Ticket scalping and fairness

[summer]

This is timely as I've spent the last hour trying to get online tickets to a concert.  The site is "experiencing high volumes" and yet I have already seen them on sale on websites for 4x the asking price.  And I'm thinking about paying it (since asking price for lawn seats is $5) because I don't want to wait here all day. 

And this is why I haven't really gone to concerts since waiting in line for hours for New Edition and NKOTB in 8th grade. 


www.wbaltv.com/politics/maryland-lawmakers-ok-ban-on-ticketscalping-software/25176506

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —Has this ever happened to you? Online tickets to a popular show, sporting event or anything else that requires a ticket are sold out, it seems, the very moment they go on sale.



Read more: www.wbaltv.com/politics/maryland-lawmakers-ok-ban-on-ticketscalping-software/25176506#ixzz2znxIGB3k

"It has happened to me, football games, sure," consumer Sandy Palyo said.



"Actually it was some shoes I wanted to buy, and you had to get a ticket to get the shoe. They sold out," consumer Orlando Johnson said.



Unscrupulous people are using bots on ticket sellers' websites. Bots are robotic software programs designed to allow users to buy tickets online automatically on a repetitive basis.



"Most of the people buying them are scalping them and selling them for a profit anyway, and I don't think that's fair to the people who would actually appreciate the concert," consumer James Asselta said.



Captcha had been the only line of defense. It’s a program requiring product users to identify distorted letters, phrases or pictures -- a test really, to determine who is human and not a computer, but this is no longer effective.



Legislators are advancing a bill aimed at stopping this practice. Violators will be charged under the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Statute. The state Attorney General's Office of Consumer Protection would investigate complaints.



"It's about fairness. It's about not being able to game the system, and everybody else is stuck paying crazy, outrageous rates. So, the bill basically bans the use of this particular software," said Sen. Brian Feldman, D-Montgomery County.



First offenders are subject to a $1,000 fine and up to $5,000 in fines for each subsequent violation. They could also be charged with a misdemeanor crime and face up to a year in jail.



"I love it. I think it’s a good idea," Palyo said.







Read more: www.wbaltv.com/politics/maryland-lawmakers-ok-ban-on-ticketscalping-software/25176506#ixzz2znxAmPXg

[jlt19]

It really has gotten out of hand. But I don't think it's the bots that are doing this as much as the brokers get advanced preference, so they get the option to buy tickets beforehand.

A few years ago Garth Brooks was doing a benefit concert in Nashville and it was $25 for ALL seats. At the moment it was only going to be one show (ended up doing 9 shows that weekend). My sister and I got online and on 4 different phones to get tickets. I got through right away and our seats were the VERY last row of the venue (a huge indoor sports arena). No way they sold out in 1 minute like that. It HAD to be pre-sale options. My only solace was that the people next to us in the same last row spent $100 each on their tickets. Can you IMAGINE what kind of profit the floor people made at $25/each cost?

And what really sucked about the whole thing was it was a benefit concert. MOST of the money it cost for people to attend didn't even go to the benefit b/c it went into broker hands.

Lord help me if my daughter is ever into a boy band.

[msmerymac]

There's been a lot of backlash against the Great American Beer Festival, which now sells out in minutes if not seconds, since they moved to Ticketmaster.

Of course, people keep saying, "Let's go back to the old days, and just distribute paper tickets to local beer shops!" Yeah, well, this is the Great AMERICAN Beer Festival, sort of the big national beer fest? I understand how on one hand, online ticketing is meant to be the most egalitarian. On the other hand, Ticketmaster is such a racket.

[bimbi284]

Lemme guess, Ravinia? A friend was waiting 2 hours this morning for moody blues tickets.

Buying tickets to anything, but especially festivals, has gotten so ridiculous!! There were Lollapalooza tix "on sale" for ore order on stub hub long before (months) they ever went on sale for real.

I just found out that my mom gets company tix to Ravinia, and I'm pumped cuz I've never been!! I mostly wanna see the insane picnic spreads (fooooooood), but they've got some great music this year too!

[josieposy]

Kid Rock was on NPR awhile back about his methods to try to work around scalpers to keep prices reasonable. I don't know if it's been effective but I like seeing that least one artist recognizes the problem. Maybe others will drum up better ideas in the future?

[demandypants]

It is so annoying, and i won't pay resale prices for a concert/event.

[Deleted]

I think the presale makes a difference too like jlt19 mentioned, but its not as bad as the bots. But now with the right CC you can get in on the presale, or just an internet code, etc. Its basically just the regular sale. but even with the presale for some shows the bots still have a clear advantage - H got presale tickets for the Police once I think, at Madison Square Garden, and he still had to set it up like he does for a Springsteen concert - 2 or 3 computers, two phones (one to get tix online, one to call), and so on. That was the presale!

