Comments on: Time to change the ticket scalping laws

By: ColoradoJimH

ColoradoJimH — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:15:15 +0000

I agree changes are needed. StubHub sold invalid tickets to me recently. Greed.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:00:11 +0000

I work for a broker. Yes- hate me all you want. However, I wonder why fans do not know that they are buying tickets priced above face value when they know that they are buying from a secondary broker. True ticket brokers are usually (and no one should buy a ticket from a company who is not:) registered with the National Association of Ticket Brokers and their city\’s Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Buruea. These companies make it very clear on their website that the tickets are priced higher than the face value. Our company has a disclaimer, and many of the other companies do too. Also- about Ticketmaster and the complaint that they never have tickets available- but all the brokers do….Ticketmaster has it\’s own auction site. Meaning, for the really big shows (and yes- that included Hannah Montana) a fan can sell their ticket back to Ticketmaster- and Ticketmaster auctions it off to the highest bidder. Also, fans complain about not being able to buy tickets because the brokers buy them all up. Most brokers buy tickets the same way fans used to buy tickets-before they realized they could pay someone else to do it. Meaning, brokers have people that they pay to wait in line; brokers call and go online and try to get tickets the second they go on sale, just like everyone else. Yes- there are some concerts when it just doesn\’t seem fair- Hannah Montana, and the Dave Matthews Band, just to name a few. But a show selling out in under ten minutes is nothing new! I remember when I was 14 and wanted to see Jimmy Buffett- and there wasn\’t a big secondary market then- I waited in line overnight, was the third person in line when they went on sale- and when I went to the counter- they were sold out. In under ten minutes. I do understand the frustration of some fans- however, people should be better educated consumers and not buy from a ticketing agency that doesn\’t reveal the face value of the ticket. It\’s a business where the market dominates the prices- just like every other business out there (excluding non-profits).

By: Leda

Leda — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:44:58 +0000

Buying and selling tickets for any value is not legal in public in the state of Texas.

By: Eddie

Eddie — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:30:17 +0000

I will soon be starting a new website that will do just this, get rid of the scalper! I will set it up to sell the tickets for face value plus documented fees and hopefully it will go over well with folks like us.Hannah Montana tickets are selling for 10 times what the face value is and it sold out 15 shows in about 18 minutes thanks to these low life so called \”resellers.\”My daughter cant even enjoy her favorite show because of this chit.

By: Observer

Observer — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:03:02 +0000

There are sites that fans can legally and safely buy and sell tickets. The most popular one is stubhub.com.
Mark I agree with some other posters above that you of all people shouldn’t be looking for help from the federal government in the area of ticket sales. Brokers are a part of the sports industry, stubhub and some other companies have created a marketplace for fans to buy tickets, but even that site is filled with postings from brokers. Brokers have advantages in obtaining tickets and some fans love them for it and are willing to pay a premium price for those tickets. It’s the American way, why fight it?

By: Joe Wikert

Joe Wikert — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:03:02 +0000

let the buyer beware, right? i’ve bought plenty of tickets off the streets from “brokers” and i always either (a) bring a seating map of the facility with me or (b) ask the guy selling the ticket for a map. seating maps aren’t that hard to find…they’re usually in the local phone book.

ok, now i can’t resist this one… which do you feel the typical mavs fan is more irritated with as they leave the arena: the nosebleed seat they paid too much for or the over-priced concessions? if your food and souvenir prices are anything like the ones here in indiana for the colts and pacers, i’m guessing more people are mad about the $7 coke than they are the $50 seats…. just a thought…

By: Carl J

Carl J — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:03:02 +0000

Personally, I think all scalping (selling tickets for the purpose of making money) should be illegal.
You said that “They also make tickets available to those who really want to attend an event, but have exhausted all other efforts to get tickets.”
If scalpers weren’t buying tickets that they never had any intention of using, then there would be more tickets available for those who really wanted to attend the events.

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:03:02 +0000

I am a Ticket broker and we provide a service for people who don’t have time to wait online or have to go to work. when you call most ticket broker offices have a tape playing that explains that you have reached a ticketbroker and that we are not ticketmaster and that we do charge a service charge. Most brokers also explain that on their websites. I myself, have been selling tickets for over 31 years and am proud of what I do. I take pride in my service and in this business, as it is in almost every busines, its very hard to make all people happy all of the time. But ticketbrokers do make people happy. The only thing you ever hear about is bashing a ticketbroker. Prices keep rising on a ticket, there used to be a day when I would gamble and I do mean gamble and buy 100 tickets at $35 dollars a ticket. But those days are over, big companies like Clear Channel bought up all your local promoters and now that same ticket that I paid $35 dollars for is now $250 I can’t take a risk anymore at those prices less tickets for me to buy and more money for the consumer to pay. Look, its the american way free market.

By: Tony

Tony — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:03:02 +0000

These so calle ticket “brokers” are ruining the experience for the fans. It’s a sad day when you can’t get tickets for an event, yet you log on and do a Google search only to find THOUSANDS of tickets available for 4 to 5 times the face value. Ticket scalpers are creating an artificial demand for the tickets by buying up as many as they can get their hands on. Fans are the ones who end up paying in the end. These people are scum and should be stopped.

By: Tony

Tony — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:03:02 +0000

Richard,

You are a thief, plain and simple. You should be ashamed of yourself.