Scalping Success Stories?

#1
Ashevolle

Ashevolle

Pandemonium Reigns
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Feb 9, 2009
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#1
Planning a trip to visit my sister in Asheville that just happens (wink, wink) to overlap TN/FL weekend. My parents and sister and I are trying to go to the game (so looking for 4 tickets) and I'm considering to try scalping on game day.

I am willing to miss the first part of the game to get reduced ticket prices, because $175 for nosebleeds is a little steep. However, if that's not likely to happen, I'll pony up and buy tickets now.

I used to scalp at Neyland in the late 90s, but haven't tried in a long time. Can anyone share any stories as to whether they've had success or not in scalping on game day for a big game like Florida. I've heard mixed messages about availability of tickets for cheap after kickoff, depending on the game/year, etc. Any advice from fellow fans would be appreciated.

Go Vols!
 
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#2
#2
If you want to get into the game I would buy now. The last Florida home game there were 10k or more left on the outside with no ticket. And this year is sure to be an even tougher ticket.
 
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#3
#3
My biggest success story happened right in front of Neyland Stadium in 1985, it the UT-UCLA game. It was my second game and there was 4 of us without tickets. All the sudden a man come up with his family at their car. He say's I got one of my kids sick and we aren't going to be able to go to the game, I will sell you these tickets on the 50 yard line at face value. The were on visiting side of stadium but still, right on the 50 with plenty of Vol fans around us. The man was sick himself that he wasn't going to get to go, but he was nice. All of us were around 20 years old and we were so elated, he said they had just got to their car and he was fixing to eat the tickets because the kid had bad stomach cramps. We were at the right place at the right time for sure. GO VOLS!
 
#4
#4
article-0-0731A8D4000005DC-514_233x423.jpg


"You can use the word "success" if you like. But I consider that an overreach of the English language my friend". - Gen. G. Custer
 
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#5
#5
I had 4 tickets to the final four in Atlanta. Only had one client with me so was trying to sell two. Met a guy that REALLY wanted four.

Client & I spent almost $4k watching the game at Cheetah 2. He got anything he wanted. Literally.
 
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#6
#6
Those tickets will be extremely hard to come by and won't be cheap. I've been offered $900 for my 4, but no chance I'm selling. However, I'll have to sell the Bama tickets since I'm stuck working that weekend
 
#7
#7
I have tix for three games this year: FL, AL, @a&m. I suppose that right there is a scalping success story opportunity waiting to happen.

Not missing one second of those three games.
 
#8
#8
My friend has been offered $5000 for his 6 tickets (section J) for the Bama game. I told him to sell them and finance the rest of the season with the money. He can come to my house and watch the game on the 70"
 
#9
#9
Tried to get a bama ticket outside about 5 years ago, and still ended up paying about $150 per to get in to see the end of the 2nd quarter.

edit: After a 6 hour drive, going home without seeing the game was not an option.
 
#10
#10
VolBricks said:
My friend has been offered $5000 for his 6 tickets (section J) for the Bama game. I told him to sell them and finance the rest of the season with the money. He can come to my house and watch the game on the 70"
Click to expand...

No no no no no no, what you do is bet the $5000 on the spread.
 
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#13
#13
I don't scalp, ever. I have always had terrible luck with it, especially lately.

The wife and I tried to scalp against bowling green in Nashville. We found a guy just outside the stadium. I approached him and he wanted $120 per ticket. I said "It's Bowling Green, who in the world would pay you that for Bowling Green?" I offered him $50 per ticket. His response was "I'm not going to take $50, that's not even face."

Why would I pay more than face when I can walk right over to the gate and buy them? That's what we ended up doing. That was the 4th or 5th scalper I talked to that was asking ridiculous prices. I vowed to never scalp again.
 
#14
#14
Keys to successfully scalping tickets

These tips are for big games – Florida, Bama, etc. or home openers which are always hard tickets to get. If you can’t scalp a ticket for half price for Ohio then this game is not for you.

