Have you found it almost impossible to get tickets to in-demand live events? You're not alone.
More than a decade ago, the ticket buying industry underwent radical change, pretty much wiping out the days of going to the box office or camping out overnight to buy tickets for a big show. Even getting tickets through Ticketmaster — the dominant ticket seller in the country — isn't guaranteed. Last month, for example, plenty of would-be concertgoers logged on to buy tickets to Beyoncé's July 12 show at the Arena at Gwinnett Center outside Atlanta only to find themselves shut out. Why? Because in reality — for some of the biggest live ticketed events — the majority of seats are gone before the public sale even begins.
Presale allotments to sources ranging from fan clubs to credit card companies and sales to secondary ticket brokers can leave a limited number of tickets for the buying public. Those who do manage to score tickets pay for them dearly, and not just in the face-value of the ticket. Fees — sometimes clear and sometimes not so clear — are attached to most online ticket sales and can quickly hike up the price of a ticket by 20 percent or more.
So how can you navigate this tricky ticket buying terrain? Here are some tips culled from a range of sources, including Fan Freedom, a consumer advocacy group initially funded by ticket reseller StubHub.com, a division of eBay and Seat Geek, an online ticket aggregator that helps consumers find the best ticket deals:
Get in on the presale action. Ticket presales and holdbacks can amount to up to 90 percent of the total tickets, leaving only 10 percent available to the general public, according to Fan Freedom. Holdbacks occur when artists, management, venues and ticketing companies presell or reserve tickets for fan club members, VIPs, premium credit card holders and personal acquaintances. For a recent Justin Bieber concert in Nashville, only 1,001 out of 14,000 seats were available during the public sale, says a spokesperson for Fan Freedom.
The upshot? Join the fan clubs of your favorite artists. Look for alerts from your credit card company regarding presales. Get on the mailing lists of venues that host big events. Sign up with Ticketmaster and LiveNation to gain access to Web- or app-based presales. You give up some personal information (e-mail address, demographics), but in return you get early access to tickets.
Go solo. You have a good chance of getting a good seat during a public sale if you're only looking for one seat. Most people are seeking multiple tickets all in a row. That's a bummer if you want to go with friends, but hey. Consider buying from alternate sources, but exercise caution. Fan Freedom cites a Bruce Springsteen fan who was tricked by a website he thought was for the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y., but was actually a ticket reseller. Even if a website looks like the official site, it may be bogus.
To avoid scams: Pay attention to URLs: When buying tickets directly from a venue, check the website's URL to ensure you don't get duped by an impostor.
