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[Houston Press] The Rockets Get Into The Ticket-Scalping Business

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by TreeRollins, May 7, 2009.

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  1. TreeRollins

    TreeRollins Member

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    By John Nova Lomax in Sports

    Thursday, May. 7 2009 @ 12:04PM

    Looking for Rockets tickets as the hoopsters return to the Toyota Center after their split with the Lakers? Unlike, say, two months ago, you're now at the mercy of the scalpers. But the precise identity of the scalpers may surprise you.

    "Basically the Rockets have created their own StubHub called FlashSeats.com," says local independent ticket broker Patrick Ryan, of SecureSeats.com. "They're taking inventory that isn't available to the public and only making it available at secondary-market" - read scalpers - "prices."

    Ryan says that tickets that would run a season ticket holder $280 have been marked up to $350 face value, but then the Rockets are taking those same tickets to FlashSeats and peddling them for around $700. (Ryan says many of these tickets are from club suites that went unsold when the economy flamed out like one of Aaron Brooks's crazed drives to the hole.)


    "I think it's perfectly fine for them to do, I think they should do that," Ryan points out. "It's a smart business move, but I just think the general public should know that. The Rockets shouldn't be able to play this off as some season ticket-holder or ticket broker marking up the tickets. The FlashSeats thing is veiling them and I think they should be more transparent."

    And transparency, of a sort, is just what we got when we contacted Josh Logan, the Rockets senior director of ticket operations. "Flash Seats is a benefit for Rockets ticket holders," he told Hair Balls via email. "This concept allows you to manage your tickets via the Internet. It also gives you the ability to sell, buy and transfer seats through a marketplace endorsed by the Rockets and eliminates lost or stolen ticket issues and the need to pick up your tickets at Will Call."

    He didn't mention the mark-up, but hey, they won a series. Cut 'em some slack.


    http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2009/05/rockets_scalping_tickets.php
     
    #1 TreeRollins, May 7, 2009
  2. Al Capone

    Al Capone Member

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    I buy tickets on flashseats. It's still a lower mark-up than 713-tickets.
     
    #2 Al Capone, May 7, 2009
  3. Hydhypedplaya

    Hydhypedplaya Member

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    Flash seats sucks...they charge you something like a 20% transaction fee of the total amount, plus a $1.50 charge per ticket. They already mark it up like crazy and then basically charge you another hefty fee for them ripping you off.
     
    #3 Hydhypedplaya, May 7, 2009
  4. The_Yoyo

    The_Yoyo Member

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    i think flashseats is a good concept but the huge 20% markup when trying to buy tickets is down right criminal.
     
    #4 The_Yoyo, May 7, 2009
  5. LAYGO

    LAYGO Member

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    This doesn't just apply to the Rockets. There's a ton of venues and NOT just sports venues: concert halls too!

    There was an article on this about it somewhere & several different venues are involved in it. It comes down to something with TicketMaster & Live Nation. I can't find the article but it's basically describes MANY places coming up with their own StubHub. The guy in the above article is just trying to generate negative press for the Rockets when in fact, it's a nationwide thing.
     
    #5 LAYGO, May 7, 2009
  6. slowmustang

    slowmustang Member

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    Honestly, if I was the owner, I would try to control the scalpers as well. Why should scalpers make a $200 profit for essentially moving my tickets? Why can't I be the one that gets the profit?
     
    #6 slowmustang, May 7, 2009
  7. insane man

    insane man Member

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    wasn't tribune sued for this?
     
    #7 insane man, May 7, 2009
  8. Severe Rockets Fan

    Severe Rockets Fan Takin it one stage at a time...

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    I bought tix to a few games this year for a pretty decent price off flashseats, last minute...I'm sure any second hand seats to the playoffs are going to be jacked up.
     
    #8 Severe Rockets Fan, May 7, 2009
  9. bravo six

    bravo six Member

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    I like that you can put in a 'bid' for the seats. I managed to get some good deals through it.
     
    #9 bravo six, May 7, 2009
  10. tslee98

    tslee98 Member

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    I just bought 3 tickets to Game 3 from the Toyota Center website (to be delivered via FlashSeats) through a Friends & Family promotion. Section 123, Row 24, $250 per. The Rockets definitely have tickets left. I suspect they reserved these seats for people who put a deposit on next year's season tickets, but there wasn't enough demand so they decided to sell at a premium. Good for them. I'd rather the Rockets pocket the premium than a ticket scalper.
     
    #10 tslee98, May 7, 2009
  11. tonyrox

    tonyrox Member

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    There are much cheaper seats on flashseats even with the 20% markup, plus there is way more selection. I'd check there before going to toyota center's website.
     
    #11 tonyrox, May 7, 2009
  12. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost Member
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    I don't mind the Rockets doing this.

    Smart business move, smart franchise.
     
    #12 DonnyMost, May 7, 2009
  13. tslee98

    tslee98 Member

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    Not for the section I got. 123 is one of the first non-Club sections (104, 110, 117 being the others). Except for single tickets (which I saw sold for $199 before the 20% fees), the remaining tickets in these sections are either $400 or $600. And there's only groups of 2. I needed 3.
     
    #13 tslee98, May 7, 2009
  14. BetterThanEver

    BetterThanEver Member

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    It also protects you from fake tickets by street scalpers. I think that's a major plus. The tickets are going to get scalped either way.

    Doing it this way, you won't get turned around at the door for fake tickets.
     
    #14 BetterThanEver, May 7, 2009
  15. arabrocket

    arabrocket Member

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    whoever buy from 713 tickets is stupid, they are RUDE, they told me u dont like it go look somewhere else on the phone. plus their prices are crazy high.
     
    #15 arabrocket, May 7, 2009
  16. Kam

    Kam Member

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    The Cubs did this.

    Look how many championships they won.
     
    #16 Kam, May 7, 2009
  17. ajsports23

    ajsports23 Member

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    Maybe everyone should just buy their tickets from Pat at Secureseats.com
     
    #17 ajsports23, May 7, 2009
  18. ajsports23

    ajsports23 Member

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    or off the toyota center website for face since they just released a ton of tickets for game 3
     
    #18 ajsports23, May 7, 2009
  19. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Member

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    Somebody has to come up with the money to pay McGrady.
     
    #19 Carl Herrera, May 7, 2009
  20. Kam

    Kam Member

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    Those tickets on toyotacentertix.com are some jacked up prices.

    They are marked up.

    flashseats mark up is crazy too. You have to pay 20% to buy. the seller has to pay 10% of the commission?



    10 percent to buy, and 5 percent to sell is a bit more fair, more reasonable.
     
    #20 Kam, May 7, 2009
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