POP/ROCK - March 2, 1989

Ticketmaster chairman Fred Rosen has branded as “outrageous” a Seattle lawsuit seeking to return non-refundable service fees from Ticketmaster Corp. to holders of tickets to three Michael Jackson concerts that were canceled. Service fees ranging from $2.25 to $3.25 per ticket were withheld on the 72,000 tickets sold. The class-action lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, asks for return of service fees and seeks an additional $5 for each of the fans deprived of seeing the pop superstar in what he said would be his last solo tour. The suit could cost the computerized ticket agency an estimated $540,000 if the ticket buyers prevail at trial.