A messy situation that involves hockey, an independent ticketing company and COVID-19 capacity restrictions cost a West Kelowna man an opportunity to watch his beloved Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in January.

It wasn91裸聊视频檛 just the live hockey experience that was lost, though 91裸聊视频� it was almost $700.

Ben Orritt was a hero to his children in November when he purchased four tickets to a Jan. 23 Canucks game against the St. Louis Blues.

Both his son and daughter have never been to a Canucks game 91裸聊视频� the same can be said for Orritt, who91裸聊视频檚 called himself a passionate fan of the team since he was a little boy, despite never making it to a live game.

The date was set and a family dream was finally going to come true.

But a surge in COVID-19 cases across B.C. amid the Omicron variant put doubt in the head of Orritt, who received an email two weeks before the game saying his tickets were no longer valid due to capacity restrictions imposed at Rogers Arena.

The father of two may have been disappointed, but he wasn91裸聊视频檛 angry. Orritt received an email from the Canucks stating a full refund would be on its way within 30 days.

When he did get angry, though, was when it was said one night before the game that he wouldn91裸聊视频檛 get a refund from an independent resale company called Ticket-Centre.

91裸聊视频淭he argument from the ticking company is that the game wasn91裸聊视频檛 cancelled and still went on, so they91裸聊视频檙e not giving any refunds,91裸聊视频� Orritt explained.

91裸聊视频淎nd I told them that my tickets weren91裸聊视频檛 selected (under the capacity restrictions) but they said that they don91裸聊视频檛 do refunds, period.91裸聊视频�

At this point, Orritt believed his tickets didn91裸聊视频檛 make the cut under the imposed restrictions in Vancouver. What he would learn later, however, was that his stubs were valid the entire time and he and his family could have indeed attended the Jan. 23 game.

91裸聊视频淪omeone from the Canucks91裸聊视频� season-ticket staff later admitted to me that the email I received about my tickets not making the capacity cut was a mistake,91裸聊视频� Orritt claimed. 91裸聊视频淭he email said I didn91裸聊视频檛 make the cut but in actuality, I did.91裸聊视频�

Canucks staff would later work on fixing the problem themselves but without any success due to the independent ticketers91裸聊视频� alleged 91裸聊视频渘o-refund91裸聊视频� policy.

The team91裸聊视频檚 accountability in the situation was appreciated by Orritt 91裸聊视频� the same wasn91裸聊视频檛 said about the people who he purchased his tickets from.

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 have a beef with the Canucks,91裸聊视频� he stated. 91裸聊视频淚 have a beef with Ticket-Centre.91裸聊视频�

The four tickets cost a total of over $500 CAD before being converted to USD by the ticketing company, prompting Orritt to dish out almost $700.

Despite saying a full refund would be sent to the West Kelowna man, the Canucks were unable to provide the money because the tickets weren91裸聊视频檛 purchased directly through the team.

And as of March 26, he still hasn91裸聊视频檛 received his money.

Orritt still remembers spending June of 1994 with his parents watching the Canucks91裸聊视频� thrilling run to the Stanley Cup Finals and then again in 2011, only months after his daughter was born.

His dream of taking his children to a Canucks still hasn91裸聊视频檛 come true but in the words of the West Kelowna man, 91裸聊视频渢here91裸聊视频檚 always next year.91裸聊视频�

Black Press Media reached out to Ticket-Centre about the matter this week but has not received a response.

logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
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