Fans who bought tickets to a Kanye West concert are entitled to a full refund if the show is cancelled or postponed, Russian lawyer Sergei Zhorin said, amid an ongoing dispute over whether the American rapper will perform at Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg.
Zhorin told the news outlet Lenta.ru that the refund must come from the event's organiser or from whichever authorised party sold the ticket. He said the right to a full refund is set out directly in Article 52.1 of Russia's Fundamentals of Legislation on Culture.
The lawyer advised buyers to first check who is named as the organiser and the seller on the ticket itself, on the receipt and in the terms of sale. He said the mere fact that a ticket was bought through a ticketing service does not automatically mean that service is the one ultimately responsible in every case.
Additional compensation possible
Beyond the ticket price, Zhorin said consumers may also be able to claim documented losses, such as travel expenses, if they can prove those costs were tied to the violation and could not have been avoided. He said this right stems from Article 15 of Russia's Civil Code and Article 13 of the Law on Protection of Consumer Rights.
Zhorin added that compensation for moral damage is also possible, and that a court claim could bring an additional consumer fine if a company fails to meet a customer's demands voluntarily. Unlike the ticket refund itself, he said, these extra sums are not automatic and depend on the specifics and evidence of each case.
Dispute over Gazprom Arena show
The comments follow a statement from Gazprom Arena's press service saying no Kanye West concert would take place at the stadium, adding that its representatives had not signed any contracts for the event. Gazprom Arena, also known as Krestovsky Stadium, is a football venue in St Petersburg that is home to Zenit and hosted matches during the 2018 World Cup.
The concert's organisers have since disclosed details of their negotiations with Gazprom Arena and said they see no obstacles to holding the event.
