Ticket buyers for a planned Kanye West concert in St. Petersburg face widespread difficulties securing refunds after organizers initiated ticket sales without securing the venue lease, according to reports from the Telegram channel “Ostorozhno novosti” and Russian news agencies.
The Consumer Revolt in St. Petersburg
More than 500 affected customers have formed a collective online group and filed formal complaints with Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s consumer protection watchdog, and the local prosecutor’s office.
Staggering Ticket Prices and Trapped Funds
According to the complaints, buyers who purchased tickets—including VIP box locations priced in vip-ложи and standard tickets costing 55 тыс. рублей—have spent weeks unable to obtain clear information regarding the status of the event or refunds.
The controversy centers on conflicting statements between the event promoter and the ticketing platform. According to “Ostorozhno novosti”, the promoter agency Say Agency directs refund-seeking customers to contact the ticket operator. Meanwhile, ticketing platform Intickets informs buyers that funds have already been transferred to the promoter, leaving consumers trapped in a loop of corporate redirection while incurring secondary expenses for non-refundable travel and hotel bookings.
Gazprom Arena Denial and Unsigned Contracts
The dispute originated in August when Say Agency announced two upcoming performances by the American rapper, known professionally as Ye, scheduled for October 10 and 11 at the Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg, вместимость которой составляет до 80 тыс. зрителей.
Following the promotional rollout, Gazprom Arena administration publicly stated that no lease agreement had been finalized, making it impossible for the concerts to proceed at the venue.
Promoter Defense and Regulatory Warnings
Anna Subcheva, general director of Say Agency, acknowledged that the rental contract was never formally signed by the venue, stating it was only sent to arena management with a signature deadline of August 27. Subcheva maintained that Kanye West had already received an advance payment for the Russian dates, and insisted to media outlets that the concerts were not canceled and preparation remained active.
In response, Gazprom Arena officials stated that the promoter launched an advertising campaign and ticket sales without possessing the necessary legal documents. Following consumer grievances, Rospotrebnadzor issued an official warning to OOO “Say Agency” regarding the refusal to process refund requests for promotional ticket sales.
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