StubHub Sued After Fans Denied Messi Experience: Federal Lawsuit Challenges Ticketing Practices

Federal case claims StubHub sold premium seats it couldn't deliver, denying a Messi fan's dream and still marketing unavailable stadium suites.

MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, August 31, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Recording artist and public advocate Brian Evans has filed a federal lawsuit against StubHub in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Division (Case No. 0:25-cv-61708-PAB), alleging the company misled fans into paying nearly a thousand dollars for premium seats to see Lionel Messi at Inter Miami — while still marketing other listings and suites priced in the thousands — only to be reassigned to bleachers where the once-in-a-lifetime moment slipped away.


At the center of the story is Franco Martinez, Evans’s close friend who had recently come to the United States seeking asylum from Wilde, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Argentina. For Franco, the July 30 match represented more than just a game. After receiving encouragement from Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, to bring a sign to the match, Franco spent six hours creating one he hoped Lionel would notice. But when StubHub reassigned their tickets from premium field-side seats to distant bleachers, the gesture was lost — and so was Franco’s chance to connect with his lifelong hero.


“This lawsuit isn’t just about money,” said Evans. “Franco came here from one of the most dangerous areas in Argentina. His once-in-a-lifetime Messi moment was stolen by StubHub.”


The lawsuit alleges StubHub engaged in deceptive practices by advertising premium seats that did not exist, then downgrading fans into cheaper sections, leaving them with no recourse. Evans argues that this conduct reflects a larger crisis in the ticketing industry — one that impacts millions of consumers.


The problem is not just in the past. StubHub continues to advertise premium suites S1 through S23 at Chase Stadium — listings that cannot be purchased through Inter Miami’s official partner Ticketmaster, or any legitimate platform. These are private suites, not public ticket inventory. “StubHub is marketing something it doesn’t own and can’t deliver,” Evans said. “That is fraud, plain and simple.”


Evans also pointed out that StubHub collects service fees on every transaction. “They profit off these sales, and then turn around and say they’re just a listing platform. You can’t have it both ways. If you’re making money on fraudulent tickets, you’re part of the fraud.”


StubHub is expected to push the case into arbitration, which strips consumers of their right to court and shields corporations from accountability. “This isn’t just my fight,” Evans added. “It’s about every fan who has ever been tricked into paying for something they didn’t get, then told they can’t even have their day in court.”


Consumer protection experts have increasingly raised alarms about the ticket resale market. State Attorneys General from multiple states are investigating StubHub’s practices, and courts across the country — including the Eleventh Circuit — are weighing whether arbitration clauses unfairly tilt the playing field against everyday buyers.


The Inter Miami match was meant to be unforgettable. StubHub’s role as one of the largest secondary marketplaces makes its conduct even more consequential, as thousands of fans rely on the company to deliver what it advertises.


Evans, a Billboard-charting artist, said he took action not only for himself but for fans everywhere. “I’ve dedicated my life to fighting for causes that matter,” Evans said. “This case is no different. If fans can’t trust the biggest ticket platform in the world, then the entire system is broken.”


In June, Evans announced his upcoming single, “The Best Friend I Don’t Know,” produced by Grammy Award-winner Narada Michael Walden, inspired by Lionel Messi. The timing underscores Evans’s admiration for Messi, separate from the legal action, and highlights the duality of his public life — one rooted in creativity, the other in advocacy.


Franco’s story is a reminder of what’s at stake. “He came here from one of the most dangerous areas in Argentina,” Evans said. “He worked so hard on that sign and believed this would be the moment he’d finally feel joy again. You can’t buy another first chance to see Messi up close. StubHub took that away.”

Evans, a 2018 Congressional nominee before returning to music, previously drove hospital policy changes after his mother's tragic passing - proof that determined advocacy can succeed.

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