You need a ticket, scalp one and enjoy yourself

You should almost always be able to buy a reasonably priced ticket to any event you wish to attend. Most people are uncomfortable with the uncertainty of scalping success or the process itself. Which is beneficial. You’ll need to understand the overall demand dynamics, the importance of timing, the ticket’s face value, ticket seller selection, and negotiation.

Photo by Andy Li on Unsplash

Stubhub or similar options should only come into play if you’re looking for an odd or larger number of tickets. There the issue is the number of tickets available as the event approaches and buying no earlier than two hours before the event when prices drop. Pay attention to ticket listings with instant transfer and you can do the whole thing on your phone after prices drop 20% or more in the last hours. Buying 3 or 4 tickets, seated together, is always tricky. Outside an event, it is only possible when demand is very low.

Supply and Demand Dynamics

Concerts and games demand is driven by frequency and popularity. For concerts, even once a year is frequent for a band in most cities. The current popularity of the performer is clearly another driver of demand. As such, concert ticket demand weighs heavily on the process. Supply is inevitably lower.

For games, frequency and popularity are far more favorable to the buyer. Whether baseball (80 home games), hockey (40 home games), college football (6 home games) or pro football (8 home games), there isn’t the sense of either a rare or once a year frequency to drive demand. Popularity is influenced by the current win-loss record and legacy of the team. For most teams, there are good years and bad years. With a string of good years, demand stays high. Supply can vary, but even in the good years, the frequency of events will provide available tickets.

At most events, the primary supply is provided by people selling tickets to the scalpers on the day of the event. The system is usually based on “runners” who buy tickets as cheaply and as far from the stadium as is practical. These tickets are then “run” to the scalpers outside the stadium. These are the “need tickets” sign guys about a half-mile from the venue. The importance here is that the scalpers have invested in the inventory.

The importance of timing

The seller’s inventory is perishable. Its’ value is headed to zero. When time is on your side, you should never lose any negotiation. In ticket scalping, time is on your side unless supply is really low. The closer to game time or the opening act beginning the better. With concerts, unless you really want to see the opening act, it is far better to leverage the concert beginning to your advantage. Most of your competition for tickets is going to disappear and the seller’s pressure to avoid a loss is moving way up.

Ticket Face Value

The face value of the ticket, the price printed on it, is informative but not definitive. For a concert, the face value plus fees was the original cost. For a sporting event, the face value wasn’t paid by the original buyer. Season ticket holders receive a discount of 20 to 30% to the face value. The face value shows relative quality but its price relationship to that value is now a subject to the marketplace. What the seller paid is a wholly different matter. Now, of course, remember any professional scalper will lie about what they paid for the ticket.

You should ask to see the tickets and their face value, though, but don’t touch them or take them. I’ll explain below why you don’t take them below. You don’t want to ultimately buy any ticket that’s different than all the ones you’ve seen to minimize the risk of counterfeit. Seeing all the tickets with their face value will sharpen your view.

Seller Selection

There will be amateurs and professionals selling tickets outside the event. Amateurs are preferred. This is especially true if the amateur is accompanied by a visibly impatient significant other. They’re easy to spot and worth looking for. Here you’ll likely be competing with the professionals, though they will, fortunately, be offering low prices. Try to stretch the negotiation a little to build pressure on the seller by the impatient spouse. A look of exasperation or statement of “C’mon honey, just sell the ticket, let’s get into the game/concert” is all you need.

The professionals are a different breed. One non-obvious aspect is that they’re often “friends” with each other. That means they’re somewhat aware of what each other is holding ticket wise. Given that, your primary mission to only talk to ones close to the venue and talk to a few of them as they may have different networks. A critical mistake can be thinking a professional is an amateur. Amateurs rarely lie, professionals rarely tell the truth. Talk to a few professionals before choosing one to assess the individual and overall inventory as well as pricing.

The professional with more tickets is the better seller to deal with. Though he will likely be the better negotiator as well.

Negotiation

Always print a stadium or venue map to refer to in the negotiation. The professionals will be very liberal in their representation of the seat location and quality. Yeah, they’ll lie about it. Don’t answer “what are you looking to pay? with a number. Respond with “I want to be in the first three rows” or “On the fifty-yard line”. If they don’t hold them, they’ll likely tap a friend who does have them. Find the top of the market first. Pricing for all tickets is set by the top ones available. If the budget doesn’t support the best seats price point, keep pushing or ask for the next tier down. Never offer more than 50% of the asking price.

The scalper will often try to hand you the tickets, don’t take them un der any circumstances. It’s a clever way to shift the negotiating power and demand payment. They won’t take them back from you, they will ask for payment instead. Payment at their price.

The best discounts are counter-intuitively on the best seats. You should expect to initiate multiple failed negotiations. Remember time is on your side. Ignore any protestations about the face value of the seats related to your low offer. Or how unrealistic or unreasonable you’re being with your offer. They’re immaterial. The sellers will often respond to your low offer with something to poke you — “ I knew you didn’t have any money” or break off the discussion in an abrupt manner by walking away. They’ll often come back to re-engage.

When they return, look at your phone or watch and mention the time. If you’ve made a previous offer, raise it slightly, maybe 10% or so. They’ll tell you they paid more for the tickets than you’re offering. They didn’t. Ask, “wow, are you going to use them”? Or, walk away. You’re likely to get a new price when you do.

I’ve never failed to scalp tickets at an event — from the Super Bowl on down. Know the market, manage time, and negotiate patiently. You’ll get i n at pricing that will surprise you. Enjoy the show.