Ticket Scalping

[Vincent]

Well?


I think it should be legal. It's just a trade of time for money as far as I'm concerned.

[Rob]

I'd legalize it.

[A18]

If you agree not to resell the tickets when you buy them, then obviously it should be illegal.

If not, obviously it should be legal.

Leave it up to the parties involved.

[senatortombstone]

in a free market i cannot see why scalping shoud be illegal.  Ultimately, people should be free to sell their property at any price they deem fit.  Likewise, buyers can either accept or refuse the offer based on whether or not the event in paticular is worth attending for the increased price.

Often times whena paticular products' run is sold out, it goes up in value as it is no longer available in traditional public venues.

How is selling a sold out ticket at twice its original price any different from selling an issue of Uncanny X-men #1, which was originally 12 cents, for $25,000?

[A18]

in a free market i cannot see why scalping shoud be illegal.  Ultimately, people should be free to sell their property at any price they deem fit.  Likewise, buyers can either accept or refuse the offer based on whether or not the event in paticular is worth attending for the increased price.

Often times whena paticular products' run is sold out, it goes up in value as it is no longer available in traditional public venues.

How is selling a sold out ticket at twice its original price any different from selling an issue of Uncanny X-men #1, which was originally 12 cents, for $25,000?

But what about legal agreements. As in, "you may not resell this" plain and simple. It happens all the time, should tickets be exempted?

[Erc]

Of course it should be legal.

And stadia, etc., should take the hint and raise prices instead.

[angus]

in a free market i cannot see why scalping shoud be illegal.  Ultimately, people should be free to sell their property at any price they deem fit.  Likewise, buyers can either accept or refuse the offer based on whether or not the event in paticular is worth attending for the increased price.

Often times whena paticular products' run is sold out, it goes up in value as it is no longer available in traditional public venues.

How is selling a sold out ticket at twice its original price any different from selling an issue of Uncanny X-men #1, which was originally 12 cents, for $25,000?

But what about legal agreements. As in, "you may not resell this" plain and simple. It happens all the time, should tickets be exempted?

ah, well.  as a serious matter, of course if the arrangement is that you don't resell, then you are clearly violating a contract if you do.  But you know that this happens.  I have purchased scalped tickets myself.  I don't like doing it, and I understand it is illegal, but sometimes if you want to see the game, that's the only option when they're sold out. 

As a practical matter, laws against scalping are very much like laws against drugs and laws against sodomy, in the sense that they're frivolous and unenforcible, and waste paper and ink.  As a philosophical matter, they are very different beasts.  The scalping laws are to prohibit the state from losing out on taxes, whereas the anti-drug, etc., laws actually cause the state to lose out on taxes.

[A18]

I would not prosecute anyone for buying a "do not resell" ticket to some game. But the seller is breaking a contract.

[Smash255]

For the most part it should be legal, but with restrictions.  For example anyone that buys more than lets say 10 tickets (number is up for debate) can't scalp them.  This gives people the right to make some $$$ in selling their tickets, but without the process being abused by people who buy a ton of tickets & sell them therefire making it harder for the public to get them at a reasonble price

[??????????]

One of the main reasons it's illegal is because scalpers often charge outrageous prices for tickets. I voted option 1, but with restrictions.

[Alcon]

One of the main reasons it's illegal is because scalpers often charge outrageous prices for tickets. I voted option 1, but with restrictions.

Not really. The law has nothing to do with price. It all has to do with the fact that the vendors have their right to make reselling their product for a gain illegal. If it says that on the ticket, and you buy it, that is what you have agreed to. End of story.

I voted legal - if it does not say that, it should be legal.

[MHS2002]

I say option 1. As an aside, I've never been to a sporting event where I paid more than face value for a ticket.

[Ebowed]

Definitely legal.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Legal though scalpers usually are a little strange

[ATFFL]

Keep it illegal, dammit.  Nothing better than having a cop friend bring his badge along, go to buy tickets from a scalper, flash his badge and suddenly get them below face value.

Everyone should have cop friends!

[No more McShame]

Keep it legal let the market decide.

Yes I said keep it legal.  Ticket scalping is legal in Arizona.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

make it legal for two reasons:

1-there's lots of other things you can do that is basically the same thing and are legal, including ones that I've done before. For example, buying a very limited edition version of a record when it comes out and then selling it on ebay later for 5x the original price.
2-there are ways to sell tickets now so that they can't be resold, such as how the Triple Rock in Minneapolis does. I guess this would be a problem for bigger venues though, but still.

it's legal in 3 states as far as I know: North Dakota, Kansas and Arizona.

[Gabu]

I pretty much agree with what has been already said: if the ticket specifically says on it, "not for resale", then no, it should not be legal, but if the vendor doesn't care, neither should the government.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Here's how the Triple Rock in Minneapolis sells "ticket". When you buy one online, it gives you a receipt to print that has your name and card info and all that stuff on it, and then adds you to a list. You just bring in a printout of the receipt and you don't have to pay at the door. They therefore can't be scalped. Of course since you can always pay at the door there'd be no point in trying to scalp Triple Rock tickets since the shows hardly ever sell out, and bigger venues would find this rather annoying, when they're the only ones where it's an issue. But I frankly don't care, if some moron wants to spend $100 to see Britney Spears go ahead, I can see much better bands for $8 at the Triple Rock.

[Bogart]

Legal, however the fact that it's not in most cases doesn't bother me in the least. I've seen a lot of concerts on a good, old fashioned scalper ticket.

[MN--Troy]

Ticket scalping should legal.  I suppose in some people's mind that scalping and extortion are the same words, but ticket sales are voluntary--not corerced.

The only victims of scalping are the concert promoters who sacrifice revunue because they misjudged the actual market price.

[Inverted Things]

Here's how you scalp tickets:

1. Stand outside the venue saying "I've got tickets."
2. When someone interested comes up say "I'll sell you this can of Pepsi for (insert amount here) dollars, and you can have the ticket free."
3. Accept money and handoff the Pepsi and the ticket.

Perfectly legal.

[Redefeatbush04]

I voted to make it legal - however consider this.

A man somehow buys 1/3 of all available tickets at the regular price. Now that he is the only one with tickets HE can set the price and sell the tickets to others. HE can make a huge profit and use that money to buy more tickets.

Yaks hairbrush ......that is a genious idea and exactly why I oppose it being illegal. It is too hard to determine what is and isn't ticket scalping and is a pain in the ass to enforce.