1. Arrive early and position yourself in one of the key entry points to the campus. 17th Street, or the South (West) end of Cumberland Ave. are both good. You want to be where there is a steady stream of fans coming in.
2. Know the stadium or bring a seating chart so you know where your potential purchase will be. Pricing will follow location. Hey itÂ’s a form of real estate so you know location, location, location!
3. If you want more than two together, be willing to pay a very high premium over face value or be willing to break up the seating and sit 2 and 2.
4. Check with the professional ticket scalpers about what they have and what their price is. If at all possible you do not want to buy from these guys but you do need to know the going scalper rate and you want to observe how many tickets these guys have. Lots of tickets means a lower price. If you see one of the regulars and heÂ’s not got many tickets then you know itÂ’s going to be a tough ticket. Its all about supply and demand.
5. Your target seller is a season ticket holder whose regular game partner(s) canÂ’t make it to the game. You want to get their tickets before the scalpers buy them. Offer face value for the tickets. Most will be willing to take that just to get rid of them and get to the game. If not offer some nominal amount over face. You have to read the person. Sometimes they only want enough over face to feel like they made a buck. Sometimes they want to be a scalper for a day. YouÂ’ve done your homework and know what the scalper rate is, so always offer substantially less. Most of the time they will sell. I have gotten many tickets this way. Most recently I got Florida tickets in 2014 for $20 over face.
6. Go a little bit carnival huckster with it. Hold up the number of fingers you want tickets for and let people know what you want; “Need four together or two pairs!! Who’s got tickets?!”
7. If you can’t find a willing “civilian” seller you will have to negotiate with a scalper. Remember it’s all about supply and demand. If they all have a fist full be patient and wait close to kick off and you can get a good deal. If the more professional guys only have a few, you may have to pay a substantial premium if you want to see the game. If you find tickets you would like to have just hang next to the scalper for a while and see if he’s moving tickets for what he’s asking. Offer what you judge to be fair for the given market. I often start midway between face and Scalper asking price. From there it’s just a negotiation.
8. Approach it as a game. Personally I love the negotiation and the back and forth but most people I know hate it.

Good Hunting!!
 
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#15
#15
For smaller games, I can typically get tickets for $10-$20. When game day was here for our game a few years ago, I couldn't get a ticket offering $200 a ticket. We ended up not going and watching from a tailgate.
 
#16
#16
Buy now. Because if both teams are 3-0 going into that game (they will be), you won't be able to get a ticket.
 
#17
#17
My success story was the Halloween game vs SCAR (black jersey game)bought ticket 20 minutes before the gates opened got 2 in the dry.
 
#18
#18
My thoughts are:

- there won't be too many available
- they will be $$$
- going with tickets in hand eliminates the stress and allows you to fully enjoy the pre-game atmosphere
 
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#20
#20
Alright, purchasing now seems to be the consensus. Thanks for the advice. My last live TN/FL game was the unholy farce that was the 2000 game, when the refs gave the game to FL on the final play. I want to be there to witness the retribution we've been waiting a decade to see.
 
#21
#21
UT_Tix79 said:
Those tickets will be extremely hard to come by and won't be cheap. I've been offered $900 for my 4, but no chance I'm selling. However, I'll have to sell the Bama tickets since I'm stuck working that weekend
Click to expand...

UT_Tix79 I would be interested in your tickets for the bama game. I already rented a cabin in the mountains for my wife and I for our 20 anniversary that weekend and want to surprise her with tickets to the game. I usually come up for the opener every year. Native of Knox and UT grad but lived in NC since 85. I am coming to the App St game too.
 
#22
#22
Raleigh-Vol said:
UT_Tix79 I would be interested in your tickets for the bama game. I already rented a cabin in the mountains for my wife and I for our 20 anniversary that weekend and want to surprise her with tickets to the game. I usually come up for the opener every year. Native of Knox and UT grad but lived in NC since 85. I am coming to the App St game too.
Click to expand...

They're posted in the tickets section
 
#24
#24
VolBricks said:
My friend has been offered $5000 for his 6 tickets (section J) for the Bama game. I told him to sell them and finance the rest of the season with the money. He can come to my house and watch the game on the 70"
Click to expand...
I don't believe you.
 
#25
#25
Be careful if you are selling tickets. Few years ago when we were good I had 2 nice seats as I had upgraded. I sold them to a 'grandfather' who wanted to take in his grandson. Sold for face and immediately grandpa with kid in hand held them up for sale. SOB did not even wait for me to be out of sight. Never again, now I sell extras to scalpers up front for a profit
 
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