| Have you ever asked someone how they got | | | | they will usually email concert updates along |
| their tickets? This article reveals the | | | | with passwords to buy tickets. Limited |
| different methods on finding out when events | | | | tickets are released during these presales so |
| go on sale, how fans get tickets to sold out | | | | make sure that your ready to buy at the onset |
| shows, and how fans get upfront tickets to | | | | of the presale. Personally, I have been |
| their favorite shows. | | | | successful at some presales, but I have come |
| | | | up empty during most of them. It has been |
| As a ticket broker, I've had tons of people | | | | suggested that fee based fan clubs are just |
| ask me, "How do you get your tickets?", and a | | | | another money making scheme in the ticket |
| few years ago I would be reluctant to reveal | | | | industry, and again from my experience, I |
| my sources. Since the evolution of the | | | | would agree. |
| internet and the fierce competition that it | | | | |
| has brought on, I find it better to inform | | | | Another primary way of obtaining tickets, |
| people on some tricks on just how to get | | | | especially to your favorite sports team, is |
| valuable, upfront seating. First, I will | | | | to get season tickets. Depending on the |
| start with ticket onsales. You must know | | | | sport this method can get pretty expensive. |
| when a show is going onsale before you can | | | | For example, the Chicago Cubs offer different |
| even have a chance at obtaining good tickets. | | | | season ticket plans, and generally the larger |
| Ticketmaster is probably the largest primary | | | | the ticket plan, the better your seats will |
| ticket seller to most events and you'll want | | | | be. Again, this method can get pricey. |
| to get updates from this company. There are | | | | |
| two methods to get these updates. The first | | | | If you've tried all of the methods above but |
| is that you can simply log on to their | | | | have come up short, than your next option |
| website and sign up to get upcoming events | | | | would be the secondary market. Ebay, |
| emailed to you. The second is that since | | | | Stubhub, and TicketAmerica are just to name a |
| most onsales occur on Saturday mornings, you | | | | few. I won't go into Ebay that much, but I |
| can check their homepage every Friday for any | | | | will simply say that tickets go to the |
| information pertaining. Another recent | | | | highest bidder. Stubhub on the other hand |
| source of onsale information, comes from | | | | likes to portray itself as "Fans selling |
| Livenation. Like ticketmaster, they have | | | | unused tickets to other fans", which is only |
| become a primary seller of tickets in which | | | | somewhat true. Sure there are fans selling |
| they also feature a newsletter that fans can | | | | tickets that they cannot use, but there are a |
| sign up for as well. | | | | lot of ticket brokers and ticket resellers |
| | | | that list on Stubhub. I have been listing my |
| Now that you know when tickets are going | | | | tickets on Stubhub for almost three years. |
| onsale, it's time for the hard part, getting | | | | Furthermore Stubhub marks up each ticket 30 |
| good tickets or getting any tickets for that | | | | percent, 15 charged to the seller and 15 |
| matter. The Neanderthal days of going to a | | | | charged to the buyer. When brokers put there |
| ticketmaster outlet and getting tickets is | | | | tickets on Stubhub, a common practice will be |
| almost all but over. For example, in the | | | | for the broker to price his tickets higher on |
| city of my hometown, Chicago, ticketmaster | | | | Stubhub, than his own website to make up for |
| outlets are located at places such as Carson | | | | the difference. Going through a ticket |
| Pirie Scott, and a few remaining record | | | | broker such as TicketAmerica is another |
| stores. When you go there on Saturday | | | | option. As with most ticket brokers, this |
| morning to buy tickets they will always throw | | | | company is linked to various other ticket |
| a lottery, usually by a security guard. | | | | brokers. This is why you will see their |
| Whoever wins the lottery is the first person | | | | ticket inventory posted on several other |
| to buy tickets, and every number after the | | | | ticket websites. Going through ticket |
| winning one lines up in order. Now if you | | | | brokers can be pricey, but it saves a heck of |
| think your going to have a chance at winning | | | | a lot of time and aggravation. |
| the lottery, think again. Most of the | | | | |
| ticketmaster machines are paid off, usually | | | | The internet has really changed the ticket |
| by a ticket broker or other reseller of | | | | industry, and it can seem like an endless |
| tickets. Please don't get too upset at | | | | maze trying to obtain your favorite tickets. |
| this fact, I'm just trying to be informative. | | | | Hopefully this article can shed some light |
| Remember, our current President was elected | | | | and get you in the front row! |
| this way as well. Anyway, due to all of the | | | | |
| internet presales I no longer use this method | | | | Gary Ketchum |
| in that good tickets rarely come up. | | | | |
| | | | CEO TicketAmerica |
| Internet presales and fan clubs are also able | | | | |
| methods of obtaining tickets as well. | | | | Gary Ketchum is the CEO of TicketAmerica |
| Usually with a presale, you have to join your | | | | which has provided hundreds of thousands of |
| favorite performer's fan club. You can do | | | | event tickets to satisfied customers since |
| this by typing your band's name followed by | | | | 1998 @ |
| "fan club", into google. By now most | | | | |
| performers have a fan club, so a successful | | | | Click on the TicketAmerica Blog link in the |
| search should come up, but expect to pay a | | | | upper right hand corner at to learn about |
| fee to join. Once you join their fan club, | | | | more ticket news. |