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TICKET
SCALPING
written by: Roy Opochiski
In a recent issue of Rolling Stone, writer Steve
Knopper wrote a column about the question of whether ticket
scalping could be stopped. He quoted Van Halen’s agent Jonny
Podell as saying, “No one has found the cure for it. It's
an amazing thing. I've been in this business thirty-five years.
It's never been fixed.”
Knopper detailed some recent efforts by artists like U2 and
Bruce Springsteen to thwart ticket scalpers and pointed out
some of the failures encountered and the headline writer for
the article asked “Can Scalpers Be Stopped” and answered in
the subhead, “With Stones seats going for $6,500, the answer
is no.”
The article never examined the possible solutions, and there
are possible solutions. While ticket scalping will never be
eliminated, there are ways to limit the effectiveness of scalpers.
Knopper wrote how on Springsteen’s recent North American solo
tour, those who purchased the best seats were required to
pick them up at the will call windows prior to the show, but
added “scalpers accompanied buyers to the booth and switched
tickets later.” |
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