Summons Issued Against MLB, StubHub, Ticketmaster, and Live Nation
Alan Amron
Inventor of the Press-on memo sticky notes today known as the Post-it sticky notes by 3M and the Dynamic Barcodes to prevent digital ticket fraud.
Summons Issued in $720 Million Ticketing Fraud Patent Case Against MLB, All 30 teams, StubHub, Ticketmaster, and Live Nation
By Dillion Hays, New York News
New York, May 3, 2024 - A federal judge in the Southern District of New York to take a decisive step in a high-stakes patent infringement lawsuit involving some of the biggest names in the ticketing industry. Major League Baseball (MLB), StubHub, Ticketmaster, and Live Nation find themselves embroiled in a legal battle over a patent that aims to combat digital ticket fraud.
The Patent at the Center of the Storm
The case, designated SDNY 24-cv-02930, revolves around U.S. Patent No. 9,047,715, which covers technology utilizing periodically changing barcodes to thwart fraudulent activities related to digital tickets. The plaintiff seeks a staggering $720 million in damages from the defendants.
Public Statements as Evidence
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The plaintiff's case gains strength from public statements made by the defendants themselves:
MLB: The baseball league explicitly acknowledged the ticket fraud problem and highlighted its "Protect the Barcode technology." This technology features "ticket barcodes that rotate every few seconds," aligning precisely with the patented invention.
Ticketmaster: The ticketing giant promotes its "Safe Tix?" feature, powered by a "new and unique barcode that automatically refreshes." This language demonstrates Ticketmaster's understanding of the patent's purpose in addressing ticket duplication.
StubHub: While less explicit, StubHub confirms awareness of rotating barcodes as a key security measure against ticket fraud. Their statement indicates that "some types of mobile tickets have a rotating barcode," preventing screenshots from being used at the gate.
Willful Infringement?
These consistent public statements significantly strengthen the case for willful infringement of the '715 patent.
The court now faces the task of determining whether these statements constitute sufficient evidence and whether the defendants' ticketing systems directly copy the patented technology.
Stay tuned as this legal drama unfolds in the heart of New York City's legal arena.?