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**Sava** · February 26, 2003, 21:39

Organized scalping is wrong and should be illegal. It's just a bunch of *******s buying all the tickets to take advantage of people who want to visit some sort of event.

There's nothing wrong with selling individual tickets if say, someone backs out and you are stuck with a ticket. Unfortunately, people think in black and white and think that when we say "scalping is wrong" we are somehow referring to some instance when someone is legitimately selling an unwanted ticket... these morons somehow think the government simply wants to oppress them when in fact the government and the legislature is protecting consumers from illegitimate organized thievery.

**Boris Godunov** · February 26, 2003, 21:54

IIRC, some scalping laws don't prohibit reselling a ticket for its face value. It's the 200+% markups that are the problem. I have no problem with someone reselling a ticket they can't use for its initial value, and don't think many cops would care, either.

**The Mad Monk** · February 27, 2003, 04:09

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
IIRC, some scalping laws don't prohibit reselling a ticket for its face value. It's the 200+% markups that are the problem. I have no problem with someone reselling a ticket they can't use for its initial value, and don't think many cops would care, either.

...but I thought it was illegal because scalpers duped customers?

If the real reason is price controls, I'm against it, especially for something as inconsequential as this. Free Market!

**MRT144** · February 27, 2003, 04:23

i agree with mad monk, free market. scalping has reached its equalibrium point in the market.

**reds4ever** · February 27, 2003, 08:01

if you've got enough 'bottle' and wait right until the start of the gig/game/whatever the scalpers are usually caught with spare tickets and start to let them go cheaply anyway.

the annoying thing thats started happening over here (UK) is big travel companies buy thousands of tickets for soccer games and then sell them as part of packages, so you have to travel to the game with them, stay in their hotel overnight after the game etc.

**Sava** · February 27, 2003, 08:56

free market is the equivalent of extortion...

**David Floyd** · February 27, 2003, 09:06

Scalping seems fine, and if you are worried about swindling, this should be a "buyer beware" situation - you KNOW that most scalpers tend to be unsavory sorts, so why the hell would you trust them? And if you do, and get ****ed, it's your problem. Or find the guy and sue him for fraud. I don't care.

But don't tell me what I can and can't do based upon **** like that.

**Solly** · February 27, 2003, 09:39

Originally posted by Sava
free market is the equivalent of extortion...

**monolith94** · February 27, 2003, 09:41

Actually, we will tell you what you can and can't do. Because we are in the majority, and libretarians for now and the forseeable future have even less support than the greens.

**PLATO** · February 27, 2003, 10:28

The nice thing about free markets is that you can refuse to be extorted. You simply don't buy. If the market will not bear the price, then the scalper will not get his 200+% mark up. If the market will bear the price, then the original seller is not balancing supply with demand. I agree with Mad Monk. Prohibiting resale based upon price alone is nothing more than price controls. Let the market decide and let the buyer beware!

**St Leo** · February 27, 2003, 11:08

The nice thing about free markets is that you can refuse to be extorted. You simply don't buy.

You also don't pick at it until it goes away, you don't negotiate with tewwawists, etc.

There is a sucker born every minute and I don't want to pay insane markup just because everyone else is jumping off the bloody cliff.

Fortunately, I don't go to concerts or athletic events.

**Boris Godunov** · February 27, 2003, 11:56

Originally posted by PLATO1003
The nice thing about free markets is that you can refuse to be extorted. You simply don't buy. If the market will not bear the price, then the scalper will not get his 200+% mark up. If the market will bear the price, then the original seller is not balancing supply with demand. I agree with Mad Monk. Prohibiting resale based upon price alone is nothing more than price controls. Let the market decide and let the buyer beware!

I disagree. Events such as this are limited-seating venues and so there isn't an unlimited supply of tickets. When scalpers obtain tickets, they take away from the pool of available seats, essentially holding those seats for ransom. It's not like you can just go down the block and see the same show. If I only go to New York only once every 5 years and want to see The Producers, its just not fair that the seats are all sold out because scalpers have snatched them up.

What's to stop a company from buying every seat for a popular show and then reselling them at a huge cost? Seems like it is rather unfair for both the theater and its patrons.

**SlowwHand** · February 27, 2003, 13:06

And don't forget, buying is voting.
You cast your "dollar vote", in essence saying "All is fine".
If it's not fine, vote No. Don't buy.

**MRT144** · February 27, 2003, 15:07

The thing is boris, is that scalping doesnt effect quality of life for most people other than the scalpers. sure it sucks you cant see the show but this isnt a neccesary thing for life.

**Boris Godunov** · February 27, 2003, 16:19

Originally posted by MRT144
sure it sucks you cant see the show but this isnt a neccesary thing for life.

You'd dare say such a thing to a gay man living in New York?

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