| I'm always amazed when I meet someone who | | | | the Red Sox in the playoffs, or the Super Bowl for |
| doesn't know they can buy event tickets online. | | | | instance, then prices will get higher. In fact, they will |
| People often don't realize that just because the box | | | | get as high as people are willing to pay. |
| office says a game or show is sold out, doesn't | | | | The Princeton University economist Alan Krueger, |
| mean there are no more tickets available anywhere. | | | | who helped coin the phrase "rockonomics," said |
| You don't have to stand in long lines or camp out | | | | "There's a cadre of wealthy fans pushing up prices of |
| overnight anymore. You can now get tickets to just | | | | popular acts." |
| about anything online these days. And all you'll need is | | | | Critics of the secondary ticket market argue that |
| a credit card and an Internet connection. | | | | consumers are made to pay outrageous prices. But |
| Just like the book market and stock trading industry, | | | | these people need to re-learn fundamental |
| the Internet has had a profound affect on the ticket | | | | economics. No one is "making" anyone pay higher |
| industry as well. It has leveled the playing field, | | | | prices. On the contrary, by being in such high |
| making it easier than ever before for anyone to | | | | demand, consumers are more than willing to pay the |
| purchase sold out, premium or hard-to-find event | | | | high prices. If we start to attempt to regulate the |
| tickets. Since you don't need to physically touch a | | | | secondary ticket broker market, then we may need |
| ticket before you buy it, purchasing tickets online | | | | to review and all the things being sold for what some |
| makes a lot of sense. The only things that | | | | people consider "high" prices. Let capitalism take care |
| differentiate various online ticket websites are | | | | of prices, not regulations. |
| trustworthiness, selection and price. | | | | There are other benefits from using secondary |
| What kinds of tickets can I buy online? | | | | market ticket websites. The ticket inventory on |
| You can buy just about any event tickets you can | | | | these sites is often in real-time, so you can see the |
| think of on the Web. You can get NFL season | | | | most updated inventory of tickets for any show or |
| tickets, NBA playoff tickets, or World Series tickets. | | | | game at any given time. They also frequently offer |
| You can purchase tickets to the U.S. Open, | | | | seating charts to see where you would be sitting. |
| Broadway or Las Vegas shows, world concert tours, | | | | Just be sure that they have a secure and encrypted |
| NASCAR races, jazz concerts, circus and magic | | | | server to purchase your tickets from. Look for the |
| shows, and tickets to a thousand other events too. | | | | closed pad lock on the bottom right of your browser |
| It used to be that you either had to wait in a long | | | | when you are on the page that asks for your credit |
| line right before the tickets went on sale, continue | | | | card number. As long as it is closed, you are safe to |
| calling Ticketmaster or the box office battling the | | | | purchase from that website, since the closed pad |
| busy signal until you finally got through (often right | | | | lock means 'encrypted'. |
| after the tickets were sold out), or participate in | | | | Along with speed, easiness and convenience, |
| some shady deal outside the venue or stadium with | | | | purchasing tickets online from a ticket website has |
| a scalper, chancing arrest. All of these options were | | | | another benefit. If you are traveling to another city |
| less than ideal. But now you can go to many | | | | and want to catch a show while there, such as New |
| competing ticket websites online and shop till you | | | | York City to see a Broadway play, Chicago to see a |
| drop, all in the comfort of home or office. | | | | White Sox game, or Las Vegas to see a show, you |
| The people who benefit the most by this are the | | | | can buy tickets online to almost all major events and |
| consumers. We can now compare prices in a flash, | | | | shows going on in the city you're traveling to. And |
| find great seats that used to be only for people who | | | | you can do it in advance in the comfort of your |
| knew someone important or who had season tickets, | | | | home. |
| got a hot tip, or was somehow 'in-the-know'. What | | | | What other online choices do I have for buying |
| else could we do? There was no other way. | | | | tickets to shows and games? |
| But now it's different. We have plenty of choices. | | | | Another option for buying tickets online is to go to |
| And if you are willing to pay a price that is above | | | | the performer's website. Performers or productions |
| face value, you can buy tickets to almost anything. | | | | will often purchase blocks of tickets up front to sell |
| How do I buy tickets online? | | | | to their preferred fans or website members. |
| You buy tickets online just like you would buy a book | | | | For instance, you can sign up on your favorite rock |
| online: find a website that sells what you want, enter | | | | band's website, or favorite Broadway production |
| your credit card and shipping information and you're | | | | website, and buy special pre-sales tickets for fans |
| done. Compared to going down to the box office | | | | and fan club members. You may need to register at |
| weeks before the event and waiting in line when the | | | | the website, but it could be worth it to have a place |
| tickets first go on sale, buying online is much better. | | | | to buy sold out tickets and get newsletters and |
| Actually, online ticket websites have been around for | | | | information on your favorite performers. If a concert, |
| a while. There is and Tickets.com, which have | | | | show or game is sold out, check back regularly as |
