The concept makes sense ORIGINALLY. Allow for fans to buy tickets via the Internet and they can also have them sent electronically to their e-mail database. Makes sense. My first problem with this is the service fees that come in. There's always fees. Data fee, e-mail fee, stadium fee, convenience charge, there's about $10-15 in fees per ticket.
If you've bought (or tried to) buy tickets through the system, which is likely, you've most likely struck out right away. But Ticketmaster is so kind that they encourage you to go to their site-operated TicketExchange, where people who bought tickets and "can't go" can sell them - for whatever price they please. Ticket scalping is considered illegal or controlled in most states. But the Internet is free from those rules.
Since anyone can access the Internet, they can buy the tickets. So I can buy tickets to the show in California from PA and have 0 intention of going - but know that if I get good seats from Ticketmaster, I can probably flip them on a site like StubHub (or the TicketMaster CREATED TicketExchange where they basically APPROVE OF SCALPING SO THEY CAN MAKE MONEY MONEY) for a high multiple of what I paid. Sounds like a nice way to make some money. But how gutless and brutal. Not only that, there's ANOTHER service charge on StubHub to keep the price increase going.
I don't know why this is allowed. I just looked up some concert tickets in my area. John Mayer is performing in Philly in early August. Highest FACE VALUE is $75. On StubHub, those same seats are going for $500. For the Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the maximum price is $5,000 on StubHub. I don't know highest face value, but I will bet $5,000 it's not that high.
HOW IS THIS LEGAL
Seriously. These bastards should be stopped somehow. They prevent the fairness of everyone having the opportunity to go. Most people could afford the $75 to see Mayer if they wanted. Not everyone could afford the $500. $500 on a two hour event. Who really pays that?
I know following a Bruce Springsteen ticket incident that some bands and somewhat Ticketmaster are taking it into their own hand and making it a bit harder to crack - your credit card is your ticket. You HAVE to bring your credit card you paid with to get in. I REALLY like this idea. Of course, it's flawed too - if you can't attend and give your tickets to a friend, I don't really know how that works out.
That's the only instance where I approve selling the ticket online again - if you can't go. And if that's the case, then make your money back and move on. Don't take advantage of other people.
I love when people buy them - with never having any intention of going - and end up selling them online and have to slash the price so they actually LOSE money. I've taken advantage of this a few times and gotten into games and concerts for less than face value, and I laugh because most of the time it's sellers trying to make sure they don't get completely burned.
In the meantime, there should be something REAL done to try to prevent the massive increase of prices from sale. I don't know how this is done, and I'm not in charge of the company. It just makes Ticketmaster look bad that they approve of raising prices on tickets that were meant to be sold at a fair face value so that EVERYONE has an opportunity to go. Instead Ticketmaster just looks greedy. Good job Corporate America!
No comments:
Post a Comment