Some time back Ticketmaster set out to buy TicketsNow for $265M. This led to concern for ticket brokers. They feared that Ticketmaster, the originator of many tickets, would now directly affect the inventory available on the secondary ticket market. More directly, ticket brokers fear that Ticketmaster will not sell all the good seats and release them to the public via TicketsNow. Ticketmaster could essentially cut Ticket Brokers out of many of the high revenue events and listings. There have been many complaints filed by Ticket Brokers to the US Justice Department with claims of Ticketmaster monopolizing the secondary ticket market.
Ticketmaster has been quiet on exactly what it will, or will not, do.
The National Association of Ticket Brokers has recently sent a letter to Ticketmaster asking them to publicly declare their intentions and business practices as it pertains to the relationship between Ticketmaster and TicketsNow.
We fully expect Ticketmaster to push the envelope as far as they can to control the secondary ticket market. Why wouldn't they? Are they there to ensure the livelihood of Ticket Brokers or to make more money for themselves? As they push the envelope, except a lot more newsletters about the impending lawsuits.
Developing…
To learn how to make money being a ticket broker, visit www.MyTicketBiz.com.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
This is American Idol
We think David Cook is going to win. That means put your money on someone else. Regardless, we now look forward to the American Idol concert series. This has become a welcome addition to the summer concert tour. Each of the last couple of years this event has enjoyed very brisk concert ticket sales. Here is the rundown for the Venues. Sales start on some of the venues in mid May.
July 1 Glendale, AZ jobing.com Arena
July 2 San Diego, CA San Diego Sports Arena
July 3 Fresno, CA SaveMart Center
July 5 Las Vegas, NV Thomas & Mack Center
July 7 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
July 8 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion at San Jose
July 9 Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena
July 11 Portland, OR Rose Garden
July 12 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
July 14 West Valley City, UT The "E" Center
July 18 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
July 19 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena
July 20 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
July 22 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse
July 23 Cincinnati, OH US Bank Arena
July 24 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena
July 26 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
July 27 Rochester, NY BlueCross Arena
July 29 Pittsburgh, PA Mellon Arena
July 30 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
August 2 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
August 4 Long Island, NY Nassau Coliseum
August 6 Albany, NY Times Union Center
August 8 Hartford, CT XL Center
August 9 Worcester, MA DCU Center
August 10 Manchester, NH Verizon Wireless Center
August 12 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena
August 13 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
August 14 Washington DC Verizon Center
August 16 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena
August 17 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena
August 18 Duluth, GA Arena at Gwinnett Center
August 20 Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center
August 21 Tampa, FL St Pete Times Forum
August 24 Houston, TX Toyota Center
August 25 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
August 26 Bossier City, LA CenturyTel Center
August 28 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
August 29 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
August 31 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
September 2 Green Bay, WI Resch Center
September 3 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
September 4 Cleveland, OH Wolstein Center
September 6 Bridgeport, CT Arena at Harbor Yard
September 7 Providence, RI Dunkin Donuts Center
September 8 Wilkes Barre, PA Wachovia Arena
September 10 Ft. Wayne, IN Allen County Memorial Coliseum
September 11 Evansville, IN Roberts Stadium
September 13 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
To learn how to make money being a ticket broker, visit www.MyTicketBiz.com.
