Budweiser And Others Step Up To Help Kobe Fan Screwed By StubHub

By now, you should've heard about a lifelong Lakers fan royally screwed over by ticket reselling marketplace company StubHub.

Last November, Jesse Sandler purchased four tickets to the Los Angeles Lakers' final home game of the 2015-2016 season. Each ticket sold for $195.89.

Then, 18 days after Sandler purchased his tickets, Kobe Bryant announced this would be his final NBA season, and suddenly, similar tickets to the ones Jesse purchased jumped to around $1,500 a piece.

Last month, Jesse received an email from StubHub informing him his tickets were being canceled because they were priced incorrectly, but Jesse would receive a $100 credit.

Seriously? Did StubHub really think it wasn't going to get slammed for this ridiculousness?

Sandler was understandably pissed. He wrote back to StubHub, calling this act an "atrocity" and explaining how he could no longer afford to go to the Lakers' final home game of the season.

StubHub said there was nothing it could do. After several conversations, Jesse managed to recoup $1,100 in credits from StubHub.

Jesse's story started making the rounds, and eventually, Budweiser, in a genius marketing move, posted a picture of a Bud beer and four tickets to Kobe's last game, asking for help tracking Jesse down. Of course, it included #ThisBudsForJesse.

Help find Jesse Sandler! He wanted to see @kobebryant in his last game but his tix were taken away #ThisBudsForJesse pic.twitter.com/O3IsOET64T — Budweiser (@Budweiser) January 6, 2016

StubHub, in an attempt to save its reputation, released a statement owning up to how poorly it handled Jesse's situation and tweeted an apology.

We shot an air ball on this one. Rest assured we'll take care of Jesse & get him to the game. @theleadsports pic.twitter.com/ZGOacVJT38 — StubHub (@StubHub) January 7, 2016

And even though StubHub did end up offering Jesse tickets to the game and an invite to a catered suite, he refused the offer out of principle.

In the end, Sandler accepted tickets to the game from StubHub's rival Tickets For Less.

He told BuzzFeed,

It's not about getting all this stuff, it's about shedding light on a system that's corrupt.

Jesse Sandler, you are the man.

Citations: StubHub Canceled A Fan's Tickets To Kobe Bryant's Last Game When Their Value Increased 664% (BuzzFeed)