So the day I posted on scalping and LCD Soundsystem tickets, I got an email from the Cubs (I am the proud holder of position 88,950 on the Cubs season ticket holder waiting list). It offered a chance to jump the queue for single game tickets:
I posted about this program last year and I see that it still poses the same problem. This lets scalpers (OK, ticket brokers) grab prime seats for attractive match ups. Let’s face it: No one will pay a 20% premium for an April night game. Ticket brokers, however, can afford that premium for games against the Cards or Phils. This leads to the same process problem inherent in the LCD Soundsystem case.
There is a second part of the mail that I didn’t notice last year. It explains how they will manage the sales process when non-premium single game tickets open to the public.
So the Cubs will randomly pick people out of line for both in person and online sales as opposed to using fist come first served. The wristband system and lottery keeps people from camping out on Waveland Avenue and I suspect that the city likes that. It also makes it a little harder for scalpers to take advantage of the system. A ticket broker cannot just pay someone to camp out and beat the crowd.
Interesting stuff,
At my team (Arsenal) in the UK we have a service called ticket exchange, it’s an online exchange platform for members to share tickets.
As tickets are issued electronically through membership cards that are scanned it’s pretty easy to do. I’ve never used it myself but it has got rid of most of the shady fellas outside the ground.
http://www.arsenal.com/membership/tickets-information/the-arsenal-ticket-exchange
Paul
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