That's The Ticket

I recently attended the Big XII basketball tournament in Kansas City.  I've been to this event quite often over the past 25 years, back to when it was only the Big 8 basketball tournament held at an older arena in Kansas City,

In all of the tournament game sessions I've attended in that time, perhaps 25 or so, I've only had advance tickets in hand once.  Every other time, including this year, I relied on being able to buy tickets from those selling near the venue.

Given this experience of buying secondary market tickets on the street, a/k/a ticket scalping, I feel I can provide a good list of do's and don'ts in this area.

DO check the secondary ticket prices on-line before you go.  This is something that wasn't available years ago, the ability to look at StubHub or some other on-line ticket broker.  It's nice to have an idea of the prices going in, however, know that the on-line prices should generally be a bit higher than what you could get on the street, where there is no automatic third-party broker transaction fee.

DON'T get too excited.  Know why you often see ticket scalpers many blocks away from the venues?  It isn't because they're afraid of violating some scalping ordinance.  It's because they know rubes who have never bought/sold tickets on the street before are likely to buy/sell them at the first opportunity.  If a ticket scalper is blocks away from the stadium, you can be sure there will be many others closer to it, buying/selling at a more market-based price.

DO try to buy tickets from a non-professional seller.  A good rule of thumb is to look for someone wearing the school colors of a team.  Those folks are more likely to be happy to sell their extra tickets at a less-than-market-based price, just to not delay their getting into the arena.  This is the same reason why a professional scalper is constantly asking if anyone has any extra tickets; then they can buy low and re-sell them again.  (An easy rule of thumb for identifying pro scalpers is, it's anyone wearing a sign about buying or selling tickets!)

DON'T be afraid to negotiate.  No one selling tickets should expect to get the full price for which they're asking.  It's a barter system.  Ask for a lower price.  If you are far apart in price, just say you aren't ready to accept that and walk away.  You might end up buying from them later.

DO wait until as close to game time as possible to buy.  This is the most obvious, and most violated, strategy of buyers.  By game-time, the nervous amateurs will be gone, and the pro scalpers will be more eager to get rid of the remaining tickets they hold.  A willingness to miss some of the pre-game festivities, and maybe even the start of the game, is easily the most difficult and the most valuable thing a buyer can do.