Sporting Events - Abandonment?

[Mad Mac]

Fabulous site here, just shows what can be achieved by people working together.

 

Question I've wondered about for a number of years - if a sporting event is abandoned while in progress, are you entitled to demand a refund rather than admission to the rearranged fixture? My thought process is that you haven't got what you paid for and the principles, if not the letter, of SOGA should apply (refund or replacement at consumer's discretion). Has this ever been tested in law?

[sequenci]

Interesting question, I have no idea!

 

I'll go and send for reinforcements.

[alanfromderby]

I would have said not in most cases - I would also think that the only recourse would be through the Supply of Goods and Services Act.

 

Under that Act, the football club have a duty of care which (assuming it is due to bad weather) they would have observed by checking weather forecasts, and relying on the advice of the police and safety people.

 

On the other hand, if it could be proved that they ignored advice - then that is a different matter.

 

In my opinion.

[Lula]

didnt this happen at the Grand National some years ago, what happened then?

[alanfromderby]

Actually, there is a case in point.

 

In the case of the bomb scare, I would say that they could not have foreseen that, and provided they allowed people to go to the rearranged event free of charge, then that would be fine.

 

On the instance where the problem was due to the negligence of the starter - that is a much more complex issue, and possibly if someone could not make it to the rearranged race they would have some claim.

 

Just to add that I cannot see that SOGA would apply as I do not believe that a sporting event would class as "goods", I would have said that it would be a "service". But again, this is just my opinion.

[Weird Al Yankovic]

Check the T&C's normally found on the back of the ticket. These will vary depending upon the particular event and the host's policy.

 

It may state a refund, that the ticket will be valid for a rearranged game etc.

 

Remember, tickets to sporting events, concerts etc are issued to the buyer agreeing to certain conditions with the hosts in the event of something like this.

 

For eg the Welsh Rugby Union will cancel a ticket if it is found to have been sold on for more than the face value. Without this condition there isn't an awful lot the WRU could do as it is not illegal.

 

Therefore, the question is merely hypothetical as each venue propably has differing conditions and it all depends what the T&C's state.