phone"). You would imagine my shock and surprise when the message that flashed back was "REFUND".





Not knowing what this meant, and with a line of people behind me trying to get in, I embarrassingly stepped aside trying to figure out what was going on. I tried the other ticket that I was confirmed for. REFUND showed on the screen again. With 20 minutes until tip off, and a bunch of people behind me trying to get in, I desperately asked the door attendant what this meant. She told me that I would need to go to the box office for help.





So we hurriedly rushed to the box office, VERY mindful of the fact that this is a once-in-a-lifetime event and the tip off was fast approaching. The attendant at the window told us "Sorry, this is a Stubhub issue and you need to call them." I immediately looked up the phone number to Stubhub and dialed. I was put through an automated system for a minute or two and then told that a representative would help me shortly.





I sat on hold, staring at my watch as each minute ticked off. I was right outside of the event that I needed to get in to and no one was available to help me. At 7:25pm, I was desperate to get into the venue because I did not want to miss the last ever player introductions of my favorite team at the only arena I had ever seen a professional NBA game. While still on hold with Stubhub, I approached the ticket window and was told that the only available tickets left were absolute nosebleeds (row x, upper bowl) for $320.00 plus fees - more than what I had already paid Stubhub for lower bowl tickets. To make things worse, I had been on hold for over 20 minutes and STILL did not know if I was getting a refund for my Stubhub tickets or what!?





I was faced with risking buying these obscenely priced nosebleed tickets and then still being on the hook for the Stubhub tickets (a total of over $700 for all of the tickets) since I did not know what was going on - or just giving up. There was no way I could buy the second pair of tickets while I was trying to find out what happened with Stubhub so I elected to wait on hold.





By 7:40pm (10 minutes after tip off) I realized I was not going to see this final game at Sleep Train Arena. My wife and I began the walk back to the car feeling as low as possible. This was something that we had wanted to see the entire season. Something that we were assured to see BY Stubhub just two hours before.





On the walk back to the car, after 40 minutes on hold, we finally got through to a representative at Stubhub. They were unable to help me and had to transfer me to someone else. This rep was able to look into the purchase but could not give me any details as to why I was denied at the gate. He told me that the only thing that he could do was offer a refund. A refund does not exactly cut it when you are talking about a one time only event that I was now going to miss. Not even counting the time wasted of driving all the way to the arena.





I pushed for more answers as to what happened - I believe that the seller of these tickets intentionally over sold the tickets and that I was basically scammed. The rep would not confirm this but he told me, AND I QUOTE, "I shouldn't say this, but the guy who sold you these tickets is already under investigation for selling bad tickets"





I asked him how is this possible that someone could REPEATEDLY sell someone bad tickets and he said that there is really no way for Stubhub to monitor bad sellers.





I told him that this is insane that, not only was I not going to see this game, but I was NEVER notified by email, phone, etc that my tickets were not going to work.





The only email I received was my confirmation that I was going to get into the game. I drove 30 miles to be embarrassed at the gates and turned away. I missed the only opportunity that I would have ever had to see this game because Stubhub does not verify their sellers. There is no protection to the buyer short of a "refund" which doesn't do a damn thing when you are turned away 20 minutes before tip off. I was NEVER offered equal or better seats - not like it would have helped anyways since I was on hold for so long that the game was already underway.





Something as simple and basic as seller feedback (similar to eBay) would prevent buyers from buying from un-reputable sellers, since obviously Stubhub does nothing to safeguard the buyer. The rep offered me 20% off my next Stubhub purchase - what is that going to get me? 20% off of another fraudulent sale? How is that going to help me now that I have missed this one time only event?





I want to know what Stubhub is going to offer me to make up for this unbelievably terrible experience.





I expect an answer within a reasonable time frame.





Adam B------------