One time at my old job my boss (who had gone to like 35 springsteen shows), his wife, and I all spent a morning trying to get Springstreen tickets. lol.

But Springsteen is interesting bc his shows sell out in minutes, and yet sometimes we've bought tickts from other sources (stub hub, etc) and they are rarely super marked up. It's odd to me. Maybe because of the how the general admission works - there are no "front row" seats?

[ladyk]

Isn't StubHub owned by Ticketmaster? What a racket.

Speaking of racket, why isn't there a big uproar about Ticketmaster having a monopoly on the market for event tickets?

[Velar Fricative]

Apr 24, 2014 8:28:12 GMT -5 ladyk said:

Isn't StubHub owned by Ticketmaster? What a racket.

Speaking of racket, why isn't there a big uproar about Ticketmaster having a monopoly on the market for event tickets?

Don't get me started on Ticketdisaster.

In my naïveté, I assumed Captcha worked well. Guess not.

I've bought tons of tickets on StubHub without huge markups. But I guess I don't go to popular events? Although, I actually do. coughcoughNKOTBreuniontourcough cough

Also, there are legit sellers of tickets - it's not like everyone is a broker or using a bot. We have Rangers and Giants seasons and we try to be realistic about games we sell. But playoff tickets are always hot tickets so people have demonstrated that they will pay a lot of money (a big thank you to the people who bought our Rangers-Flyers tix this series).

[msmerymac]

I think some smaller venues are tying tickets to individuals to prevent scalping. So they scan your ID to make sure it's the name associated with the ticket when you enter. Non-transferable, or if they are, you have to pay a fee to put someone else's name on the ticket.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm on ticketmaster searching for Fleetwood Mac tickets that aren't in the rafters and behind the band...

[ttt]

I hate Ticketmaster with a passion I usually reserve for the NRA and Hitler.

[jillboston]

Ticketmaster is the devil. I am absolutely convinced that they have side deals with ticket brokers/scalpers.
Springsteen has several methods of thwarting scalpers - limit of tickets per purchase and mailing address, wristbands/i.d.'s for the pit area in front of the stage (standing room) (prior to the pit arranegment the first 17 rows were limited to 2 tickets and wristband and I.D.) He would also have his roadies (the Men in Black as they were called by fans) go to the nether reaches of the arena and bring people from up there to the front row (those seats were left unsold).

But yes. Ticketmaster still sucks.

[Deleted]

This is why I only go to concerts when we get invited to a box

[Velar Fricative]

Apr 24, 2014 9:16:57 GMT -5 @soudesafinado said:

Apr 24, 2014 8:26:39 GMT -5 @mrsbecky07 said:

I think the presale makes a difference too like jlt19 mentioned, but its not as bad as the bots. But now with the right CC you can get in on the presale, or just an internet code, etc. Its basically just the regular sale. but even with the presale for some shows the bots still have a clear advantage - H got presale tickets for the Police once I think, at Madison Square Garden, and he still had to set it up like he does for a Springsteen concert - 2 or 3 computers, two phones (one to get tix online, one to call), and so on. That was the presale!

One time at my old job my boss (who had gone to like 35 springsteen shows), his wife, and I all spent a morning trying to get Springstreen tickets. lol.

But Springsteen is interesting bc his shows sell out in minutes, and yet sometimes we've bought tickts from other sources (stub hub, etc) and they are rarely super marked up. It's odd to me. Maybe because of the how the general admission works - there are no "front row" seats?

Yeah I get Amex presale ticket notices all of the time. I used an Amex code and paid $82 for my Raisin in the Sun ticket. Regular prices were $415!!!!

My Chase card is what got us less-expensive tickets to see the Book of Mormon the night before my 30th birthday. Score!

I am all about credit card pre-sales and ticket deals. And then I get to stick it to them when I pay off the bill every month.

[UMaineTeach]

I don't even try to get tickets for things. I always assume they are sold out.

I was annoyed Tuesday night when listening to a Sox game on the radio that somehow more tickets for the Weds and Thurs games had 'just been released' and I should go to the website now and buy them. How come all the seats weren't available to begin with and how available are the tickets on the site, an hour into the game when they are still advertizing tickets are there really any left?

[Velar Fricative]

Apr 24, 2014 9:37:21 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

I don't even try to get tickets for things. I always assume they are sold out.

