Strange thing about scalper tickets

I've been comparing a lof of different scalper ticket prices and agencies and I find the weirdest pattern: the seats on Richie's side of the stage are usually a cheaper than the tickets on Dave's side of the stage (for Atlanta). That makes no sense to me. I would think that it would be reversed and the tix on Richie's side would be higher because it's Richie's side! He's obviously the 2nd most popular member of the band, so you'd think more people would want tickets on his side. No offense Dave & Hugh fans, but I know a lot more people who want to be on Richie's side. Of course, it would figure that I was looking for two more tix on Dave's side because the one ticket I got from Ticketmaster is 5th row in his section. Dammit. Any other time, I'd have opted for Richie's side to save some money since the center seats are all outragous.

Oh, if anyone is looking for some GREAT seats for Nashville, 3rd row and a lot cheaper than I've seen them elsewhere, let me know. I'll refer you to this guy I wound up buying my Atlanta tix from.

Becky

I don't think that these Scalpers even know on which side the tickets are. I don't think they know anything about the band.

But I want to say the following: KEEP AWAY FROM SCALPERS. First you support this and it will become even harder in the future to get tickets regulary and the prices raises even more and second I speak from my own experience. I bought my ticket for Shepherd's Bush at a ticket office in London, not knowing that this is the same as Scalpers. Here in Germany you don't have Scalpers with an office and since this agency stood in the phone book with an adress I thought it would be something serious.

Anyway, we were promised to get the ticket a few days before the show by mail it it didn't come. I mailed this ticket agency if we really get the ticket because I fly over from Germany that costs a lot of money and I don't want to come for nothing. The guy promised us to give us the ticket in front of the venue but we never got it. We flew to London, payed a lot of money for the flight and a hotel but didn't get our ticket.

Fortunately a guy from the record company got to know what happened and gave us 3 tickets that he got left. But some of us got nothing and flew to London for a Pizza.

So all I can say, keep away from these Scalpers. Even if they sell real tickets, the more who support this the more there will be in the future.

Some definitely do know the stage set up because they'll use things like "You'll be on the aisle between Jon and Richie" to advertize.

I agree with you in theory that scalpers are a bad thing. However, they also provide a service that I'm willing to pay for. I've been a loyal fan club member since practically day one. I don't drop in and out on the basis of tours. However, the stipulation to be at the venue to purchase tickets keeps me from taking advantage of fan club seating. If I'm going to take a few days off work and travel and pay for a hotel room just to get to a show, I want that show to be from the best vantage point possible. Scalper markups are usually less than what it would cost to take time off work, travel, and get a hotel room to be at the venue to buy tickets. Therefore, why go to the trouble of all that when I can order tickets from my own home and pick what I want and where I want them? Many people who did travel for fan club seats wound up very disappointed with what they got.

It's not like I'm going to have the opportunity to go to 5 or 10 or 15 shows on a tour. I go to ONE. I'm willing to pay for it to be the best it can be. Until the fan club improves their policy, I will continue to use scalpers for the service of better tickets. I'm not ashamed of that and I don't apologize for it.

If people are concerned about legitimacy, they can check to see if the brokers are bonded. Also, I've found that brokers will send out tickets immediately, usually through Federal Express. That doesn't mean I don't worry that I've gotten fake tickets, but so far everything has worked out for me.

Becky

You shouldnt need to apologise for it. If i were you, i'd do exactly the same. In what your saying you are doing right, well i think you are. You are saving time and money by what your doing. It sucks that in USA that the FC want you to be at the venue for the on-sale day for tickets and you dont necessarily get decent seats. The FC all over needs to change its policys regarding tours.

If it works for you its not a problem, you aint hurting no-one are you?!

Nope... I'm only bring great joy to two of my best friends Julie and Colleen who will both be going to the show with me. By going through a scalper, I was able to get seats that are directly in front of the one I had gotten through Ticketmaster, so we all get to sit together. We get to be very close to the stage. Sometimes the thrill is worth more than the money. I can assure you, someone could walk up to me during the show and offer me 10x what I paid for those tickets and I wouldn't budge. I'm so happy that Julie, Colleen, and I get to do this together that money is completely immaterial. I'll have to remind myself of that when my credit card statement comes in. LOL

Becky

Its not money what matters at the end of the day, its having a good time thats most important!

