Method, apparatus and article-of-manufacture for the creation, issuance, trading, and exercise of refund options for attendance rights

Abstract

Computer-related methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture to permit/facilitate the creation, marketing, and/or distribution of options to purchase tickets or obtain refunds to a particular future event, particularly an elimination format competition, when the chosen competitor's qualification for such a game is currently uncertain, but where the uncertainty will be resolved prior to the commencement of the particular future event.

1 . A computer-based method for distributing a transferable right to a refund of the purchase price of an attendance right to an event for which at least one competitor could qualify to participate but have not yet qualified for said event, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing, in a computer linked to a computer network, information identifying a transferable right to a refund for one or more attendance rights to said event, wherein said right to said refund becomes executable only if said at least one competitor fails to qualify for said event;   transmitting, over said computer network to a plurality of computers, an offer to sell said transferable right to said refund; and   receiving, over said computer network, an acceptance of said offer; whereby said transferable right to said refund is sold pursuant to said acceptance of said offer.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-based method of  claim 1 , further comprising furnishing, over said computer network to said plurality of computers, a secondary market for trading said transferable right to said refund. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-based method of  claim 1 , wherein said offer to sell comprises an auction. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-based method of  claim 1 , wherein said competitor consists of at least one of a team, a participant, and an individual. 
     
     
         5 . A computer-readable medium storing a non-transitory computer program executable by a plurality of computer devices for distributing a transferable right to a refund of the purchase price of an attendance right to an event for which at least one competitor could qualify to participate but have not yet qualified for said event, the computer program comprising computer instructions for:
 storing, in a computer linked to a computer network, information identifying a transferable right to a refund for one or more attendance rights to said event, wherein said right to said refund becomes executable only if said at least one competitor fails to qualify for said event;   transmitting, over said computer network to a plurality of computers, an offer to sell said transferable right to said refund; and   receiving, over said computer network, an acceptance of said offer; whereby said transferable right to said refund is sold pursuant to said acceptance of said offer.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-based method of  claim 5 , further comprising furnishing, over said computer network to said plurality of computers, a secondary market for trading said transferable right to said refund. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-based method of  claim 5 , wherein said offer to sell comprises an auction. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-based method of  claim 5 , wherein said competitor consists of at least one of a team, a participant, and an individual.