If you want to resort to talking about contract law, then there's obviously no case at all, there's a contract on Stubhub and it's explicit that the buyer has no further recourse. End of discussion.
In the hypothetical, which I'm referencing, my argument holds. If you've ever been involved in actual litigation you'd know that proving damages for hypothetical things that might have happened is really hard to do, and that specific performance is an equity remedy and while possible, is generally a last resort.
In the actual situation under discussion, CA small claims is generally not a court of equity unless specifically authorized by statute, notwithstanding the perishable nature of these tickets and likelihood of even being able to get an argument heard before the game took place.