StubHub has launched a new platform called FestProtect, designed to offer compensation and rewards to festival-goers who experience disruptions at events, from severe weather cancellations to blocked sightlines, according to Billboard.
The platform expands StubHub's existing FanProtect Guarantee into festival-specific territory. It operates on a three-tier system built around the most common complaints fans report at live festivals.
Tier 1 covers major disruptions. Fans who face severe weather cancellations or last-minute artist dropouts can receive access to future tickets at the same festival or tickets to a future performance from the artist they missed, as long as they purchased through StubHub.
Tier 2 addresses scheduling conflicts. Festivals frequently book overlapping sets, forcing fans to choose between artists. Under this tier, fans who miss an act due to a scheduling conflict may receive ticket remediation tied to that artist.
Tier 3 is broader. It covers everyday festival frustrations including long lines, blocked views, and crowd congestion. Fans who submit claims with documentation of these issues could receive surprise upgrades, future festival perks, or other rewards. StubHub is clear that FestProtect is not a guarantee. Not every claim will result in compensation.
To submit a claim, fans need to provide proof of purchase from StubHub and additional evidence of the disruption. That could be a festival lineup showing conflicting set times, or even a photo of another attendee standing in front of them.
Jill Gonzalez, StubHub's head of consumer, product and tech communications, explained the thinking behind the platform. "You should never feel bad about crossing this [festival] off your bucket list or seeing the artists you've been waiting to see for years," Gonzalez said. "You should be happy with that experience through and through. It's about showing up for fans."
Gonzalez also addressed the fact that StubHub operates as a secondary marketplace, not a primary ticket seller or event promoter. "Fans might not necessarily realize that StubHub is a secondary marketplace. They have their ticket and, if anything goes wrong, they know how they got their ticket and that's StubHub," she said.
New survey data from StubHub found that nearly 60% of festival-goers spend more than $300 per weekend outside the cost of tickets, and more than half have experienced major disruptions at a festival. The company says that data helped drive the decision to build FestProtect.
The launch comes as festival attendance continues to grow and as fan complaints about the live event experience have become increasingly visible on social media. Gonzalez pointed to that online feedback loop as part of what pushed StubHub to act, even though the company has no direct role in producing or running the festivals where its ticket buyers attend.