July 1 Glendale, AZ jobing.com Arena
July 2 San Diego, CA San Diego Sports Arena
July 3 Fresno, CA SaveMart Center
July 5 Las Vegas, NV Thomas & Mack Center
July 7 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
July 8 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion at San Jose
July 9 Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena
July 11 Portland, OR Rose Garden
July 12 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
July 14 West Valley City, UT The "E" Center
July 18 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
July 19 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena
July 20 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
July 22 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse
July 23 Cincinnati, OH US Bank Arena
July 24 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena
July 26 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
July 27 Rochester, NY BlueCross Arena
July 29 Pittsburgh, PA Mellon Arena
July 30 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
August 2 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall
August 4 Long Island, NY Nassau Coliseum
August 6 Albany, NY Times Union Center
August 8 Hartford, CT XL Center
August 9 Worcester, MA DCU Center
August 10 Manchester, NH Verizon Wireless Center
August 12 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena
August 13 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
August 14 Washington DC Verizon Center
August 16 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena
August 17 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena
August 18 Duluth, GA Arena at Gwinnett Center
August 20 Sunrise, FL BankAtlantic Center
August 21 Tampa, FL St Pete Times Forum
August 24 Houston, TX Toyota Center
August 25 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
August 26 Bossier City, LA CenturyTel Center
August 28 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
August 29 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
August 31 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
September 2 Green Bay, WI Resch Center
September 3 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
September 4 Cleveland, OH Wolstein Center
September 6 Bridgeport, CT Arena at Harbor Yard
September 7 Providence, RI Dunkin Donuts Center
September 8 Wilkes Barre, PA Wachovia Arena
September 10 Ft. Wayne, IN Allen County Memorial Coliseum
September 11 Evansville, IN Roberts Stadium
September 13 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
To learn how to make money being a ticket broker, visit www.MyTicketBiz.com.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Stubhub Changes for MLB
We have been waiting to write this passage for some time till we had some more data. We can go no longer.
Some time back MLB and StubHub entered an agreement to allow StubHub to be the online ticket reseller for MLB teams. This has lead to numerous changes that affect our lives. Overall it serves us well.
Prior to this, MLB teams had their own resale site. Some built their own, other with Ticketmaster and some with another third party. When it was like this, the team site and Stubhub competed with each other. As a ticket broker, you had to list on only one or be very diligent about removing your listings.
Now the team resale sites have been shut down. The teams have encouraged their season ticket holders to sell through Stubhub. They have also encourages after-market ticket buyers to go to Stubhub. If you are listing on Stubhub, this is good because a lot more people are buying there.
Now for the transition period. Stubhub has been cautious about accepting consignments. The goal is not to take consignments, but to accept the e-tickets from the team. The short term problem is not every team is set up to deliver the e-tickets to Stubhub. Some are now ready, but not all. The end result is we can have tickets expiring 3 – 5 days before an event when a year ago those listings were good until game day.
Soon all teams will be able to send e-tickets to Stubhub. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
To learn how to make money being a ticket broker, visit www.MyTicketBiz.com.
Some time back MLB and StubHub entered an agreement to allow StubHub to be the online ticket reseller for MLB teams. This has lead to numerous changes that affect our lives. Overall it serves us well.
Prior to this, MLB teams had their own resale site. Some built their own, other with Ticketmaster and some with another third party. When it was like this, the team site and Stubhub competed with each other. As a ticket broker, you had to list on only one or be very diligent about removing your listings.
Now the team resale sites have been shut down. The teams have encouraged their season ticket holders to sell through Stubhub. They have also encourages after-market ticket buyers to go to Stubhub. If you are listing on Stubhub, this is good because a lot more people are buying there.
Now for the transition period. Stubhub has been cautious about accepting consignments. The goal is not to take consignments, but to accept the e-tickets from the team. The short term problem is not every team is set up to deliver the e-tickets to Stubhub. Some are now ready, but not all. The end result is we can have tickets expiring 3 – 5 days before an event when a year ago those listings were good until game day.
Soon all teams will be able to send e-tickets to Stubhub. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
To learn how to make money being a ticket broker, visit www.MyTicketBiz.com.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
More Hannah Montana fallout
The Hannah Montana bill has passed the Minnesota Senate.
Due to the uproar from many young kids, and their parents, who could not get tickets to Hanna Montana shows, a bill was passed in the Minnesota Senate making it illegal to use ticket software that enables “bots” to purchase tickets.
A “bot” is a piece of code that simulates a web request so a user does not have to sit at a keyboard and browse the site. A bot can actually simulate multiple web sessions at once. These bots are common internet items and account for a significant piece of web traffic. Bots themselves are not bad, it all depends on what they are programmed to do. Spammers use bots to find unprotected computers to hijack to send their spam from. Google and Yahoo use bots to find out what is on webpages to include in their search results.
The Minnesota House has not yet voted on the bill.
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=504555
http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/17420514.html
To learn how to make money being a ticket broker, visit www.MyTicketBiz.com.
