Scalpers

[FOTD]

For over 40 years I have used Scalpers for ducats to major events. They help tremendously. Tulsa's few scalpers are all decent people just out to make a buck in a capitalist society.

Tulsa is so Busch League.

It helps demand to allow Scalpers to resell tickets. Besides, The Areema will be doing so mediocre after 2 years, it would be a mistake to take away that market share.

Another reason besides access and entertainers to skip this venue.

[TURobY]

Yay! FOTD won't be going!

[Breadburner]

Did someone fart....

[cannon_fodder]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

[1] For over 40 years I have used Scalpers for ducats to major events. They help tremendously.

[2]Tulsa is so Busch League.

[3]It helps demand to allow Scalpers to resell tickets.

[4]Another reason besides access and entertainers to skip this venue.

1) If you have used scalpers for over 40 years, you have wasted untold amounts of money.  By definition, a scalper buys a ticket at face value and resells it at a higher price.  Why didn't you just buy the ticket at face value?

Who are they helping tremendously?

2) If Tulsa is "Busch League" (didn't know we were talking about NASCAR) then why are scalpers interested anyway?  

DC, Detroit, Los Angles, San Francisco, Seattle, Kansas City, Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, Portland, Cinci, and Baltimore are a few other "Busch League" cities that have anti scalping ordnances.

Here is a list of cities with the exact same law as Tulsa has proposed:
]
Anaheim
Ann Arbor
Atlanta
Baltimore
Denver
Edmonton
Green Bay
Joliet (Chicago)
Kansas City
Los Angeles
Seattle
St. Louis

I've notice that they are all suffering from the problems you listed and can't get entertainers in... /sarcasm

3)  Scalpers buy tickets to resell them.  They would not buy tickets to resell if the demand to buy them was not already there.  Hence, they have a minimal impact on actual demand for tickets.  

Not hard to figure that out.  The only scalper that would have a positive influence on demand would be the one that sucks at his job and buys more tickets than he can sell. Which he probably would not do too often.

4) Show me one time in history that someone skipped a venue because they didn't have scalpers.  That's argument is simply horrible.
- - -

Anti-scalping laws actually increase team revenues, as the laws have no adverse effect on attendance.
Another look at anti-scalping laws: Theory and evidence, Abstract available at: http://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/pubcho/v130y2007i1p55-77.html

If anything scalping indicates the venue is charging too little for the product - which would indicate the community is getting more for their money than they deserve.  Scalpers step in and make up the difference in profit to themselves (instead of to the venue, artist, or in savings to the community).  While a great example of markets at work, this doesn't really help me since I am subsidizing the venue.
http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cj15n1-4.html
- - -

Basically FOTD, scalpers step in and buy the max number of tickets and have their friends do the same.  They then sell them to people at a higher price.  It's really that simple.

So while I don't fault them for making a buck and will not shout for the practice to be banned, I fail to see the bennefit to me or anyone else BUT the scalpers.  The above linked CATO article makes a good market-based case for not bothering to outlaw it and I agree... it probably isn't worth the hassle.   The venue can
have issuance practices that try to accomplish the same thing (limit 10 UNLESS they contact and register a group, etc.) and probably be as effective.

You can make a good argument for "don't bother,"  but your reasons are not that argument.

[sgrizzle]

To increase demand you need to limit supply. Scalpers don't limit supply, they increase the cost of the supply. Then, the real patrons sit behind two rows of unsold empty scalper seats for no apparent reason.

[FOTD]

Cannon Fodder returns with more misinformation.

Often times arenas over sell and scalpers are left with seats they have to unload at lower prices. The oil traders get to use all sorts of futures to manipulate prices. Why not the poor ticket broker?

Many times, ticket purchasers are faced with having extra tickets due to a friend being sick, flight cancellations, etc. and being able to resell their tickets to avoid a loss becomes prohibitive under this victimless crime outlet.
Another duty for our already over stretched police department. Won't they be too busy inside curtailing inhalation?

Individuals from outside of Tulsa look to newspapers and the internet to barter or buy sold out performance tickets. I often utilized scalpers to achieve better seats through trading up. Sometimes, I'd offer 3 seats for 2. Or, trade a ticket to Rascal Flatts for a Kenney Cheezey.

It's nice to see all you hypocritical capitalists coming out for this change in policy. Those cities you list are not in the same market as our little SMURF Areema. Besides, most those cities have deemed it unenforceable. We will find ways around this issue. Tom Waits limited purchasers to two tickets per customer. All that does is keep me from sitting with my friends (little devils).

Why in the TulsaWorld would THE newspaper be against revenues from ticket scalper ads? I have never been burned by a scalper in Tulsa. The Areema is hurting the Tulsa Sound even before the tax payer subsidized venue opens.

[TURobY]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

Many times, ticket purchasers are faced with having extra tickets due to a friend being sick, flight cancellations, etc. and being able to resell their tickets to avoid a loss becomes prohibitive under this victimless crime outlet.

They don't have to sell at a loss, they just can't sell at a significant profit. Ta-da!

[FOTD]

That's lame. The oil spread works both ways and so should tickets.

Why are you opposed? Do you really think tickets for shows here will be hard to come by in three years?

Give me a break. I will be in NYC and decide at the last moment on a show, walk up, and buy my ticket out front from a scalper. Big deal. AEG or LiveNation or the promoter still got their ounce of flesh.

[TURobY]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

That's lame. The oil spread works both ways and so should tickets.

Why are you opposed? Do you really think tickets for shows here will be hard to come by in three years?

Give me a break. I will be in NYC and decide at the last moment on a show, walk up, and buy my ticket out front from a scalper. Big deal. AEG or LiveNation or the promoter still got their ounce of flesh.

Who said that I'm opposed to scalping? I'm just correcting your misinformation.

[FOTD]

There was no misinformation in my post. It was a personal assault by you Robert .... both posts were.

[FOTD]

quote:Originally posted by Breadburner

Did someone fart....

Check your diaper. May be time to change it.

[TURobY]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

There was no misinformation in my post. It was a personal assault by you Robert .... both posts were.

You stated that "being able to resell their tickets to avoid a loss becomes prohibitive under this victimless crime", which would be a lie if we adopt a policy similar to OKC's, where the tickets cannot be sold for more than 50 cents above the face value. There has been no discussion about where people could resell their tickets. The discussion is about people purchasing quantities of tickets and jacking the price up...

[FOTD]

But it's ok for the oilies to purchase gas or oil and mark it up?

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

quote:Originally posted by Breadburner

Did someone fart....

Check your diaper. May be time to change it.

I figured you were into that type of thing....FREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TURobY]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

But it's ok for the oilies to purchase gas or oil and mark it up?

Did I say that? Looking at my posting history, I don't see anything, even alluding to, that could be construed as such.

My thoughts on limited, non-renewable, natural resources are a completely different discussion from ticket scalping.