Scalpers - is there nothing that can done!

samsaidhey

As the subject says - is there nothing anyone can do about scalpers?

Their so fricking arrogant too... "Its supply and demand - stop whining - you gotta pay to play" not to mention totally frickin cheesy.

"Supply and demand" pisses me off though - if it wasnt for these dicks - there would be a bit more supply that could actually go to those that want to see the concert rather than those trying to make money off the artists backs and from the fans that truly really want to see the show.

all scalpers should br driven off a fickin cliff.

peace
sam

Spark28

Take a look at laws passed in New York and Colorado that protect the rights of scalpers. Scalpers are winning the battle. Let your state legislator know that this will not stand.

mr bungle

I hate to say it but raising the prices from the start is the only way to slow it down. I'd rather see the artists making the money than the Fucking scalpers and Brokers.

JOEJOEJOE

If everyone refrained from buying tickets from them, they would disappear.

Just like if everyone boycotted ticketmaster, they'd lower their fees.

Until people make the ultimate sacrifice (missing their favorite band's concerts), any sort of change will be very slow to come.

100 Pacer

JOEJOEJOE wrote:

Just like if everyone boycotted ticketmaster, they'd lower their fees.

how would it be possible to boycott Ticketmaster, and their soon-to-be replacement Livenation, when they control leases to ALL the concert venues where a band like PJ would play?

JOEJOEJOE

100 Pacer wrote:

how would it be possible to boycott Ticketmaster, and their soon-to-be replacement Livenation, when they control leases to ALL the concert venues where a band like PJ would play?

It would be possible, but it would mean missing a lot of concerts...the ultimate sacrifice.

100 Pacer

JOEJOEJOE wrote:

It would be possible, but it would mean missing a lot of concerts...the ultimate sacrifice.

and here i thought you had a realistic solution,...

JOEJOEJOE

100 Pacer wrote:

and here i thought you had a realistic solution,...

nope, just an extreme solution which no one is willing to make happen.

So be it!

Red Lukin

Just avoid them. And at the same time avoid Ticketmaster. I never buy from scalpers unless I'm paying less than face value. Also, I got to a lot of concerts, but rarely ever use TM. 1) small shows is where it's at. I buy my tix from from local record stores at a fraction of the SC, and 2) if I go to large venues I try to buy from the fan club (ie PJ, Radiohead, DMB etc.).

Again AVOID THEM!!!

kittykat416

samsaidhey wrote:

all scalpers should br driven off a fickin cliff.

peace

LOL

samsaidhey

here is the latest from the douche that ive been emailing with....

"Cry me a river punk.... We make all the cash and you punks cry.... Get a life pal and remember I have tonnes for sale. pay to play is my motto. By the way, ticketsnow is owned by ticketmaster and they do the same thing, sell for more. It is a BUSINESS so cope pal.

Winers like you make me laugh, it is the corporate customers that pay in the end."

CityMouse

how does one get into the scalping business?

BlackCorduroy

mr bungle wrote:

I hate to say it but raising the prices from the start is the only way to slow it down. I'd rather see the artists making the money than the Fucking scalpers and Brokers.

Really? I think this would make things worse. Right now it's not that difficult to get into most shows through Ticketmaster or the Fan Club. (the EV tour being an exception, but still not impossible). Raising prices would end up hurting more people than it would help in my opinion.

falcon

BlackCorduroy wrote:

Really? I think this would make things worse. Right now it's not that difficult to get into most shows through Ticketmaster or the Fan Club. (the EV tour being an exception, but still not impossible). Raising prices would end up hurting more people than it would help in my opinion.

I agree. I've had no problem whatsoever getting tickets through 10c or ticketmaster.
Unfortunately, we live in a capitalist country. Scalpers will scalp.

canadajammer

This isn't your straight forward Supply and Demand situation.

This isn't perfect competition.

If we had actual supply and demand then ticket prices would be a lot higher, and there could even be a full out auction process for every ticket.


Now, because tickets are not a normal commodity, there are regulations. I believe these regulations should be enforced. If a price is set for a good, that should be the final price. Only the artist should make any additional profit, not a 3rd (or 4th party) scalping group.

