Posted By Anonymous
I am not for orgainst ticket brokers but when I as in high school iused to work for a Boker so here is a little inside info on how they operate.
First of all they need to be on their toes 24/7, and have a ton of cash to front up for big on sales, what they do when a big show goes on sale is pay young people $35 - $50 per person to wait in line at locations all over the region. When i worked for him he would give me a bit extra because I was able to get others to go with me, for really big shows he would rent us a car and have us drive hours away to be first in line. Now this was all back in the day (late 80's - 90's) when it was first come first serve, no lottery. We would get to a location at 10pm the night before, tape a list to the front door and sit in the car and just wait. As others showed up we would tell them we were first and to put their name on the list, we always had 3 or more people so no one ever gave us a hard time. Seems boring but it was actually fun, you are getting paid to do nothing more than staying awake, and you are with your freinds and/ or your girlfriend. And $50 for a 16 year old wasn't bad.
So if you can imagine these brokers are paying $35-$50 per person to wait in line for tickets, (Sometime up to 20 people) plus the ticket cost, plus their office overhead, plus their personal bills. Its gets pricey. I can't tell you how many tmes this guy over bought for a show and ended up eating tickets or under bought and lost money. So it seems these brokers are making 3 -4 times profit they really are not. The only solution it to outlaw ALL brokers then we would all get tickets, thats not going to happen so we have to live with them.
How a Ticket Broker Operates!
Moderator: SMLCHNG
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Posted By LIPH
And I should feel sorry because a leech bought too many tickets and lost money? Or he didn't buy enough and true fans were able to get tickets for face value instead of being gouged? Gee, I'm all broken up about that. I don't know if I'll be able to finish the day, I'll probably have to leave the office early today my grief is so strong. Brokers and scalpers are lower than whale $hit and that's at the bottom of the ocean.
And I should feel sorry because a leech bought too many tickets and lost money? Or he didn't buy enough and true fans were able to get tickets for face value instead of being gouged? Gee, I'm all broken up about that. I don't know if I'll be able to finish the day, I'll probably have to leave the office early today my grief is so strong. Brokers and scalpers are lower than whale $hit and that's at the bottom of the ocean.
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Posted By Anonymous
Plus this doesn't count all the brokers who make side deals with promoters like SFX, the brokers who illegally operate their own Ticketmaster outlets (its a franchise, anybody can buy into one), or the ones who have deals with TM employees.
I have no problem with enterprising people outlaying cash to buy up tickets through legal means like TM outlets. I don't agree with the markups they charge but they're doing nothing illegal. If they were the only kind of broker out there, the world would be a better place. It's the ones with the corporate connections and the illegal/shady deals that are the real problem.
Plus this doesn't count all the brokers who make side deals with promoters like SFX, the brokers who illegally operate their own Ticketmaster outlets (its a franchise, anybody can buy into one), or the ones who have deals with TM employees.
I have no problem with enterprising people outlaying cash to buy up tickets through legal means like TM outlets. I don't agree with the markups they charge but they're doing nothing illegal. If they were the only kind of broker out there, the world would be a better place. It's the ones with the corporate connections and the illegal/shady deals that are the real problem.
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Posted By Anonymous
Here in IL, there is dicussion of making illegal for brokers to operate. Believe it or not it was the on sale date for the NYSNC shows in Chicago and Fox News broke the story.
I don't agree with what they do anyway, but I've used them before and I'll probably use them again. I had NO PROBLEM getting 8 tickets for the Buffett show on 9/13 by standing in line. It's all a matter of how do you want to see someone and from where you want to see them from.
Here in IL, there is dicussion of making illegal for brokers to operate. Believe it or not it was the on sale date for the NYSNC shows in Chicago and Fox News broke the story.
I don't agree with what they do anyway, but I've used them before and I'll probably use them again. I had NO PROBLEM getting 8 tickets for the Buffett show on 9/13 by standing in line. It's all a matter of how do you want to see someone and from where you want to see them from.
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Posted By headparrothead
anon:
It has been illegal in IL for years to resell a ticket. A man trying to sell me a ticket for a sold out show at the Metro (not for Jimmy), on Clark St nearly got arrested by the police for reselling his extra ticket.
