Shawn Gallacher and Gary Silverberg bought Super Bowl tickets from an online broker and flew from Vancouver to Phoenix last week to watch the game.
But after arriving in Arizona to watch the Seattle Seahawks battle the New England Patriots for NFL supremacy, the broker - SBTickets.com - told them it couldn't supply the tickets and would refund them the $3,950 US they paid for two upper-bowl tickets with a combined face value of $1,000 US.
So the longtime Seahawks season ticket holders and Metro Vancouver residents watched the game in a seedy bar close to the University of Phoenix Stadium, where the game was played.
Gallacher, from Delta, estimates he and Silverberg, who lives in Richmond, spent about $4,000 US on airfare, hotel costs and other expenses associated with what was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"Gary has been a season-ticket holder for 30 years and this was his one chance to see the Super Bowl," said Gallacher, a 10-year season ticket holder himself. "He has a severely handicapped son and it's almost impossible for him to get away."
Gallacher said he received an email last Friday morning from SBTickets.com president Paul Jones assuring him their tickets were "guaranteed and waiting to get you into the Big Game."
He wants compensation for their travel expenses, along with an explanation from SBTickets. com about what went wrong.
Jones could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Gallacher plans to take the matter up with the Better Business Bureau, which had given SBTickets.com its top rating.
He said he felt he did everything right before paying for the tickets, including phoning the company to ensure everything sounded right, ensuring the firm had a physical office and checking out its standing with the BBB.
But he said he should have checked to see if it was a member of the National Association of Ticket Brokers, whose members are bonded and guarantee that if tickets are not delivered, clients receive a refund of 200 per cent of the amount paid.
The NATB gives the following advice to ticket buyers: Ask if the company is a licensed ticket broker; use a credit card or another secure type of payment (not cash); verify the location of the seats on a seating chart; don't buy tickets from unsecured websites or anyone selling them on the street.
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