Due to the uproar from many young kids, and their parents, who could not get tickets to Hanna Montana shows, a bill was passed in the Minnesota Senate making it illegal to use ticket software that enables “bots” to purchase tickets.
A “bot” is a piece of code that simulates a web request so a user does not have to sit at a keyboard and browse the site. A bot can actually simulate multiple web sessions at once. These bots are common internet items and account for a significant piece of web traffic. Bots themselves are not bad, it all depends on what they are programmed to do. Spammers use bots to find unprotected computers to hijack to send their spam from. Google and Yahoo use bots to find out what is on webpages to include in their search results.
The Minnesota House has not yet voted on the bill.
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=504555
http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/17420514.html
To learn how to make money being a ticket broker, visit www.MyTicketBiz.com.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
The Cost of Baseball
TMR's 2008 MLB Ticket Report -
Baseball has never been more popular, or more expensive to watch. On the heels of another record-setting season, the average ticket price has gone up to $25.40, a 10.9 percent increase from last season. Team Marketing Report's 2008 Major League Baseball Fan Cost Index jumped 8.3 percent to $191.75 this season. Both increases are the highest for MLB since 2001, when tickets went up 12.9 percent (to $18.99), and the FCI went up 9.8 percent to $145.45.
Both figures were fairly stagnant from 2006 to 2007, but several teams instituted significant pricing increases this season. Twelve teams had increases of more than 10 percent, including six of more than 20 percent.
The World Champion Boston Red Sox continue to have baseball's priciest ticket. The Red Sox's average price of $48.80 is a 10.1 percent jump from last year. The team's Fan Cost Index total of $320.71 is more than $60 higher than the No. 2 team, the New York Yankees.
The FCI is a representative look at the costs for a family of four to attend a Major League Baseball game. It is comprised of four average tickets, as calculated through a weighted formula, two beers, four soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking for one car, two programs and two adult-sized caps.
The Yankees, playing in their last season at Yankee Stadium, could overtake the Red Sox for the toughest ticket in baseball. And that ticket won't be cheap. According to TMR research, the average regular ticket will cost $36.58 and the cost to take a family of four to the Bronx stadium will be $259.84. That price, however, is hardly representative to what tickets will cost via the secondary market this season.
The crosstown Mets reported a 20.5 percent jump to $34.05 as they prepare to play their last season at Shea Stadium. The Mets will play in Citi Field next season.
Going into their 100th season since their last World Series win, the Cubs' prices are reaching new highs. The North Siders will charge an average of $42.49 per season ticket this year, second in the league, while employing a three-tiered pricing structure. Fifty of the team's 81 home games are considered "prime" games, the highest pricing tier, while only six are value games.
The Red Sox, Yankees and Cubs still have good reasons for charging such exorbitant amounts, as each play in historic, cramped stadiums that double as living museums. Much like their football counterparts, going to regular season games at each of these parks are becoming more of an "event" that families take part in once or twice a season.
Regardless of the increase, baseball is still the most affordable of the top four North American sports (see TMR web site for FCI historical data for baseball, basketball, football and hockey) and 11 teams have average ticket prices under $20.
Five teams have FCI totals under $150. The newly-rechristened Tampa Bay Rays are the best bargain in baseball with an FCI of $136.91, thanks in part to free parking for cars of four or more people, but the Arizona Diamondbacks, last year's surprise winner of the AL West, will have the cheapest average ticket at $15.96. The Rays and the Pittsburgh Pirates ($17.07) were the only teams with no price increases. The San Francisco Giants (up .3 percent) didn't change prices, but re-distributed some seats, giving them a lower average price ($22.06) than was reported last season.
The Washington Nationals are moving into the eponymous Nationals Park this season, and with that move comes expected increases. An average Nats' ticket is expected to be $25, up from $21.11 during their last year at RFK Stadium.
A family of four going to the Anacostia River park should expect to pay about $195.50, and that's if they get the cheapest parking option of $15. If the team improves in the NL East like they did in the FCI standings (from 24 to 15), plenty of fans will shell out that money to watch the District's team.
Several teams near the bottom of the FCI had turnaround seasons in 2007, including NL pennant winners Colorado, and the Milwaukee Brewers. AL contenders, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, continue to be one of the best bargains in baseball, with an FCI of $140.42, the second-cheapest outing in baseball.