I'm usually all for the laws of supply and demand and free market determining price, but not when this is occurs or is affected by the Re-Sale of a good.



On the other hand of course, ticket retail prices (except for the Eagles lol) are too inexpensive. They should be higher. A price we pay to have such relatively low ticket prices, is having a portion of these seats being sold for outrageous prices by scalpers.

Cob

I just want to start out by saying I just turned 39 years old on June 17th of this year, I started going to concerts in 1981 and scalpers or ticket brokers have been around since I can remember. You may not like the fact that they charge more or make a profit from tickets, I don't either, but no one is forcing anyone to buy anything. I just bought tickets for the Tom Petty show in San Antonio this morning through live nation for $10.00 each for lawn seats, they came out to $14.00 each after service charge. This was a one day only promo and my friend and I jumped on it, now I can go to the show with my wife and daughter for $42.00 for all three of us, that was one way around it.

There are tons of ways to not use scalpers or ticket brokers, there's craigslist, Ebay, go to the venue the day of the show and wait for tickets to be released. Just because you are a fan of a certain group doesn't make you entitled to tickets for face value, that's the way the world works. I see fans of Pearl Jam on Ebay and on this site selling posters, Pearl Jam on vinyl and all kinds of other stuff for WELL OVER what they paid for it, there is NO DIFFERENCE. I would like to ask have you seen Pearl Jam fans selling concert posters and vinyl for what they paid for them, or for how ever much they can get for them????

People selling tickets for more than face value has been going on since the very start of concerts and it will continue to happen. Lots of these sellers have offices and people working for them, but like I said you DO NOT have to buy anything from them, there will always be someone else who is willing to do it. What I really don't like is the whole Ticketmaster thing when a show "sells out" or there are crap tickets left, then you can buy them from what looks like another site, but they really own it, that is BS.

As far as Livenation being a big player or trying to take over, I have read and heard that they a just BLEEDING money and may not make it more than a couple of years, will see what happens with them. I know one thing this year is the first year since I can remember that I don't just go to whatever concert that I want to in my area, I'm having to make choices now. The one thing one thing I LOVE is when a show is SOLD OUT and there are tons of scalper in front of the venue trying to sell their tickets, then the concert actually starts, man I love the look on their faces when they have no more power and they have to sell the tickets they have or eat them and make nothing!!!

So I guess to answer the question, no there really is nothing you can do about scalpers, except don't deal with them if you dislike them that much......

vedder_soup

it is a lot more work for security, but go down the line of the Glastonbury Fesitval in the UK and Splendour in the Grass Festival in Australia.
Print the name and the date of birth of the ticket holder on the ticket.
The ticket holder will be required to show ID when entering the venue!

gtrplyr7

Stop Being Pussies About It Maybe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

samsaidhey

Cob wrote:

Just because you are a fan of a certain group doesn't make you entitled to tickets for face value, that's the way the world works. I see fans of Pearl Jam on Ebay and on this site selling posters, Pearl Jam on vinyl and all kinds of other stuff for WELL OVER what they paid for it, there is NO DIFFERENCE. I would like to ask have you seen Pearl Jam fans selling concert posters and vinyl for what they paid for them, or for how ever much they can get for them????

So I guess to answer the question, no there really is nothing you can do about scalpers, except don't deal with them if you dislike them that much......

Dude - im not saying because im a fan that I am entitled to the tickets at face value. Im saying the people that want to see a show should be entitled to a fair process to be able to purchase the tickets when they go on sale.
Now when you see hundreds of tickets gone to brokers scalpers and the like, with much more than the ticket limit of purchase - there is something wrong, with this system. Did I get tickets from the fan club? yes for one of the shows, for the other i did not. was i angry? no i was not because at least it was a chance to try and know that if i didnt get them, someone wasnt taking 15% of the total tickets to sell at 3-6x the cost of them - like what happens on Ticketmaster etc...

Also the difference between posters/vinyls etc... is that these things are akin to pieces of art. When you buy art these things appreciate in value the longer you hold on to them. Similar to hockey/baseball cards. Not that I condone or whatever, but sometimes the people selling these things have outgrown whatever they bought and are no longer attached to it. However there generally is a fair market value of these items and what is reasonable in a buyers eyes.