The ONLY reason he didn't goto jail is because I told the officer I was buying the ticket at face value and that I drove over 3 hours to get to the show and that I had lost my ticket somewhere on US 30, because unbeknownst to me...I had a hole in the seam of my back pocket.
anon:
It has been illegal in IL for years to resell a ticket. A man trying to sell me a ticket for a sold out show at the Metro (not for Jimmy), on Clark St nearly got arrested by the police for reselling his extra ticket.
The ONLY reason he didn't goto jail is because I told the officer I was buying the ticket at face value and that I drove over 3 hours to get to the show and that I had lost my ticket somewhere on US 30, because unbeknownst to me...I had a hole in the seam of my back pocket.
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Posted By Caribbean Soul
ere in Boston, a minister was arrested last summer for selling a Red Sox ticket outside Fenway for LESS than face. Apparently 2 members of his youth group got sick and he was offering the tickets to some local kids for whatever they could pay, when a cop stepped in. Because of that case the law was changed to OK sales AT or BELOW face in MA, BUT NOT ABOVE.
([size=-2]Too bad it doesn't work...[/size])
ere in Boston, a minister was arrested last summer for selling a Red Sox ticket outside Fenway for LESS than face. Apparently 2 members of his youth group got sick and he was offering the tickets to some local kids for whatever they could pay, when a cop stepped in. Because of that case the law was changed to OK sales AT or BELOW face in MA, BUT NOT ABOVE.
([size=-2]Too bad it doesn't work...[/size])
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Posted By PJack
I can tell you that there are many side deals with people who work at Ticketmaster outlets, it happens every ticket sale. When I worked for the broker I often was in the middle of such deals. The person working the machine takes the fisrt few pulls from the TM computer and sticks them under the keyboard, so the person who thinks they are first are really getting the 4th or 5th pull from the computer. Then a few hours after the sale the Broker comes back in to pay for the tickets under the keyboard and gives the employee a little bonus enevolope. In New England they have tried to cut back from Mom and Pop shops having TM machines most of the TM camputers are now in Chain stors ie: Filenes and HMV. It sucks, I remember the days of waiting in line and seeing people in front getting Balcony and nose bleed seats, if they asked why the person at the machine would say there are many outlets selling tickets at the same time it is out of our control. I'd go back a few hours later and pick up my floor seats. See in NH there is no law on how much you can resell a ticket, in MA ir is "By Law" no more the 105 over face, the law is enforced once every 5 years.
I can tell you that there are many side deals with people who work at Ticketmaster outlets, it happens every ticket sale. When I worked for the broker I often was in the middle of such deals. The person working the machine takes the fisrt few pulls from the TM computer and sticks them under the keyboard, so the person who thinks they are first are really getting the 4th or 5th pull from the computer. Then a few hours after the sale the Broker comes back in to pay for the tickets under the keyboard and gives the employee a little bonus enevolope. In New England they have tried to cut back from Mom and Pop shops having TM machines most of the TM camputers are now in Chain stors ie: Filenes and HMV. It sucks, I remember the days of waiting in line and seeing people in front getting Balcony and nose bleed seats, if they asked why the person at the machine would say there are many outlets selling tickets at the same time it is out of our control. I'd go back a few hours later and pick up my floor seats. See in NH there is no law on how much you can resell a ticket, in MA ir is "By Law" no more the 105 over face, the law is enforced once every 5 years.
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Posted By Anonymous
If you feel you are at a location and the person running the TM machine is pulling tix, the best way to screw them is: If you are first in line, take your tickets say nothing and leave (If you are not first buddy up with the first few people in line and tell them your plan, make sure they are not brokers though) Then call the local TM HeadQuarters and tell them you were first in line and got real bad tickets and you think the person at the m TM computer pulled seats. What they can do it pull up that location for that day and sale and see what tickts were pulled first,second, third ..... and so on. If you got balcony seats they will be able to tell if your tickets were the first printed. I can tell you the crack down big time if they think a location if pulling tickets. A Filenes store had its TM licence suspended for 5 days for doing this. The only TM Headquarters in New England is located in Newton Center, look the numer up and call them for other HQ numbers.
