Scalping Tickets

[joycem10]

Any thoughts on scalping tickets? Im not talking on the internet, Im talking one on one negotiations with some semi-thug outside of a sports venue, trying to get the best price available (and not get a counterfeit ticket) minutes before a game or event.

Personally, I love scalping. Barring some exceptions, like the superbowl run last year, I've been able to scalp for at or around face value of a ticket. When I hate scalpers is when Im trying to unload a ticket, mostly because they chase all the legitimate buyers away. We have some local laws that impact on scalping, but enforcement is spotty at best.

Do you like or hate it, do you think you make out or or get robbed? Anyone here ever end up with a fake? Any local laws regarding scalping?

 

[Bamspeedy]

I've only bought a scalped ticket once, and I sold a ticket once. Both for Packer's games.

The ticket I sold because I had an extra one and went walking around holding up a sign saying I had one. Finally some guy wanted to buy it and then I started to haggle the price. I didn't know there is only certain areas you can scalp (charge more than face value) so the guy was going 'ssshhh' and then explained to me the rule and pointed to where the scalpers were. Didn't want to go join the scalpers as I just wanted to get into the stadium instead of waiting outside so I sold him the ticket for face value + a beer.

The time I bought one I went around with a sign saying I need a ticket, and some lady said a friend of hers had an extra one and would give it to me for face value. Turns out her friend never showed up, so the lady felt sorry and decided to help me haggle with the scalpers for one. Waited until a few minutes before kick-off and all the scalpers start really dropping their prices. She really helped me out because she knew better what was worth the money and what wasn't. I would have paid $75 for crappy seats, but because of her I paid $40 for tickets on the 45-yard line and only about 10 or 20 rows back. About 15 minutes earlier those same tickets probably would have went for $120+.

Overall, I don't like it, but when the waiting list for season tickets for the packers is so long that if you got put on the list now, you won't get them until 3852 A.D.*, scalping is the only way for many people to see a game.

*72,029 on waiting list, 39 people gave up their tickets this year= 1846 years
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com...?AID=/20061002/GPG0101/610020481/1207/GPGnews

 

[warpus]

I thought this thread was going to be about people getting their scalps chopped off

 

[skadistic]

I hate the pros. I don't mind if people are trying to sell tickets but pros irk me. I've never bought but I have sold. I had a few extra concert tickets and was selling them for face value and the pros tried to buy them for less then I paid and when I said no (I used much more harsh words) they tried to intimidate me. I wound up under cutting the same guy 20 minutes later. He was going to sell the tickets for 2x what they were worth to some young kids. I hate the pros.

 

[nonconformist]

I hate the pros. I don't mind if people are trying to sell tickets but pros irk me. I've never bought but I have sold. I had a few extra concert tickets and was selling them for face value and the pros tried to buy them for less then I paid and when I said no (I used much more harsh words) they tried to intimidate me. I wound up under cutting the same guy 20 minutes later. He was going to sell the tickets for 2x what they were worth to some young kids. I hate the pros.

People who buy up all the tickets when they come out, then sell them for exorbitant prices to legitimate fans are scum of the lowest order, bottom feeders

 

[Whomp]

I've also had some great success scalping especially on the selling end to silly Cubs fans. Man, are they stupid when it comes to understanding arbitrage.

On top of it the Cubs organization scalps tickets. They have a related company that is a ticket brokerage and the courts have ok'd it.

Illinois does not cap ticket resale prices, unlike say New York at 10%, so if you can but tickets for a out of state venue you can sell them here to the New Yorkers at premium.

I went to a concert (which is probably one of the toughest tickets to scalp) and as we were walking up we couldn't find a scalper for miles. No one was selling....next thing we know we see a couple in a car and a guy says "you want these tickets my wife feels sick". Duh! Done. They were front row to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers! Awe.some!

 

[Irish Caesar]

I've bought tickets through Ticketmaster before, which is as close to being scapled as I'm interested in.

Convenience charge, my...

 

[Lambert Simnel]

Hmm. Never bought tickets from an outside the venue scalper - basically, I get so few opportunities to go to (say) Cardinals games, that I'm going to make absolutely sure I have the tickets. This can be via booking far enough in advance, or going through a formal scalping agency.

Off to see the almighty Muse tomorrow night and had to pay over twice face value....

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Yea, I buy tickets to a scalping.

 

[Loki cdn]

For me it depends on the type of scalper you are dealing with and whether or not the game in question is regular season or playoffs. During the regular season many scalper's buy so many tickets they get volume discounts and the prices they charge are not always too far out of line with the listed ticket price. Sometimes even cheaper. Heck, I've gotten luxury box tickets for sold out Sens games at a discount the last three season's. Playoff games are an entirely different matter though.

 

[ShannonCT]

As an ardent free market advocate, I find it perplexing that the word "scalping" should even exist. And I find it disgusting that a licensed ticket agent can legally charge one (astronomical) price while Joe Scalper can legally charge a much lower price. Why do we license ticket agents? It's not like they're selling guns or presecription drugs.

My personal experience with scalpers has been at Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park (US Cellular Field my arse). I always buy shortly after the game has started when the prices go down below face value. Missing the first inning is not a big deal.

 

[Quasar1011]

I've been able to catch a few NFL games, because of scalping. Steelers' away games, of course.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Back in Vancouver I used to buy CHL tickets from scalpers but that was only to avoid the long lines that were present in front of the will call line. Those tickets were only 18 bucks at their most expensive at ticketmaster so there were no fake tickets floating around. For Canucks games I never took the chance though.