A Free and Open Market for Ticket Resales Benefits Consumers

    WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association
 of Ticket Brokers (NATB) today issued the following statement regarding the
 consumer benefits of states eliminating anti-scalping laws and adopting a
 free and open market for ticket resales:
 
 
 
     "Despite some media reports continuing to focus on price and
 availability of some selective sports and entertainment events, secondary
 market ticket sales data demonstrates that a free and open market benefits
 consumers. Tickets selling on the secondary market for entertainment and
 sporting events often are available to consumers for less than the ticket's
 original cost. In fact, secondary market ticket brokers offer consumers
 these reduced price options while primary ticket sellers, including
 Ticketmaster, continue to sell the same tickets to consumers for the
 original price, in addition to convenience and shipping charges. A free and
 open secondary market for ticket resales offers consumers options. It
 should be every consumer's right to purchase tickets for less than the
 original value when the market dictates."
 
 
 
     The following are two recent examples of tickets for entertainment and
 sporting events in New York, which recently repealed its long standing
 statutory restriction on the resale of tickets, available on the secondary
 market for less than the ticket's original price:
 
 
 
     -- Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein at the Hilton Theatre in New York
 City (December 6, 2007 performance): On December 5, 2007 a general consumer
 could have purchased an Orchestra Level ticket from a secondary market
 ticket broker for $66.00 plus convenience and shipping charges. The face
 value for all Orchestra tickets (as seen on ticketmaster.com) is $120 plus
 convenience and shipping charges. Balcony Level tickets sold by a secondary
 market ticket broker would have cost $36.00 plus convenience and shipping
 charges. The face value for all Balcony tickets (as seen on
 ticketmaster.com) is $50 - $75 plus convenience and shipping charges.
 
 
 
     -- New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden in
 New York City (December 8, 2007): On December 5, 2007, a consumer could
 have purchased a Club Level ticket (between the baselines) for $182.00 plus
 convenience and shipping charges from a secondary market ticket broker. The
 season ticket holder face value for a similar Knicks Club Level ticket is
 $240. Currently, similar tickets are being sold on the Knicks Official
 Ticket Marketplace for no less then $280.80 plus convenience and shipping
 charges. Ticketmaster.com is selling Club Level tickets (between the
 baselines) for 244.50 plus convenience and shipping charges.
 
 
 
     Also on December 5, 2007, a general consumer buying from a secondary
 market ticket broker could have purchased a 200 Level ticket (between the
 baselines) for $72.00 plus convenience and shipping charges. The season
 ticket holder face value for a similar Knicks 200 Level ticket (between the
 baselines) is $95. Currently, similar tickets are being sold on the Knicks
 Official Ticket Marketplace for no less then $111.15 plus convenience and
 shipping charges. Ticketmaster.com is selling 200 Level tickets (behind the
 basket) for 99.50 plus convenience and shipping charges.
 
 
 
     The National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB) was formed in 1994 by
 a group of leading ticket brokers, involved in the sale of sports, concerts
 and theater admission tickets, for the purpose of establishing an
 industry-wide standard of conduct and to create ethical rules and
 procedures to educate the public concerning ticket-brokering services and
 to serve the primary goal of the NATB, promoting consumer protection. All
 members of the NATB are dedicated to the principle of assuring the public
 that dealings with NATB members are conducted with integrity, reliability
 and convenience. NATB has created procedures that permit the public to
 report improper and unethical conduct by ticket brokers, and to disseminate
 consumer protection warnings and guidelines. Through self-governance, the
 NATB has provided many enhanced protections for ticket-buying consumers.
 The NATB has worked with law enforcement agencies across the country, state
 and federal legislators and the NFL and other professional sports leagues
 and teams, to accomplish these goals, and has been vital in the NFL's fight
 against counterfeit and stolen tickets. More information about the NATB is
 available at http://www.natb.org.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

SOURCE National Association of Ticket Brokers