Madonna played a string of three shows at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in December. She took the stage there on December 13, 14, and 16. Reports state that she started the shows two hours late. Now, concertgoers are suing her for breach of contract, violation of New York’s business practices and false advertising laws, unjust enrichment, and negligent misrepresentation among other things.
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Attorneys for ticketholders Jonathan Hadden and Michael Fellows filed the federal class action lawsuit against Madonna in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday (January 17). The suit states that the pop icon started the three Barclays Center shows two hours late. As a result, she caused real legal harm to those who bought tickets, according to Billboard.
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The concerts were slated to start at 8:30. However, the Material Girl didn’t take the stage until after 10:30. As a result, the shows didn’t end until after 1 a.m.
More Details on the Suit Against Madonna
In the suit, attorneys for the plaintiffs wrote, “Defendants’ actions constitute not just a breach of their contracts … but also a wanton exercise in false advertising, negligent misrepresentation, and unfair and deceptive trade practices.”
Fellows and Hadden stated they expected the shows to start on time. Furthermore, they stated that they “would not have paid for their tickets had they known that the concert would start after 10:30 p.m.”
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The suit states that the concerts ended after 1 a.m. As a result, ticketholders were “left stranded in the middle of the night.” The late hour meant that public transportation options were limited. Additionally, it made ride-share services like Uber and Lyft more expensive.
The plaintiffs also point out that the shows took place on a weeknight. As a result, they were out later than expected and still had to get up and go to work or fulfill other responsibilities the following day.
One of the more interesting claims in the lawsuit is that of negligent misrepresentation. This claim says that concert organizers “knew or should have known” that the shows would start late because Madonna has a long history of not being on time. Attorneys stated that the pop icon “Has a long history of arriving and starting her concerts late. Sometimes several hours late. This history occurred throughout her 2016 Rebel Heart Tour, her 2019-2020 Madame X Tour, and prior tours.” As a result, the lawsuit claims that concert organizers should have warned ticket buyers of the Material Girl’s likelihood of being tardy.
The suit names Madonna, Live Nation, and Barclays Center.
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