I hope you and Julie and Colleen have a great time.

Becky, I just hope for you and your friends that you get for what you payed for. I used a Scalper once (not knowing that it is one) and made totally different experiences. That's why I only can warn of buying from them.

Whilst we're on the subject of Scalpers - have a read of the following I copied & pasted from one of the bids on Ebay. Check out the lines:

I SPECIALISE IN SELLING AMAZING "FRONT ROW" TICKETS FOR ALL EVENTS AROUND THE UK. I CHARGE PREMIUM PRICES FOR MY SERVICES AND USE EBAY AS MY PLATFORM.

THIS IS A SPECIAL "BUY IT NOW" AUCTION FOR AS MANY TICKETS AS YOU WANT! THE PRICE IS ONLY £125 PER TICKET. JUST MAKE SURE YOU INPUT THE RIGHT QUANTITY REQUIRED. THIS IS CERTAIN TO RISE STEEPLY AS TIME GOES BY AND THESE AMAZING TICKETS BECOME MORE AND MORE SCARSE.

I started this auction with 50 tickets available. This Ebay page should automatically indicate how many of these tickets are still available!

How the heck did this chump get 50 tickets?? - Why do I work for a living?? Anyway the full description is as follows:

Can't be bothered with all this bidding business to get your BON JOVI tickets? You only want one ticket or maybe three or maybe even five and the auctions always come in pairs? Can't trust that much money to someone without respectable feedback? Well... this is your chance to guarantee yourself a place in ROCK history hassle-free!

IT'S A MATTER OF TRUST!

JUST HAVE A LOOK AT MY FEEDBACK AND YOU WILL SEE WHY I AM EBAY'S PREMIER TICKET BROKER!

MY STOCK OF "FRONT ROW" TICKETS FOR ABSOLUTELY ANY EVENT IS UNPARALLED IN ALL OF THE UK. I SPECIALISE IN SELLING AMAZING "FRONT ROW" TICKETS FOR ALL EVENTS AROUND THE UK. I CHARGE PREMIUM PRICES FOR MY SERVICES AND USE EBAY AS MY PLATFORM. EBAY NOT ONLY PROVIDES SECURITY AND INSURANCE BUT YOU CAN ALSO VIEW FEEDBACK FROM ALL PREVIOUS BUYERS FOR YOUR COMPLETE PEACE OF MIND!

MY STOCK OF STANDING TICKETS FOR ALL BON JOVI CONCERTS IS UNAPARALLELED!!! JUST SEE MY OTHER AUCTION IF YOU WOULD LIKE TICKETS FOR THE OTHER DATES:

24 June 2003: Bon Jovi (Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton)

26 June 2003: Bon Jovi (Old Trafford Football Stadium, Manchester)

28 June 2003: Bon Jovi (Hyde Park, London)

THIS IS A SPECIAL "BUY IT NOW" AUCTION FOR AS MANY TICKETS AS YOU WANT! THE PRICE IS ONLY £125 PER TICKET. JUST MAKE SURE YOU INPUT THE RIGHT QUANTITY REQUIRED. THIS IS CERTAIN TO RISE STEEPLY AS TIME GOES BY AND THESE AMAZING TICKETS BECOME MORE AND MORE SCARSE.

I started this auction with 50 tickets available. This Ebay page should automatically indicate how many of these tickets are still available!


This auction is for tickets for the BON JOVI concert at the MOLINEUX STADIUM, in Wolverhampton on Tuesday 24 June 2003.

Exact ticket location: GOLD CIRCLE STANDING! This basically means that you can get as close to the stage as possible! My tickets are ALWAYS THE BEST TICKETS AVAILABLE!

OOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!

These type of exclusive GOLD CIRCLE tickets are now completely sold out! You will NOT be able to get tickets anywhere else!

That's right! This is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get within sweat-tasting proximity of this amazing band! Experience BON JOVI up-close and personal!

MONEY BACK GUARANTEE: If the concert is re-scheduled and you can't make it on the new date or if it is cancelled by the artiste for any reason then I will return the FULL AMOUNT you paid on safe return of the ticekts! How more trustworthy can one get?!?

Scalpers get tickets because they work with the promoters and the promoters sell them or give them the tickets so the promoters can take a cut of the profits. Or, in some cases, they use fan club membership and have people buy the tix for them.

Becky

Sounds like something from Goodfellas