Below are a few topics to help you better understand the ticket business:
Reliable Ticket Brokers:
When you search for tickets on the web, you will find page after page of ticket brokers. So how do you tell which of these ticket brokers are reliable? And how do you know that your information is safe from fraud? Here are a few basic requirements you should look for in a Ticket Broker:
1) Make sure they have an About Us page that identifies who they are.
2) Make sure they are a member of the BBB or their local Chamber.
3) Verify whether they offer a money back guarantee.
4) Make sure their web site is using 128-bit encryption and SSL technology.
5) Make sure they have a stated Privacy Policy.
6) Ensure they offer a reliable shipping method.
7) Make sure they have been in business 5+ years. If you don't find this information on a Ticket Broker, then do not buy tickets from them.
Ticket Scams:
Ticket scams are an unfortunate reality in the ticket business. There are always a handful of people who are selling counterfeit tickets to popular events. Some rules to help you avoid ticket scams:
1) Only buy online from reputable Ticket Brokers (see above).
2) Avoid buying tickets on unregulated sites like Craigslist or Ebay.
3) Never pay cash or pay via a money order.
4) Avoid buying tickets from a scalper. Too often people ignore these rules because they want to save a few bucks. They will make a deal with some anonymous person on the web or buy tickets from a scalper. And it's too late by the time they realize they were scammed. And there is no recourse for these type of transactions, so choose who you buy tickets from carefully. Avoid deals that are too good to be true.
How do Ticket Brokers get tickets:
Ticket Brokers get their tickets from a variety of sources. Many are purchased from Ticketmaster or the venue box office. Other tickets are bought from season ticket holders and individuals who have extra tickets to sell. And some come from other Ticket Brokers. Most Ticket Brokers own season tickets for teams and/or venues But Ticket Brokers have to pay the same prices, fees, donations and PSLs that everyone else does.
Primary vs Secondary Market Tickets:
Ticket Brokers resell tickets, and are not affiliated with the venue box office. Therefore, they sell tickets in the secondary market. The venue box office is the primary market for tickets; they print up and distribute the tickets. Ticketmaster is the largest company in the primary ticket market. Ticketmaster handles the distribution of tickets for a large majority of venues, teams, promoters and events. A couple of other large primary market ticket companies are Tickets.com, which distributes Major League Baseball tickets, and Telecharge, which sells tickets for New York theater. When you are looking to buy tickets for an event, always check with both the box office and a Ticket Broker. The selection at the box office might not be as good as what is available through a Ticket Broker, but the box office sells tickets at face value. Although sometimes Ticket Brokers are offering tickets at face value or below face value. So make sure you check both primary (Ticketmaster) and secondary markets (TicketCity) to find the right tickets for you. For Championship Events, only a few tickets are ever made available to the public. So if you are looking for tickets to those events, your only option is to buy using a Ticket Broker.
What is the face value on tickets:
The face value of a ticket is the price printed on the ticket. That price is established by the venue box office and promoters of that particular show/event. Ticket brokers commonly sell tickets above face value. This price, called market value, reflects the demand for those tickets and cost associated with obtaining them. Prices in the ticket market, like the stock market, are driven by supply and demand. So if you are going to a "hot event" you will probably be paying above face value for those tickets. Whereas, if you are going to a Tuesday afternoon Royals/Marlins game, you might be able to pay face or less. Ticket prices can fluctuate on a daily basis, but it is a common misperception that the value of a ticket will decrease as an event draws near. Supply often dwindles as an event approaches, which makes the price of tickets go up. When this happens, fans wind up paying more than if they had purchased the tickets earlier.
One important item to understand is that face value often does not represent the entire cost of obtaining a ticket. Just to get the right to purchase a ticket you may have to pay a mandatory donation, a personal seat license (PSL) fee, or some other membership fees. And a Ticket Broker has to include those additional fees in the cost of their tickets.
Who are Ticket Brokers:
There are thousands of people in the world who sell tickets. But there are only approximately 800 Ticket Brokers. And many of those are still just small one or two person shops. There are less than 100 medium size brokers (10+ employees). And only twenty Ticket Brokers with 25 or more employees.
There are a few key difference between Ticket Brokers and a scalpers. A Ticket Broker has an office and offers the same benefits as other businesses (phone orders, pay by credit card, a stated refund policy, etc). A scalper sells tickets directly outside of a venue. Scalpers only accept cash for their tickets and do not offer refunds. Compare the top Ticket Companies.
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