Isn't scalping always cheaper?

"Isn't scalping always cheaper?" Not sure if kidding.

Why do you think it's called "scalping"
Why would scalpers even bother if they always lost money
Do they even teach supply and demand fundamentals any more?
 
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It is if you know the lay of the land, the sections of the stadium, the going prices, and are not afraid to speak up loud and often. (Carry a seating chart with you)!

If youre on the streets looking, get further out from the stadium, catch people early on, even as they are parking. Try to track something down the night before at the Hawkeye Huddle or tailgate. Hold your finger up (or the number of fingers you have ticket needs). Look to fellow Hawk fans, they will sometimes be more honest or compassionate.

Don't buy from the guy on the corner that is in the business of scalping, unless he's got your tix and your price. But do check him out to see what he is getting ( watch a few transactions from a few feet away). Worse case, hit those guys up just before game time, or after the start if youre striking out.

Also, do NOT flash a wad of money or big bills...try to have smaller bills and exact change (although the pros will have plenty of change if you're down to them). Oh, and know what the tickets look like (there are multiple types), and double check that they are seats together (if looking for that). Good luck. Be patient.
 
It also depends upon which seats you are after. If you want to sit in the 600s you may get cheaper than face value. If you want to sit down low on the 50, be prepared to pay a premium.
 
hawkdrummer1 said:
"Isn't scalping always cheaper?" Not sure if kidding.

Why do you think it's called "scalping"
Why would scalpers even bother if they always lost money
Do they even teach supply and demand fundamentals any more?
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I think he is saying vs buying from secondary markets online. Of course face is the cheapest.


also supply and demand has nothing to do with profit/loss
 
jesterapparel said:
I'd be nervous driving 6 hours plus (where ever your from) and not have tickets. That's just me.
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Agree... although more 'supply' available on at this game, ask the people who were looking for Minn tickets 5 min before kickoff. I know of 2 who ended up paying $125 to get a seat and 2 more who missed the 1st qtr and ended up at a bar, because the price was still $100 after kickoff. I'd have a hard time driving 6 hours w/ that possibility
 
Not always. Scalpers wouldn't be doing it if they always take a loss. when a team is down, tix are cheap, when a team is hot, scalpers get tix for face value or cheaper and sell them for more $$$$$$.
 
HaydensUncle said:
Seems like it's worth driving to Indianapolis to scalp instead. Thoughts?
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Cheaper than StubHub, yes. There will be tickets available on the streets. I'd get there at least 4 hours before kickoff. Scout out the supply/demand situation for at least 30 minutes. Take a seating chart of the stadium so the scalper knows you're not going to get screwed with some bad tickets. Wheel and deal. Enjoy the game.
 
This isn't the normal B1G championship game. We were told tickets would be going down the closer it gets to game time, but they have gone up.....a lot. You may be able to scalp, but I wouldn't bank on getting near face value. I am glad I broke down and bought a few days ago because my section has doubled in asking price.

For anyone interested, there are a couple tickets on Iowa's side on Stubhub for $125 a piece, everything else is pushing 3 bills.
Edit: Nevermind, as I wrote this those tickets were gobbled up. Demand for this game is very high.
 
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hawkdrummer1 said:
"Isn't scalping always cheaper?" Not sure if kidding.

Why do you think it's called "scalping"
Why would scalpers even bother if they always lost money
Do they even teach supply and demand fundamentals any more?
Click to expand...

Look at the definition of "scalping." The definition itself in the historical sense referred to taking the scalp of an enemy. The same logic applies to scalping at sporting and entertainment events, which is why we use the words. Of course if you blindly wander around outside the stadium and have no knowledge of the going rate and have no knowledge about the stadium seating and get excited about the first offer you receive and buckle when the scalper pressures you then you're going to get gouged.

Scalpers "bother" because they can find these people and prey upon their terror. Since you're going to throw out terms like "supply and demand," I'll throw out some terms of art of my own. Have you ever heard of an asymmetric information problem? The Scalper here has better, more complete information than innocent Buyers, and thus can act opportunistically by selling for a higher-than-market price. It essentially amounts to duress. Fans can remedy the asymmetric information problem by informing themselves before deciding to just go out on a whim and buy from scalpers.

More importantly, have you heard of a sunk cost? Buyer here actually has stronger negotiating power than the Scalper because the Scalper has already sunk the cost into the tickets. Every minute closer to game time the Scalper's tickets lose value. Their worst nightmares is having a handful of tickets with thousands of dollars invested into and no one to sell them to if the game starts. Depending on how much money they have invested into their tickets, they start sweating anywhere between 30-10 minutes prior to kickoff. People get gouged when they get scared themselves and think "OMG I'M NOT GONNA SEE THE KICKOFF!!"

I was at Derek Jeter's 3000th hit game in New York five years ago. Tickets were going for like $500 on Stub Hub. The first three scalpers I talked to wanted $500 for a nosebleed seat. This was 2 hours before the game. An hour and 50 minutes later, 10 minutes before the game, ONE OF THESE SAME EXACT SCALPERS was literally following me around in the Bronx begging me to buy a lower level seat for $20.
 
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