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