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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
As of March 31, 2026, the Company has future purchase commitments as follows (in thousands):
Purchase Commitments
Remainder of 2026$38,653 
202754,517 
202815,470 
20296,739 
20307,000 
Thereafter— 
Total minimum payments$122,379 
These purchase commitments consist primarily of contractual inventory costs, sponsorship fees and partnership fees, as well as vendor costs. Inventory costs are included in cost of revenue and sponsorship and partnership fees are included in sales and marketing expense reported in the condensed consolidated statements of operations. Sponsorship and partnership fees totaled $20.8 million and $17.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively. The Company’s purchase commitments for inventory represent the total amount of minimum proceeds that we agreed to remit to content rights holders in exchange for their agreement to list a certain number of original issuance tickets. Inventory costs totaled $1.0 million and $5.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively.
Indirect Tax Contingencies –The Company evaluated its potential indirect tax obligations in various jurisdictions including U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions and determined instances where indirect tax contingencies exist.
The Company has estimated indirect tax liabilities where it may have a filing obligation and exposure for penalties and interests which were determined to be probable and estimable. As of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, the Company had accrued $10.0 million and $17.9 million within accrued expenses and other current liabilities, respectively, and $98.2 million and $97.5 million within other non-current liabilities, respectively, related to transactional tax liabilities. Additionally, as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, the Company accrued $44.3 million and $42.0 million within other non-current liabilities for estimated tax liabilities, respectively, related to sellers withholding tax liabilities.
The Company's estimated liabilities for these tax matters are inherently subjective due to the complexity and uncertainty of these matters and the administrative, regulatory or judicial processes in certain jurisdictions. In addition, the Company is involved with legal and regulatory proceedings related to indirect tax matters as further described below in Litigation, Regulatory Proceedings and Other Legal Matters. The final outcome could be materially different from the estimated liabilities recorded. In addition, the Company could be subject to additional tax liabilities, where the Company is unable to determine an estimate of the possible loss or range of loss beyond the amounts already accrued. The Company will continue to monitor the development of these tax contingencies, including interactions with domestic and foreign tax authorities and will adjust these estimated liabilities based on any new information or further developments.
Litigation, Regulatory Proceedings and Other Legal Matters—As part of its normal operations, the Company is involved in legal and regulatory proceedings on an ongoing basis. Amounts accrued for legal and regulatory proceedings for which the Company believes a loss is probable and estimable were $155.0 million and $146.2 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively, within accrued expenses and other current liabilities, and other non-current liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.
The Company is party to a legal proceeding with Spotlight Ticket Management, Inc. (“Spotlight”), who is alleging, among other things, that the Company underpaid certain of the commissions owed to Spotlight pursuant to their contractual agreements and intentionally interfered in Spotlight’s ongoing partnerships with other parties in an effort to adversely impact Spotlight’s business. The proceeding, entitled Spotlight Ticket Management, Inc. v. StubHub, Inc. et al, was filed in the Superior Court of the State of California on June 23, 2020. On May 24, 2024, a jury reached a verdict against the Company for $16.4 million to the plaintiff. The Company previously determined the probability of loss to be remote. The matter is pending post-trial motions and appeal by the Company. The final outcome could be materially different from the estimated liability recorded. The Company has accrued a liability within other non-current liabilities of $16.4 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, for which a loss is probable. In connection with the appeal process, on November 26, 2024, the Company posted a $24.6 million appeal bond.
On February 6, 2024, the Company received a letter and subpoena from the Attorney General of the District of Columbia (the “D.C. AG”) regarding allegations that certain features of the Company’s website, including its all-in pricing feature, violated the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act (the “D.C. CPPA”). The Company cooperated with such inquiry, producing such information that was responsive to the subpoena. Following its review of publicly available information and the information that the Company provided, the D.C. AG has informed the Company that it believes that certain of the Company’s practices have violated the D.C. CPPA. On August 1, 2024, the Company was served with a complaint by the D.C. AG. The Company’s review of the complaint and its discussions on this matter are ongoing. While the Company believes that its commercial practices comply with applicable laws, a resolution of this matter may include a monetary fine and/or injunctive relief. The Company has accrued a liability within other non-current liabilities of $8.0 million and $1.8 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively, for which a loss is probable. Due to the ongoing nature of the review and uncertainties involved, the final outcome could be materially different from the estimated liability recorded.