The Kansas City Royals, perennially at the bottom of the FCI, jumped up a few spots, thanks to a 21.1 percent increase on tickets, from $14.48 to $17.54. The Royals' FCI concurrently went up 22.5 percent to $151.16.
To learn how to make money being a ticket broker, visit www.MyTicketBiz.com.
Baseball has never been more popular, or more expensive to watch. On the heels of another record-setting season, the average ticket price has gone up to $25.40, a 10.9 percent increase from last season. Team Marketing Report's 2008 Major League Baseball Fan Cost Index jumped 8.3 percent to $191.75 this season. Both increases are the highest for MLB since 2001, when tickets went up 12.9 percent (to $18.99), and the FCI went up 9.8 percent to $145.45.
Both figures were fairly stagnant from 2006 to 2007, but several teams instituted significant pricing increases this season. Twelve teams had increases of more than 10 percent, including six of more than 20 percent.
The World Champion Boston Red Sox continue to have baseball's priciest ticket. The Red Sox's average price of $48.80 is a 10.1 percent jump from last year. The team's Fan Cost Index total of $320.71 is more than $60 higher than the No. 2 team, the New York Yankees.
The FCI is a representative look at the costs for a family of four to attend a Major League Baseball game. It is comprised of four average tickets, as calculated through a weighted formula, two beers, four soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking for one car, two programs and two adult-sized caps.
The Yankees, playing in their last season at Yankee Stadium, could overtake the Red Sox for the toughest ticket in baseball. And that ticket won't be cheap. According to TMR research, the average regular ticket will cost $36.58 and the cost to take a family of four to the Bronx stadium will be $259.84. That price, however, is hardly representative to what tickets will cost via the secondary market this season.
The crosstown Mets reported a 20.5 percent jump to $34.05 as they prepare to play their last season at Shea Stadium. The Mets will play in Citi Field next season.
Going into their 100th season since their last World Series win, the Cubs' prices are reaching new highs. The North Siders will charge an average of $42.49 per season ticket this year, second in the league, while employing a three-tiered pricing structure. Fifty of the team's 81 home games are considered "prime" games, the highest pricing tier, while only six are value games.
The Red Sox, Yankees and Cubs still have good reasons for charging such exorbitant amounts, as each play in historic, cramped stadiums that double as living museums. Much like their football counterparts, going to regular season games at each of these parks are becoming more of an "event" that families take part in once or twice a season.
Regardless of the increase, baseball is still the most affordable of the top four North American sports (see TMR web site for FCI historical data for baseball, basketball, football and hockey) and 11 teams have average ticket prices under $20.
Five teams have FCI totals under $150. The newly-rechristened Tampa Bay Rays are the best bargain in baseball with an FCI of $136.91, thanks in part to free parking for cars of four or more people, but the Arizona Diamondbacks, last year's surprise winner of the AL West, will have the cheapest average ticket at $15.96. The Rays and the Pittsburgh Pirates ($17.07) were the only teams with no price increases. The San Francisco Giants (up .3 percent) didn't change prices, but re-distributed some seats, giving them a lower average price ($22.06) than was reported last season.
The Washington Nationals are moving into the eponymous Nationals Park this season, and with that move comes expected increases. An average Nats' ticket is expected to be $25, up from $21.11 during their last year at RFK Stadium.
A family of four going to the Anacostia River park should expect to pay about $195.50, and that's if they get the cheapest parking option of $15. If the team improves in the NL East like they did in the FCI standings (from 24 to 15), plenty of fans will shell out that money to watch the District's team.
Several teams near the bottom of the FCI had turnaround seasons in 2007, including NL pennant winners Colorado, and the Milwaukee Brewers. AL contenders, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, continue to be one of the best bargains in baseball, with an FCI of $140.42, the second-cheapest outing in baseball.
The Kansas City Royals, perennially at the bottom of the FCI, jumped up a few spots, thanks to a 21.1 percent increase on tickets, from $14.48 to $17.54. The Royals' FCI concurrently went up 22.5 percent to $151.16.
To learn how to make money being a ticket broker, visit www.MyTicketBiz.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
