Should ticket scalping be illegal?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

No, of course not.

About 10 years ago it was legal in only two states: North Dakota and Kansas. Last year when Minnesota legalized it I read about how now more than 40 states have. This is one issue where states are finally seeing the light.

[MasterJedi]

I don't care, so no.

[tik 🪀✨]

No, and neither should regular scalping.

[Daniel Z]

Scalping is great. If there is high demand for a game you can make a bundle off your tickets. If demand is low you can get tickets for a fraction of the price. I bought 6th row ticket for a Mariner game off a scalper for only $15!

[dead0man]

Hell no!  (but it probably does lead to higher ticket prices, which just means more money going from the middle class to the uber rich owners...but then again everything seems to lead to higher ticket prices)

[SPC]

No!

Hell no!  (but it probably does lead to higher ticket prices, which just means more money going from the middle class to the uber rich owners...but then again everything seems to lead to higher ticket prices)

Technically, the natural ticket prices are already high. It is only because of bans on ticket scalping that prices are lower than their natural level, and thus creates a ticket shortage. If ticket scalping were made legal, the ticket prices would adjust for demand and shortages would disappear.

[dead0man]

Agreed.  And why I rarely go to sporting events.

[phk]

Of course, its a distortion on the free market.

[SPC]

Of course, its a distortion on the free market.

That made no sense. Banning people from selling tickets is a distortion of the free market, not the other way around.

[??????????]

Nope. As a matter of fact scalping is legal and regulated in Tampa.

[Dr. Cynic]

I love scalpers!

[phk]

Of course, its a distortion on the free market.

That made no sense. Banning people from selling tickets is a distortion of the free market, not the other way around.

Whoops I meant to say no.

[SPC]

Of course, its a distortion on the free market.

That made no sense. Banning people from selling tickets is a distortion of the free market, not the other way around.

Whoops I meant to say no.

Sorry about that. I didn't know it was a typo.

[Workers' Friend]

What iis it and is it legal in my home state of GA?

[SPC]

What iis it and is it legal in my home state of GA?

Ticket scalping is when you buy tickets to a game, and then when tickets are sold out, resell the tickets for a significantly higher price.

[Workers' Friend]

What iis it and is it legal in my home state of GA?

Ticket scalping is when you buy tickets to a game, and then when tickets are sold out, resell the tickets for a significantly higher price.

Then in that case, I think it should be illegal.

[SPC]

What iis it and is it legal in my home state of GA?

Ticket scalping is when you buy tickets to a game, and then when tickets are sold out, resell the tickets for a significantly higher price.

Then in that case, I think it should be illegal.

On what basis? All illegalizng it does is guarantee shortages for major events. It is a victimless action, so why make it illegal?

[gfev5150]

Yes it should be illegal. Imagine several rich people buying out the rest of the tickets so if you want one you have to pay their higher price.

[© tweed]

Yes it should be illegal. Imagine several rich people buying out the rest of the tickets so if you want one you have to pay their higher price.

most or all teams have prohibitions on individuals buying more than x amount of tickets.

and, besides, this wouldn't work.  if a handful of 'rich people' bought up all 50,000 tickets to an event, they wouldn't be able to charge much higher than face value.  the reason scalping is successful is because supply is very low at the time of the transaction.  if supply is high, prices will drop considerably (and just about back to the original equilibrium established by the face value of the ticket).

and, also, 'rich people' don't need to use stupid gimmicks such as the above to make money, because they already have money.  scalpers aren't rich people.

[dead0man]

I should mention that scalping isn't JUST about "buying tickets + waiting for the game to sell out= buckets of money".  Season ticket owners can't make every baseball game.  Sometimes people get ill and can't make games.  There are many legit reasons to have tickets to events you can't go to.  I can't count the times I've been walking into an event and had one group of people trying to give out or sell an extra ticket cheaply because "Tony's date bailed on him" or whatever.

My point, there are valid, non "greed" based reasons to make scalping legal.

[© tweed]

I should mention that scalping isn't JUST about "buying tickets + waiting for the game to sell out= buckets of money".  Season ticket owners can't make every baseball game.  Sometimes people get ill and can't make games.  There are many legit reasons to have tickets to events you can't go to.  I can't count the times I've been walking into an event and had one group of people trying to give out or sell an extra ticket cheaply because "Tony's date bailed on him" or whatever.

My point, there are valid, non "greed" based reasons to make scalping legal.

there are few if any prohibitions on reselling a ticket at face value.

[dead0man]

Everywhere?

[© tweed]

Everywhere?

well I know the Yankees bitched out at some season ticket holders who listed some tix on StubHub at face value a year or so ago.  but this is non-relevant because face-value resale is, by definition, not 'scalping.'

[dead0man]

Fine, yes, by definition it's not scalping.  But in some places resale is prohibited period.

Which is why I brought it up in the first place

I suppose I shouldn't have referred to it as "scalping".

[Workers' Friend]

Yes it should be illegal. Imagine several rich people buying out the rest of the tickets so if you want one you have to pay their higher price.

This is why I think it should be illegal, its just another way for rich to  the middle and poor classes.