Is Ticket Scalping Legal? It's the day of the big (sold- out) event, your friend can't make it, and you've got an extra ticket. Can you sell it online? For how much? The practice of reselling tickets at prices above face value is commonly called scalping, and whether it's legal depends on the state in which the event is located—whether the sale happens online, on the phone, or in person. What is scalping exactly? But first, how do ticket sales work?
A ticket is a piece of paper that gives the holder a right to admission to an event. You can buy a ticket from the venue itself or, more likely, from a ticketing agent contracted by the venue to sell tickets at face value plus a fee; the most well- known of these agents are Ticketmaster and Stub. Hub. Beyond the agents, though, are so- called . Once the tickets are bought, the broker turns around and sells them, usually at a profit. The term ? There is no federal law against scalping, but, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 1. States that restrict scalping include: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. A careful reading of the statutes is essential, though, as some barely prohibit scalping at all or in very select circumstances.
Arizona, for example, bans scalping only within 2. The NCSL cites another seven states (Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) that require a seller to have license to broker tickets, and many limit the allowable markup to $3 or less.
How can you fix the ticket scalper issue on sites like Ticketmaster, LiveNation, and AXS? How are scalpers locking up Ticketmaster & Tickets.com's websites during high-demand events? Sports Business: How much ticket money does a franchise make on. Scalper - someone who buys something and resells it at a price far above the initial cost; 'he got theater tickets through a scalper' plunger, speculator - someone who risks losses for the possibility of considerable gains ticket tout, tout - someone who buys N. The Ticket Scalper Reply Transcribed by Michael Winsett (author's profile) Share this: uploaded Sept. Original (PDF) page 1/4 page 2/4 page 3/4.
Again, however, regulations and limitations vary widely. Individual sellers, for example, may be exempt or subject to different price limitations—again demonstrating the importance of reading the laws carefully. Florida lifts its ban on scalping. While the Roman Coliseum's gladiator fights probably had scalpers at the gates, the practice of ticket scalping has been in the news recently because in July of 2. Florida lifted its ban. Under the previous law, it was a second degree misdemeanor to resell tickets without a license; additionally, licensed brokers could charge no more than $1 over the face value of the ticket unless the ticket was part of a larger travel package.
In fact, this travel package exception may have been what turned Florida legislators in favor of a proposal that had been defeated before. Many brokers included event tickets as part of a package deal, thereby charging outrageously high prices, legally getting around the anti- scalping law, and, according to the sponsor of the bill in Florida's House of Representatives John K. Stargel, R- Lakeland, gaining a monopoly on ticket sales. Representative Stargel's argument in favor of anti- scalping legislation revolves around the . The new Florida law attempts to address this concern by making it illegal to hoard tickets for an event that has ticket purchase limits, i.
Ticket resale (also known as ticket scalping or ticket touting) is the act of reselling tickets for admission to events. During the 19th century, the term scalper was applied to railroad ticket brokers who sold tickets for lower rates. Purchase and re-sale methods.
So what do the supporters say? On the other hand, opponents of anti- scalping laws say that ticket sales should be like any other venture in a capitalist economy and the free market; that is, the market should dictate at which price tickets are sold. Indeed, the National Association of Ticket Buyers has said that, just like everyone else, scalpers simply want to achieve the American dream. Many question why anti- scalping legislation exists at all.
The Ticket Scalper 12. The Ticket Scalper 0 Views Tags Legal System Political Theory 06/09/2009 Walter Block From Part IV of Defending the Undefendable, 'Outlaw.' Read by Jeff Riggenbach. As part of a Billboard special report on the state of the ticketing business, our touring expert Ray Waddell picked the brain of a ticket broker who's been in the game, as he says, 'since it was invented.' We chose to protext his identity so he'd speak freely. So you've been active in. How to Scalp Tickets Two Methods: Scalping Tickets Online Scalping Tickets in Person Community Q&A. There is much debate as to how much a scalper should charge for an upmarked event ticket. Ultimately, it depends on the original price, quality of seat. Ticket Scalping: What It Means and How to Do it Right by Brandon We’ve all been there. You’re at a dinner party and someone asks you The Question: “So, what do you do?” “Oh, I’m a ticket broker.” “You mean like, a scalper.
Apparently agreeing with this viewpoint—and seeing the potential to turn a profit—some professional sports organizations have actually teamed up with ticket resellers. At least eight teams of the National Football League teams, four of Major League Baseball, and one of the National Basketball Association use the services of a ticket reseller to allow season ticket holders to sell individual tickets online; in the process, the reseller and the organization both get cuts of any profit. But, showing that the debate is not clear cut, anti- scalping sentiment has shown up in other organizations that threaten to strip season ticket holders of their privileges for scalping tickets. At least one former New England Patriots' season ticket holder had his tickets taken away for simply putting them up for auction—even though no money or tickets were ever exchanged. Watch out for Fraud. In any event, anti- scalping legislation focuses on the seller, so you can buy scalped tickets without fear of being arrested.
You do, however, buy such tickets at your own risk, as fraud is rampant. The most common scam is someone selling fabricated tickets, many times to seats that don't even exist in a venue; ticket brokers offer some protection on this front, whereas individual sellers will simply disappear with your cash. Another type of fraud, though, came up recently when Ticketmaster invalidated over 1,0.
Barbara Streisand concert tickets because blocks were bought with a stolen credit card and then resold. In this case, the purchasers were simply out of luck—and the purchase price. How to unload your extra tickets legally. So what do you do with your extra tickets? While weighing your options, consider that reselling tickets for up to face value is legal everywhere. And although anti- scalping laws aren't always vigorously enforced or easily understood, it's best to inform yourself as best as possible of your state and local laws before you look to turn a profit. Otherwise you just may end up with front row seats in a rather unentertaining place—a courtroom.