"Ticket Brokers" vs "Scalping"

[steve]

How is brokering tickets not considered the same damn thing as scalping. How the hell is this legal?! Anyone know anything approaching the legal mumbo-jumbo behind this?

[Ellyllions]

I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with the laws of each State. NC scalping is illegal, but NC residents can buy tickets from States where it's not illegal or something like that.


My question is how do these brokers have tickets to sell before anyone else?

[m_dixon1984]

They don't.

The package tickets don't get delivered until either very close to concert date (5-star) or you have to pick them up at will-call (4-star). This gives the brokers plenty of time to get tickets at prices less then they charged so they can make the profit.

Also, based on presale numbers they'll hire dozens of people to man phones and be on the Internet to ensure they get some tickets at face value.

You'd be a fool to pay up front before trying yourself to get the ticket at face value.

But that's their target audience...the fools.

M

[DLRISVH7884]

Ticket Brokers are in a dirty/sleazy business. They pride off of die-hard fans sporting events and concerts, charging $100,s sometimes $1,000 dollars over face value for great seats. I know Scalping has become legal here in Minnesota after being Illegal for so many years. When you think about it what do you get, lets say you pay $1,500 from a broker, when the face Value price was only $150. Your go to the event, park your car, go inside, maybe buy a T-shirt, program, get something to eat, have a couple of beers/drinks. Then you go to you seats, get entertain for a few hours, then leave the arena jump in your car and drive home. After all of that what different did you get from the others that paid the $150 bucks, no meeting the band or autographs.

It's a RIP OFF, yet there are people spending these prices to keep these brokers in business. Ticket Brokers are in a dirty/sleazy business. They pride off of die-hard fans sporting events and concerts, charging $100,s sometimes $1,000 dollars over face value for great seats. I know Scalping has become legal here in Minnesota after being Illegal for so many years. When you think about it what do you get, lets say you pay $1,500 from a broker, when the face Value price was only $150. Your go to the event, park your car, go inside, maybe buy a T-shirt, program, get something to eat, have a couple of beers/drinks. Then you go to you seats, get entertain for a few hours, then leave the arena jump in your car and drive home. After all of that what different did you get from the others that paid the $150 bucks, no meeting the band or autographs.

It's a RIP OFF, yet there are people spending these prices to keep these brokers in business.

[DLRISVH7884]

Ticket Brokers are in a dirty/sleazy business. They pride off of die-hard fans of sporting events and concerts, charging $100,s sometimes $1,000 dollars over face value for great seats. I know Scalping has become legal here in Minnesota after being Illegal for so many years. When you think about it what do you get, lets say you pay $1,500 from a broker, when the face Value price was only $150. Your go to the event, park your car, go inside, maybe buy a T-shirt, program, get something to eat, have a couple of beers/drinks. Then you go to you seats, get entertain for a few hours, then leave the arena jump in your car and drive home. After all of that what different did you get from the others that paid the $150 bucks, no meeting the band or autographs.

It's a RIP OFF, yet there are people spending these prices to keep these brokers in business.

[ROTHisGOD]

I agree,....I agree

[Ra Power]

Luckily, scalping is illegal in Missouri and it's enforced. However, it's perfectly legal across the state line in KS. The Sprint Center opens just two weeks before the show. The grand opening is the Elton John show and people here are way pissed at how many VIP tics got pulled for that. I hope I can just get in the place. It's a Friday show though, so I fully expect a Saturday show if Friday sells out in hours. They played two shows here in '84, that was the last time they did.

[VHPD]

I spoke to a ticket broker the other day and he told me they have sooo many resources for tickets. From sponsers to insiders that slip them blocks of tickets. He went on for some time but basically there are dirty people on both sides, ie the promoters, venue, band, vendors, ect., from what he said. I don't want to believe it, but I guess this could be the world we are living in. Good Luck!!!!

[VHPD]

Also they base there businesses in states where it's legal and sell over the internet to avoid problems.

[MCMLXXXIV]

Originally posted by VHPD
I spoke to a ticket broker the other day and he told me they have sooo many resources for tickets. From sponsers to insiders that slip them blocks of tickets. He went on for some time but basically there are dirty people on both sides, ie the promoters, venue, band, vendors, ect., from what he said. I don't want to believe it, but I guess this could be the world we are living in. Good Luck!!!!

No man. This is THE America you live in!!!!

[FORD]

Like everything else these days, it's the corporatists who are to blame.

Fear Channel/Live Nation is a monopoly concert promoter which owns a lot of the venues.

Ticketbastard controls all major ticket sales in this country - concerts, sports, or otherwise, and everybody knows they pile on ridiculous unneccessary charges

Corporate Radio, which Fear Channel also owns roughly 1/3 of......

Those of us who have seen Van HALEN live before, probably never paid more than $15 to do it. Even from a scalper? $25 tops. And at least up until the current crop of corporatist assholes were in the White House, prices were pretty fucking stable in most other areas of the market, but concert tickets have gone totally out of control in the last 20 years.

Garth Brooks did a tour in 1996-97 where he sold out every venue he played in, some times 6 nights in a row. He was able to pay his whole band, the road crew, and still have a great stage setup all for $25 a ticket.

Whether you hate country music or not ain't the point. Fact is that he did it, and he retired 3 years later, so he's obviously not hurting for money. That proves that reasonable ticket prices CAN be done. And they should be.

[VHPD]

I was holding back, I agree with the last two posts with out a doubt. Greed is turning this country to hell in a hand basket. Wake up people!!! I'm with Ford.

[Jay45]

Re: "Ticket Brokers" vs "Scalping"

Originally posted by steve
How is brokering tickets not considered the same damn thing as scalping. How the hell is this legal?! Anyone know anything approaching the legal mumbo-jumbo behind this?

There is none, and the fact is, that brokering/scalp[ing is legal in most states. You do not think the average fan is paying face to see the Super Bowl, or NCAA final 4 do ya? This activity occured outside the walls of the Coliseum in ancient Rome and shows no sign of going away. If it means enough to you consider this.There will be no Wells-Fargo trucks in the funeral procession.Go,pay,enjoy. And balance that with the fact that Lakers games at courtside caos about 1k per game.
200$ for Van Halen is a fucking bargain compared to the Stones and some of others.

[hideyoursheep]

Re: Re: "Ticket Brokers" vs "Scalping"

Originally posted by Jay45
200$ for Van Halen is a fucking bargain compared to the Stones and some of others.

I paid $20 a piece for Stones tix AT THE GATE in '89.

20 for SRV the same year.

The *cough* brokers are owned by TicketPimp. They sell to the bastard company and inflate the price. Same owners, different names.

Last time I bought online was Metallica/Kid Rock and they were $74 dollars a pop in 99, up from 35 bucks for G-n-R / Metallica in '92.

I won't pay the fuckers that much. Keep the front row for 200, I'll sit towards the back and see it all without turning my head.

Me and my binoculars. :D That's how you end the monopoly, you don't let them rape you and force the greedy fuckers to eat those tix.

Alas, there's always someone who is ignorant enough to keep brokers in business.

[hideyoursheep]

Indy tix not on sale yet, and HOtickets want $175 for top level?!!

I'll buy direct.