If you feel you are at a location and the person running the TM machine is pulling tix, the best way to screw them is: If you are first in line, take your tickets say nothing and leave (If you are not first buddy up with the first few people in line and tell them your plan, make sure they are not brokers though) Then call the local TM HeadQuarters and tell them you were first in line and got real bad tickets and you think the person at the m TM computer pulled seats. What they can do it pull up that location for that day and sale and see what tickts were pulled first,second, third ..... and so on. If you got balcony seats they will be able to tell if your tickets were the first printed. I can tell you the crack down big time if they think a location if pulling tickets. A Filenes store had its TM licence suspended for 5 days for doing this. The only TM Headquarters in New England is located in Newton Center, look the numer up and call them for other HQ numbers.
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Posted By Burgh Bird
his article was in our local paper last week. There is lots of discussion right now of making sclapers/brokers illegal in this area.
http://www.postgazette.com/regionstate/20010321tix6.asp
his article was in our local paper last week. There is lots of discussion right now of making sclapers/brokers illegal in this area.
http://www.postgazette.com/regionstate/20010321tix6.asp
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Posted By Anonymous
HeadParrothead...
In IL it's NOT illegal to have ticket brokers
(IE Gold Coast Tickets) but it is illegal to sell
tickets outside most venues.
I do know that some of the Chicago venues (The Vic, and The World) state that ticket selling is not allowed within x number of feet of the venue etc....
I think House of Blues has the toughest policies regarding "scalping" outside their venue.
I'm going to try my parking lot luck for 1 of the 4 sold out U2 shows next month....
HeadParrothead...
In IL it's NOT illegal to have ticket brokers
(IE Gold Coast Tickets) but it is illegal to sell
tickets outside most venues.
I do know that some of the Chicago venues (The Vic, and The World) state that ticket selling is not allowed within x number of feet of the venue etc....
I think House of Blues has the toughest policies regarding "scalping" outside their venue.
I'm going to try my parking lot luck for 1 of the 4 sold out U2 shows next month....
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Posted By PJack
aBuffettFan,
TicketMaster lost the rights to most of the major venues in New England in the mid 90's to a company called NEXT Ticketing, by 1998 they had bought out NEXT Ticketing and took back all the big venues in New England. Next Ticketing is still around but it only seels tickes to small venues that are mostley general Admission. I believe NEXT is partners with The Red Sox Online Ticketing Sysyem. You can visit them on the web at http://www.nextticketing.com/
Hope this helps.
Back in the 70's and 80's there was a company called ticketron, they were bought out by Ticketmaster and never heard from again.
aBuffettFan,
TicketMaster lost the rights to most of the major venues in New England in the mid 90's to a company called NEXT Ticketing, by 1998 they had bought out NEXT Ticketing and took back all the big venues in New England. Next Ticketing is still around but it only seels tickes to small venues that are mostley general Admission. I believe NEXT is partners with The Red Sox Online Ticketing Sysyem. You can visit them on the web at http://www.nextticketing.com/
Hope this helps.
Back in the 70's and 80's there was a company called ticketron, they were bought out by Ticketmaster and never heard from again.
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Posted By PJack
Sorry let me correct myself, TicketMasters Parent company SFX bought NEXT Ticketing and returned the Rights to the Big venues ie: Great Woods, Fleet Center to TicketMaster, and kept NEXT around to handle the small venues. NEXT had a real real bad way of selling tickets to big shows. They had you call a few days before the on sale, only during a 10 min time frame if you got through you got a number, then the morning of the onsale you had to drive to the venue, 3 hours before the tickets went onsale and get in line according to your number, and just WAIT and WAIT and WAIT till 10AM (If you got there at min late, to bad). I was there for Buffett tickets it was early March at 7AM in a snow storm and they made all of us stand there in the cold and wind for 3+ hours. It was bad. That was the only place tickets were being sold at! After that experience I am a bit less critical of Ticketmaster!
Sorry let me correct myself, TicketMasters Parent company SFX bought NEXT Ticketing and returned the Rights to the Big venues ie: Great Woods, Fleet Center to TicketMaster, and kept NEXT around to handle the small venues. NEXT had a real real bad way of selling tickets to big shows. They had you call a few days before the on sale, only during a 10 min time frame if you got through you got a number, then the morning of the onsale you had to drive to the venue, 3 hours before the tickets went onsale and get in line according to your number, and just WAIT and WAIT and WAIT till 10AM (If you got there at min late, to bad). I was there for Buffett tickets it was early March at 7AM in a snow storm and they made all of us stand there in the cold and wind for 3+ hours. It was bad. That was the only place tickets were being sold at! After that experience I am a bit less critical of Ticketmaster!