| relationships with many venues, and are probably the | | | | promoters, performers and venues often times |
| most well known ticket websites. for example, prides | | | | release last minute tickets that are close to the |
| itself in not charging more than face value. | | | | event date. |
| But since they don't charge more than face value, | | | | Also, try searching the Web for pre-sale password |
| there are some drawbacks in using For instance, they | | | | codes for Ticketmaster or band Web sites. |
| sell out of their tickets very fast. It's not uncommon | | | | You can check if your credit card company has |
| for a band's tickets to go on sale and sell out in mere | | | | pre-sales or preferred tickets put aside for |
| minutes. And you're still waiting in line, just virtually. In | | | | cardholders. American Express has offered this |
| other words, you are put into a queue when you log | | | | benefit in the past. |
| on to their site and find the event you want, and | | | | And you can go to or to find tickets for sale by |
| then you stare at a "processing" page till your turn | | | | individuals. Here you need to be very careful |
| comes up. You are then presented with any tickets | | | | however, since an individual can sell you fake tickets. |
| that are left. If they've sold out in the meantime, | | | | If you want the convenience, speed and |
| you're out of luck. | | | | ease-of-use, or if the tickets you want are premium |
| Why is it so hard to find sports and concert tickets? | | | | or already sold out, then your best bet is to go to a |
| One of the reasons for example sells out so quickly | | | | reputable online ticket website which sells tickets |
| is because the demand is often much higher than the | | | | above face value on the secondary market. |
| supply and Ticketmaster is the top of the food chain, | | | | Check to make sure they have a secure checkout |
| so to speak. Also, many other people besides | | | | (as explained above), that they have a street |
| consumers buy the tickets first. Many tickets are | | | | address, phone number and privacy policy listed on |
| grabbed by promoters, tour sponsors, scalpers, | | | | their website, all of which show trustworthiness, and |
| marketers, radio stations, bands, fan clubs and | | | | you should be fine. You can also check for seals such |
| stadiums, which often give preferential treatment to | | | | as Square Trade, the Better Business Bureau, or |
| season-ticket holders seeking concert seats. Regular | | | | Thawte. If a site has any of these seals, and the link |
| fans are frequently some of the last people to have | | | | goes to a unique page verifying the authenticity, then |
| a chance at that prized ticket. | | | | you should be fine too. |
| So, if you don't want to wait in an online queue, or | | | | The ticket websites mentioned in this article are all |
| you come up empty-handed at which happens all too | | | | reputable websites that you can trust. Also, if the |
| often, then your next online choice is to go to | | | | ticket website you are considering is part of Ticket |
| secondary market ticket broker websites. Examples | | | | Network Direct (TicketTransaction.com), then you |
| of these are tickco.com, or | | | | can trust them as well. |
| How do you find these tickets websites in the first | | | | If you find a website that you like, and have a good |
| place? | | | | experience with it, then be sure to bookmark the |
| Either go to any of the websites mentioned directly | | | | site since you'll probably want to buy tickets again in |
| above (since I have used each of them and know | | | | the future. |
| they are completely reliable) or use your favorite | | | | When searching for tickets online, I recommend that |
| search engine and type in a relevant phrase. But be | | | | you open up a few browser windows, find the show |
| sure to be as specific as possible. You'll have a much | | | | or game you want to go to on each ticket website |
| better chance of finding the tickets you want easily, | | | | you're considering buying from, check the seating |
| and most importantly quickly, by typing in "cheap | | | | charts and prices for the day you want, and |
| Boston Red Sox tickets" or "the musical Wicked in | | | | compare the websites' prices. Just be sure you are |
| Los Angeles tickets" for example, than you would | | | | comparing the same exact days and seating sections |
| "baseball tickets" or "Broadway". | | | | across websites. |
| Prices are often higher than face value in the | | | | Gone are the days of camping out in line, out in the |
| secondary online ticket market. This is because | | | | cold, overnight. Now we can all just hop on the Web |
| service fees are added. You are paying for the | | | | in only our underwear, click around a few times and |
| convenience and the opportunity to purchase tickets | | | | viola, our hard-to-find tickets are in-hand a few days |
| to games or concerts that have already been sold | | | | later! |
| out. And it is often much better than since you are | | | | TERMS OF REPRINT |
| not waiting in a virtual queue and you are much more | | | | You have permission to publish this article |
| likely of actually getting the tickets you want, | | | | electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the |
| regardless of the show or game being sold out. | | | | bylines are included and you follow these rules: |
| Another very important reason why these tickets | | | | *Email distribution of this article MUST be opt-in email |
| cost more than face value, sometimes a huge | | | | only. |
| amount more, is because of simple supply and | | | | *If you post this article on a website, you must set |
| demand economics. If there is a larger demand than | | | | any URL's in the Author's Resource Box as hyperlinks. |
| supply for tickets to the Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna, | | | | Please send us the URL. |