I also realize there have always been scalpers and always will be - and i quite imagine that 80 percent of future ticket sales will probably have to be done through these arsehole brokers - but thats the thing - it is much more wide spread than it used to be in the 70's 80's even 90's - especially with the ticket seller having a sister site to do that very thing of gouging the consumer.

Red Mosqito

Cob wrote:

What I really don't like is the whole Ticketmaster thing when a show "sells out" or there are crap tickets left, then you can buy them from what looks like another site, but they really own it, that is BS.

Very well said! And I think it's a major conflict of interest to offer VIP treatment to certain "classes" of individuals like the preferred Amex customer pre-sale before regular sales take place only to see those same tickets that were purchased just days before, being offered on the "auction" section of Ticketmasters very own page seconds after your unable to score any seats within the first minute of sale!!!

That shit is just down right scandalous and fishy if you ask me.

RM

rtwilli4

It's capitalism. We are all guilty. Just look at professional sports. Why do you think all those guys get paid millions? It's because each year the ticket prices go up and everyone just keeps on buying tickets. Where do you think all that money is going too?

Like someone else said, the only real way to deal with it is sacrifice, and are any of us ready to do that?

Don't complain about the people taking advantage of the system. Do something about the system or get out of it.

ambrasjes

A remedy would be : Up the supply!

For example : Belgian band Clouseau play the same venue in Antwerp every year around Christmas. Start out with 3 shows or so and they keep adding shows as they sell out. Some fans go to all, most go to one. Scalpers don't bother to show up for these concerts.
That's how Clouseau earned a spot between the big fish in the Worldwide Billboard Top 25 Concert Boxscores!
14 shows in 2004 http://www.billboard.com/billboard/images/pdf/2004_Top25_Boxscores.pdf
12 shows in 2007 http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/images/pdf/Top_25_Concert_Boxscores.pdf

Although there is no scalping going on for this 'bigtime belgian band', I can't see PJ doing a multi-leg worldwide concert tour where they keep adding shows everywhere until concerts stop selling out.
It would provide them job security though!
Imagine : MSG1-MSG2-3-4-5-6-7-...-67-68-...
Ames would have to invent some new colours for printing those posters!

To round up:
Here's my scalping experiences :

I'm the guy that does all the work getting concert tickets for my 'significant others'.
I'm the guy that pays the tickets and then gets to chase his friends for the $.
I'm the guy that ends up selling some of his leftover/unpayed tickets on ebay for less than face value.
I'm the guy that said fuck this! No $ up front, no more tickets!
I'm the guy who ended up going to concerts alone now most off the times.

But, I have never sold anyone a ticket over face value.

I once sold a 40 euro ticket (Jamie Cullum) to a scalper for 5 euro. A friend got sick, tried to sell it at the venue, no-one seemed interested. So walked down a block to the scalpers and actually sold it to one of them (probably not the smartest one because his colleagues were trying to sell their tickets for 10). Had me a cold Stella with that money and it tasted great.

Last Nada Surf concert, I had someone cancel on me again. I gave that 20$ ticket away for free (as it was also payed for already).
Everybody outside the "First Avenue" venue looked at me as if I was crazy when I started yelling :" Free ticket, who wants a free ticket?'' It actually took me almost a minute to get rid of it to some young kid.
I even got hassled by this big ass security guy : 'Why are you giving away free tickets?!"
Told him I was santa in disguise and I'ld pass by his place also after the concert if he kept it our little secret.
Douchebag.

Last words : Do not buy from scalpers! Just suck it up!

Get_Right

There is nothing tha can be done. There will always be resales of prime seats for profit.

While it stinks, we have much bigger problems in our society.

Dont forget that attending rock concerts is a luxury, not a right.

Get_Right

Red Mosqito wrote:

Very well said! And I think it's a major conflict of interest to offer VIP treatment to certain "classes" of individuals like the preferred Amex customer pre-sale before regular sales take place only to see those same tickets that were purchased just days before, being offered on the "auction" section of Ticketmasters very own page seconds after your unable to score any seats within the first minute of sale!!!

That shit is just down right scandalous and fishy if you ask me.

