Red Sox sued by own fans over alleged ‘bait-and-switch’ ticket tactics

A trio of Red Sox fans has filed a class-action lawsuit against the team for alleged “junk fees” and “drip pricing” on ticket purchases. 

A suit filed in Massachusetts earlier this month accuses the franchise of false advertising to “bait-and-switch” ticket buyers for games and events at Fenway Park from 2022 to at least 2024. 

“Specifically, the Red Sox would advertise illusorily low prices for their tickets,” the lawsuit alleges. “When purchasers attempted to buy those tickets, however, the Red Sox would add mandatory fees at the last minute, such as ‘Per-Ticket Fees’ and ‘Order Fees,’ that could increase the cost of a purchase by as much as 150 percent.

“In other words, the Red Sox’s advertised tickets were not actually available for purchase at the advertised prices.”

The plaintiffs allege the practice has cost purchasers millions of dollars. 

“The Red Sox’s use of drip pricing and junk fees was both unfair and deceptive,” the lawsuit states. “It was also illegal under the consumer protection laws of Massachusetts and other states.”

The Red Sox gave a short statement to WCVB Channel 5 in Boston, stating, “While we don’t comment on pending litigation, we have always complied with applicable state and federal laws.”

Boston is one of three Major League Baseball teams to be dealt a similar lawsuit in the past few months. 

In September, the Nationals were accused in federal court of cheating “customers out of millions of dollars” through junk fees. 

The Giants were handed a similar lawsuit earlier this week. 

“Rather than disclosing the full cost of purchasing tickets upfront, the Giants tacked on last-minute “Service” fees, “Convenience” fees, “Handling and Convenience” fees, and “Order” processing fees that increased the cost of the purchase, exceeding the price initially advertised to the consumer, often by more than $50 per transaction,” the lawsuit against the San Francisco franchise read.