I was annoyed Tuesday night when listening to a Sox game on the radio that somehow more tickets for the Weds and Thurs games had 'just been released' and I should go to the website now and buy them. How come all the seats weren't available to begin with and how available are the tickets on the site, an hour into the game when they are still advertizing tickets are there really any left?

There are many reasons for this, but stadiums do hold back a lot of tickets and then release them relatively last-minute. One example is if players in the game want to distribute tickets to their families/friends. 

My brother is a big Yankees fan (I love him but he is obviously a misguided individual), and if he waits until a little after noon on game day to check StubHub for that night's Yankee game, he can score good tickets for a couple of dollars. He's been able to go to Yankees-Red Sox games for about five bucks that way (good seats too). Of course, you have to have a certain level of flexibility but one can get pretty good deals last-minute.

[Scout'sHonor]

Some of the venues in Denver have moved away from Ticketmaster to a more local company and I've had better luck then. Save for Red Rocks, I try to avoid ticketmaster venues like the plague.

[Deleted]

Apr 24, 2014 9:37:21 GMT -5 UMaineTeach said:

I don't even try to get tickets for things. I always assume they are sold out.

I was annoyed Tuesday night when listening to a Sox game on the radio that somehow more tickets for the Weds and Thurs games had 'just been released' and I should go to the website now and buy them. How come all the seats weren't available to begin with and how available are the tickets on the site, an hour into the game when they are still advertizing tickets are there really any left?

We often have this issue in Baltimore too. The stadium is sold out almost always and then more tickets are.....

oh, wait.  poor baltimore.


I will raise my hand here and admit we made a crazy amount of money when we were season ticket holders selling our "prime games" to Red Sox and Yankees fans.  Those people will pay anything for tickets!!!!

once, it was opening day, and we had four tickets and sold two (against the yankees).  the people next to us (with our tickets) had no clue we had sold the tix to them, and they kept raving over how cheap the tickets were.  I think we paid 45 each and sold them for 100 each or something.....lol.  They also thought our beer was dirt cheap.  I felt kind of bad for Yankees fans then.  Not too bad, because, you know, yankees.  but still.  Going to a baseball game is so affordable here in Baltimore and I love that.

We did get to fill them on the Mark Texeira dirt so that was fun. 

[jlt19]

I hate Ticketmaster b/c it usually costs $20 in fees or something crazy. I just assume drive to the venue and purchase the tickets myself.

We have awesome Cardinal seats (12th row from the dugout)at work so that's the only way I'll go anymore or if our company gets a box with free food and beer. And then there was the time Jed Hoyer gave us tix to a Sox/Yankees game at Fenway about 20 rows behind home plate.I'm definitely spoiled when it comes to baseball.

[niemand88f]

I've tried to avoid Ticketmaster ever since I was devastated by not getting tickets to Rammstein's 2010 Madison Square Garden show. It was announced as their only US show, so I thought it would be my only chance to ever see them. Tickets sold out in less than 30 minutes, but even that seems like a longer time than what really happened. I was on a fan forum at the time, and probably only 10 people got decent seats, and maybe 20 more got nosebleed seats - out of hundreds. I didn't get a chance at any tickets and couldn't afford to pay $300+ per scalper ticket in addition to hotel and flights to NYC. I was really upset for months until they announced a bigger US tour- the concert I ended up going to didn't use Ticketmaster and it was so much easier to get tickets.

Their fees are also ridiculous. Our local hockey team started using Ticketmaster and it literally doubled the ticket price with fees. So now I just go to the actual venue to get tickets (no danger of selling out at least).

[summer]

Apr 24, 2014 8:17:52 GMT -5 bimbi284 said:

Lemme guess, Ravinia? A friend was waiting 2 hours this morning for moody blues tickets.

Buying tickets to anything, but especially festivals, has gotten so ridiculous!! There were Lollapalooza tix "on sale" for ore order on stub hub long before (months) they ever went on sale for real.

I just found out that my mom gets company tix to Ravinia, and I'm pumped cuz I've never been!! I mostly wanna see the insane picnic spreads (fooooooood), but they've got some great music this year too!

Yes, dammit! Trying to get tix to John Legend and a kids concert. I'm STILL waiting. *pouts*

Sent from my C6903 using proboards

[MrsAxilla]

Apr 24, 2014 8:28:12 GMT -5 ladyk said:

Isn't StubHub owned by Ticketmaster? What a racket.

Speaking of racket, why isn't there a big uproar about Ticketmaster having a monopoly on the market for event tickets?

They don't have a true monopoly.  Phish uses Ticket Horse.  And really, Phish tickets is all I care about!