RM

this is a big part of the problem.
requiring TM or LN to make 100% of its tickets available to the PUBLIC would hurt the scalpers ability to score prime tickets-I know for a fact that many of the best seats do not get released to the public EVER.

chromiam

100 Pacer wrote:

how would it be possible to boycott Ticketmaster, and their soon-to-be replacement Livenation, when they control leases to ALL the concert venues where a band like PJ would play?

First- to your original question... don't buy tickets from scalpers or brokers.

And to, in a way, boycott TM and their exorbitant fees- buy tickets directly from the venue the day they go on sale. Yeah, its a hassle and inconvinent but guess what TM calls their fee.. that's right a convinence fee.

Now do I do this, yes and no. I haven't bought tickets from a scalper in years. But I do continue to use TM and Comcastix and realize that its part of the cost of seeing events that I want to attend.

100 Pacer

chromiam wrote:

First- to your original question... don't buy tickets from scalpers or brokers.

i don't buy tickets from scalpers/brokers, there's never been a need,..my original question was just how do you go about boycotting scalpers when all other TRADITIONAL sources for tickets aren't available. JOEJOEJOE replied that the only TRUE way to avoid scalpers would simply be to NOT attend the event, which in his words is an "extreme" method yet the only solution for those without tickets looking to avoid scalpers. as JOEJOEJOE noted, and i agree with his point: the MAJORITY of the public would rather pay scalpers for tickets than risk missing out on an event.

chromiam wrote:

And to, in a way, boycott TM and their exorbitant fees- buy tickets directly from the venue the day they go on sale. Yeah, its a hassle and inconvinent but guess what TM calls their fee.. that's right a convinence fee.

for certain events (dare i say the majority of events?!) in the larger markets, individual venues do NOT sell tickets on the 1st day tickets for said events go on sale which, needless to say, doesn't leave much after the general public has finished purchasing tickets via Ticketmaster. for those looking to sit anywhere inside the venue then your scenario is a realistic one. of course, many want the best possible seats available,...

chromiam

100 Pacer wrote:

for certain events (dare i say the majority of events?!) in the larger markets, individual venues do NOT sell tickets on the 1st day tickets for said events go on sale which, needless to say, doesn't leave much after the general public has finished purchasing tickets via Ticketmaster. for those looking to sit anywhere inside the venue then your scenario is a realistic one. of course, many want the best possible seats available,...

Well I can only speak for Philly but I would say that 90% of non-sporting event tickets go on sale at the box office as well as on TM on the first on-sale day. The only except I can think of is Springsteen since he has anti-scalping controls in place which don't allow you to pick up tickets till the day of the show.

As for not going to an event, I don't see that as an extreme measure. As someone said earlier, I pick and choose what I go see instead of needing to see every show that comes to town.

augustwest

this is what i'm gonna do

i am going to meet their offer(above face) and plan to meet them at a certain place and time and then not show up...sure it wont get rid of them but if i can ruin their day in any little way i'll be way happier.

i hate being evil...but...

PearlJamOnToast

samsaidhey wrote:

here is the latest from the douche that ive been emailing with....

"Cry me a river punk.... We make all the cash and you punks cry.... Get a life pal and remember I have tonnes for sale. pay to play is my motto. By the way, ticketsnow is owned by ticketmaster and they do the same thing, sell for more. It is a BUSINESS so cope pal.

Winers like you make me laugh, it is the corporate customers that pay in the end."

And therein lies a sad truth. Corporates buy up seats and eat it at the cost of doing business....then they write it off....entertain a client and make a sale. America is one big corporation.....even at a concert.

Kel Varnsen

JOEJOEJOE wrote:

If everyone refrained from buying tickets from them, they would disappear.

Just like if everyone boycotted ticketmaster, they'd lower their fees.

Until people make the ultimate sacrifice (missing their favorite band's concerts), any sort of change will be very slow to come.

If everyone refrained from buying tickets from scalpers/ticketmaster how long do you think it would be before the band stopped touring?

falcon

Kel Varnsen wrote:

If everyone refrained from buying tickets from scalpers/ticketmaster how long do you think it would be before the band stopped touring?

That would never happen. PJ's fans are more into the band now than ever.
Quick sidebar, did you get your name from the Latex factory?