|
So you really want Spice tix?
|
 |
April 29, 1998: 9:26 a.m. ET
Event ticketing squeeze is forcing many fans to seek out alternative sources
|
NEW YORK (CNNfn) - New York fans of the Spice Girls were outraged recently when 10,000 tickets to the band's only Big Apple concert sold out in just 12 minutes. But there are other avenues for music and sports fans seeking tickets to big-name events.
Some, of course, may not always be on the up and up. New York Attorney General Dennis Vacco is investigating allegations that a box office manager bought the first 10 rows of two Hootie and the Blowfish concerts.
"Tickets that have a face value of $35 or $50 are being sold on the street for $300 to $700," Vacco said.
Normally, around 10 percent of choice concert tickets are sold to insiders. In the case of the Spice Girls, the figure was close to 25 percent.
"Certainly there have been occasions where people buy off or pay off people who work in box offices and at outlets," said John Scher, president and CEO of Metropolitan Entertainment. "I think . . . the rule of scalpers, brokers is (to get tickets) any way you can."
Some of these tickets often wind up in the hands of brokers. Although many states allow these ticket resellers to charge whatever price the market can bear, the brokers themselves say they provide a valuable service.
"A ticket broker is able to help those people who can't stand on line or get tickets by telephone," explained Barry Lefkowitz, executive director of the National Association of Ticket Brokers. "A ticket broker helps the person who at the last minute decides that they want to be able to go to a sporting event or to the theater or to a concert." [178Kb WAV] [178Kb AIFF]
Consumer reselling also helps feed the frenzy. A holder of two New York Rangers season tickets can sell off a handful of individual game passes and cover the $6,000 cost of the season.
Where else can hardcore music fans find their tickets to ride? One little-known secret, ticket clubs, offers hope.
"In most cities, if you call a promoter and ask about a ticket club, you can join for a couple hundred bucks," said Eric Boehlert, contributing editor at Rolling Stone. "That way you will theoretically always be able to buy a ticket." [79Kb WAV] [79Kb AIFF] .
-- from correspondent Sasha Salama
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
