Tony Robbins ticket refund battle, worth $4000, fails in court

A Sunshine Coast man who paid $4000 to see a life coach Tony Robbins event which was repeatedly postponed went all the way to court to have his money reimbursed.

A Coolum man who paid nearly $4000 to see life coach Tony Robbins has failed in his bid to get a refund after the event was cancelled two years running.

James Rice bought two tickets in late 2019 to see international best-selling author and life coach Tony Robbins at a three day live event in Sydney, which was expected to run from September 17 to 20, 2020.

The event, organised by Success Resources Ptd, was ultimately postponed to September 2021 due to the Covid-19 health orders imposed by the NSW Government during the pandemic.

However, it was postponed a second time to September 2022 after the lockdown rules in Sydney where extended.

Mr Rice, who works in hospitality, had requested a refund from Success Resources after the event was postponed.

A Tony Robbins Sydney event was postponed twice due to the pandemic. Picture: Supplied.

The refund was denied and he lodged an appeal with the Queensland Civil Administrative Tribunal, which was heard in Noosa Magistrates Court on Friday, October 8.

The court heard the events company had offered Mr Rice two tickets to a virtual event hosted by Tony Robbins at the value of $500.

Mr Rice said he would never had paid the money to an event without the assurance he could have received a refund.

Success Resources sales director Craig Doran told the QCAT hearing Mr Rice when buying the tickets would have had to have agreed to the terms and conditions of the event, which included the company’s right to postpone in the event of a pandemic.

“Seminar services that are scheduled or postponed are not eligible for a refund,” Mr Doran said.

He said a refund would only have been made available if the event still didn’t happen two years after the originally set date.

“I completely sympathise (with Mr Rice), this is not a decision we wanted to take, we had to take it,” Mr Doran said.

“As a business we’ve paid money for supplies.”

Mr Rice said while he doesn’t remember “ticking off” the terms and conditions, he felt that he couldn’t afford the cost of the tickets now having to wait nearly three years since making the purchase.

“I don’t think I would be paying $4000, if someone says we’re not doing that tomorrow,” he said.

“We don’t want to keep leaving September free every year … that's in the ballpark of three years.

“I work in the hospitality industry and I can’t get $4000 back.”

Magistrate Christopher Callaghan said Mr Rice had agreed to the terms and conditions when purchasing the ticket, which clearly included a pandemic clause to allow for the event to be postponed.

“A lot of people don't read the terms and conditions, I don’t always do it myself,” Mr Callaghan said.

“You've agreed to buy these tickets to this event and the terms and conditions that if there’s a pandemic … after two years they should refund you if they haven’t been able to put it on.”

A Tony Robbins Sydney event was postponed twice due to the pandemic. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Callaghan adjourned the matter to October 14, 2022, to allow Mr Rice the opportunity to continue with the appeal if Success Resources failed to either refund him in the future or if another event was postponed.

Mr Rice told the Sunshine Coast Daily he intended to go to the 2022 Tony Robbins event if it went ahead but was disappointed about Friday’s outcome.

“It’s pretty frustrating, I’m in the hospitality game and that’s been the worst industry hit a part from airlines and to have $4000 tied up for three years,” he said.

“But you’ve got to try, I was just trying to do what was right and take a stand.”