On January 20, 2025, the Company received a request for information from a non-U.S. regulator investigating whether buyers were adequately notified of the view from certain seat locations. On February 24, 2026, the Company reached a settlement with the non-U.S. regulator to settle the matter by requiring the Company to offer a refund to impacted buyers, who have five months to respond to the offer. As of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, the Company recorded a probable loss within accrued expenses and other current liabilities of $12.8 million and $13.0 million, respectively. Due to the uncertainty regarding the number of responses to be received by impacted buyers, the final outcome could be materially different from the estimated liability recorded.
On August 27, 2025, a U.S. regulator initiated an investigation seeking information regarding the Company's business practices in connection with the advertised pricing of live event tickets. While the Company believes that its commercial practices comply with applicable laws, the resolution of this matter includes a monetary fine and injunctive relief. On April 9, 2026, the Company reached an agreement with the U.S. regulator to settle the matter for $10.0 million. The Company has accrued a liability within accrued expenses and other current liabilities of $10.0 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, for which a loss is probable.
On April 2, 2025, and as amended on June 11, 2025, we received a complaint from the Monroe County District Attorney on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania alleging that certain features of our website, including, among other things, the all-in pricing feature, violated the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has intervened to join the matter on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. On January 20, 2026, the court denied the Company's motion to dismiss the complaint. On February 2, 2026, the Company filed an answer to the complaint. On May 5, 2026, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office sent the Company a confidential communication in which it proposes that the parties enter into a settlement agreement that includes injunctive relief and restitution. The Company determined that a loss is probable, but due to the ongoing nature of the review and uncertainties involved, the Company cannot reasonably estimate the amount or range of loss should any unfavorable outcome materialize.
The Company operates in numerous jurisdictions in which taxing authorities may challenge its positions with respect to income and non-income-based taxes. The Company routinely receives inquiries and from time to time has, and may in the future, receive challenges or assessments from these taxing authorities. With respect to non-income based taxes, the Company recognizes liabilities when the Company believes it is probable that amounts will be owed to the taxing authorities and such amounts are estimable. In most jurisdictions, the Company charges and remits Sales and Use Taxes or Value Added Tax (“VAT”) when procuring goods and services, or providing services, within the normal course of business.
The Company received sales and use tax assessments from an individual state department of revenue within the U.S. regarding the Company’s sales tax withholding practice. On January 13, 2026, the state's Court of Appeal held that the Company was subject to the tax and interest imposed by the assessment. The Company filed a petition for appeal with the state's Supreme Court. The matter is pending resolution from the appeal process and final ruling. The Company determined the loss to be probable and accrued a liability within other non-current liabilities of $67.1 million and $66.1 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively. The final outcome could be materially different from the estimated liability recorded.
The Company also received a dispute from a non-U.S. taxing authority for VAT related to certain sales in prior periods. The Company’s position is that the sales were treated appropriately for VAT and intends to defend its position with the taxing authorities. In the third quarter of 2024, without admitting any misconduct, the Company was offered a potential opportunity to settle certain matters with the non-U.S. taxing authority. The Company had recorded probable losses of $29.2 million and $29.9 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively, within accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets for this matter. The accrued amount represents the settlement offer the Company intends to provide to the non-U.S. taxing authority. Discussions on these matters are ongoing and the interpretation and application of these VAT rules could result in a liability that is materially different from the estimate recorded.
In connection with a complaint by the Swiss Consumers Association alleging infringement of the Swiss Unfair Competition Act, a preventative freeze of $15.0 million and $15.1 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively, is reflected in restricted cash.
In connection with a complaint by French authorities regarding the Union of European Football Associations Championship, relating to the Company’s commercial practices, preventative freeze of $1.4 million and $1.4 million as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively, is reflected in restricted cash.
The Company does not believe that losses are probable with respect to these additional claims and regulatory proceedings or that reasonably possible losses are material. Legal and regulatory proceedings are inherently unpredictable and subject to significant uncertainties. If one or more matters were resolved against us in a reporting period for amounts in excess of management’s expectations, the impact on the Company’s operating results or financial condition for that reporting period could be material. The Company is also unable to estimate the potential impact from the application of non‐monetary remedies. The impact from these remedies may have a significant adverse impact on the Company’s business practices, which could result in a material impact to its liquidity, operating results and financial condition.