[eclaires]

Ugh I don't even want to talk about this as I was eligible for presale tickets yesterday for a concert I want to go to and the options sucked my ballz. I'm still bitter.

[lasagnasshole]

Alabama Shakes sold out two shows in DC in under two hours. A band with ONE motherfucking album out in THREE YEARS sold out 2 nights of $35/ticket shows in less than 2 hours. And 9:30 Club uses ticketfly but still assesses $8/ticket fees. Yep, almost a 25 percent markup (more like 33 percent for most shows I go to, with their $25 tickets).

Tickets start at $57 on Stubhub, which, hey, is an improvement over the $88 they were earlier.

Not that I'm a bitter betty who just wants to see the damned opening band or anything...

A $25 show that sold out back in January had tickets on Stubhub for EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS.

Concert-going in DC is like a freaking bloodsport.

[summer]

I am still waiting on Ravinia. And from the looks of their Facebook page, I'm far from the only one. Guess I'll be spending that extra $60 for tix from a vendor (who of course already has them). And I'm mad that babies need a damn ticket to sit on the grass.

[jillboston]

Apr 24, 2014 8:26:39 GMT -5 @mrsbecky07 said:

I think the presale makes a difference too like jlt19 mentioned, but its not as bad as the bots. But now with the right CC you can get in on the presale, or just an internet code, etc. Its basically just the regular sale. but even with the presale for some shows the bots still have a clear advantage - H got presale tickets for the Police once I think, at Madison Square Garden, and he still had to set it up like he does for a Springsteen concert - 2 or 3 computers, two phones (one to get tix online, one to call), and so on. That was the presale!

One time at my old job my boss (who had gone to like 35 springsteen shows), his wife, and I all spent a morning trying to get Springstreen tickets. lol.

But Springsteen is interesting bc his shows sell out in minutes, and yet sometimes we've bought tickts from other sources (stub hub, etc) and they are rarely super marked up. It's odd to me. Maybe because of the how the general admission works - there are no "front row" seats?

I don't know about stub hub but any scalping in online community sites (backstreets etc) is a big no no within the Sprinsteen fan commuinty. That shit will get you ostracized.

[Deleted]

ah jillboston that is interesting, that could be it! I know one time we were able to switch HORRIBLE nosebleed seats for GA bc the woman with the GA wanted to have a seat, lol. Just even exchange but she could have probably sold the GA for a lot more.

[PinkSquirrel]

Apr 24, 2014 10:13:26 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

Apr 24, 2014 8:28:12 GMT -5 ladyk said:

Isn't StubHub owned by Ticketmaster? What a racket.

Speaking of racket, why isn't there a big uproar about Ticketmaster having a monopoly on the market for event tickets?

They don't have a true monopoly.  Phish uses Ticket Horse.  And really, Phish tickets is all I care about!

Phish has also been known to cancel tickets they know are being sold above face.  I know they did it before MSG in 2012

[MrsAxilla]

Apr 24, 2014 11:51:46 GMT -5 jillboston said:

Apr 24, 2014 8:26:39 GMT -5 @mrsbecky07 said:

I think the presale makes a difference too like jlt19 mentioned, but its not as bad as the bots. But now with the right CC you can get in on the presale, or just an internet code, etc. Its basically just the regular sale. but even with the presale for some shows the bots still have a clear advantage - H got presale tickets for the Police once I think, at Madison Square Garden, and he still had to set it up like he does for a Springsteen concert - 2 or 3 computers, two phones (one to get tix online, one to call), and so on. That was the presale!

One time at my old job my boss (who had gone to like 35 springsteen shows), his wife, and I all spent a morning trying to get Springstreen tickets. lol.

But Springsteen is interesting bc his shows sell out in minutes, and yet sometimes we've bought tickts from other sources (stub hub, etc) and they are rarely super marked up. It's odd to me. Maybe because of the how the general admission works - there are no "front row" seats?

I don't know about stub hub but any scalping in online community sites (backstreets etc) is a big no no within the Sprinsteen fan commuinty. That shit will get you ostracized.

Phish, too.  Extras usually go for face or a little above, even in the lot before a sold out show.

[jlt19]

Apr 24, 2014 12:15:25 GMT -5 @mrsbecky07 said:

ah jillboston that is interesting, that could be it! I know one time we were able to switch HORRIBLE nosebleed seats for GA bc the woman with the GA wanted to have a seat, lol. Just even exchange but she could have probably sold the GA for a lot more.

That doesn't make any sense to me. Who sits at a concert? Honestly, last concert we went to was the Avett Bros and I would have liked to sit b/c my feet hurt but I wouldn't have been able to see a thing b/c no one sat down. Ever.