Ticket brokers

I agree with what Brian Maxwell said about ticket brokers otherwise known as scalpers. They wait outside on game days like vultures waiting to prey on unsuspecting fans looking for tickets. There are fans who can and will pay what a scalper wants and there are fans that can't afford the high prices that scalpers want. I have been a season ticket holder for 10 years now. It's hard to believe that it has been that long. I have a lot of memories at LP Field. The first game in 1999 against Cincinnati rallying to win with Al DeGreco's FG."The Music City Miracle" the first playoff game at LP Field. Joe Nedney's field goal to beat Pittsburgh 34-31 in OT during the 2002 season. "The New York Minute" as Vince Young lead a rally from being down 21-0 to win 24-21. The 60 yard field goal to beat Indy 20-17 a week later. Being a fan means everything to me so you won't have to worry about me selling my PSL because without it you can't get PLAYOFF TICKETS!!

Hi!

I've only had the privledge to see 2 Titans games in person, a Monday Night routing of the Jags & a heartbreaker to the Ravens. I still have the programs & ticket stubs to this date. The only way I could get these was through the cutthroat pirates know as "brokers". The face value on the first ticket in section 344 row W, the nosebleed aream is $12.00. I had to pay $100 for this one and the other ticket was directly behind the goal post in row K. It sold from the box office for $46 orginally, but I paid $500. I tried for years to wait in line outside TicketMaster locations, often the first or second in line, to be told all the best games were gone in under 2 minutes. Tickets get snatched up within minutes by these predators who have no love or team spirit. I tried writting our Governor & State Senate asking this priactice be banned in our state, as in a few others, only to get a form letter thanking me for my time.

It saddens me to see so many empty seats in the Coliseum as I watch games on TV, knowing that there are tickets available right outside the Coliseum that will never be used. I've given up even trying to buy tickets when they go on sale anymore. I know there are many more, probably hundreds or thousands, fans like myself who will never be able to take that trip inside the Coliseum because of this unethical and legal business practice.

What saddens me most is that I'll probably never be able to take my kids to see & feel what an amazing day an actual NFL game is like.

I agree with the ticket scalpers discussion. What is more frustrating is that they stand outside the stadium within 20 fee of police officers and conduct their business. Obviously the law permits them to do this but nevertheless, it is quite frustrating. The opportunity (legally) is there for these folks to make a good buck so they will continue to do so. The only way to prevent this in the immediate future is to not buy tickets from these sources. If the sales are reduced, the prices will drop (supply and demand) and hopefully force thse guys out of business (I am sure this will never happen, but I can dream!). I live 750 miles away and attend as many home games (and 2 away games each year) but on games that I cannot make it to LP Field, I sell my tickets at face value to friends or friends of friends who live in the area and are true Titan Fans! I want my seats occupied by Titans fans who support the team or better yet, do not have the opportunity to get tickets often and enjoy going. By attending two away games eahc year, I also run into the high priced ticket scalpers but try and buy my tickets through local resources so the prices are reasonable. Great topic...would love to see the legal system step in and improve this as it is in other cities (cannot sell/buy tickets within 300 feet of the venue, etc..)

Let's Go Titans! '08 will be great!!

First I would like say thanks to everyone who has read the 12th Man Blog and special thanks to everyone who took the time to sound off with their own opinion here in the forums. I am just a fan like all of you guys and I consider it an honor that I get to write about something I have true passion for. I am lucky to have a wife who lets me be loud, proud and somtimes even abrasive on Sundays. (She does roll her eyes when I give her the "NOT NOW" or do one of many horrible Touchdown celebrations)

Thanks again to everyone and please keep those opinions coming. The forums are the only place where the fans voice can be heard. Don't think we are the only ones checking in.

P.S.

For those of you who use the word "investment" when talking about football tickets, let me say I feel that the Titans or any other team that a fan lives and dies for on a daily basis should be held to higher standards than a stock or bond. Respect should be shown for the game, the players, and most of all to the true fans.

I am against all brokers that illegally buy tickets via software programs but, if I want to sell my season tickets or psl, I am glad I live in the USA and get to recoup some of my investment. I call them investments because you have to buy the psl's in advance with real money. I also had to shell out season ticket money for games that don't start until August. I understand the frustration but not all games are created equal either. There were a few games this year where tickets were going way below face value...and I couldnt' give away pairs of loge tickets for the Houston game this year. If it is wrong to sell tickets above face value, should we make a law that demands tickets can't sell below face value?

If it wasn't for poor saps like me with psl's not all games would sell out and you couldn't watch the games on tv.

First, Ticket brokers legally purchase their tickets in most cases. Second, I completely disagree that the games would not sell out and If you ever have problems giving away tickets, I know about 100 or so people who would gladly take them off your hands.

I don't have a problem with anyone making a little money off of their personal tickets or their PSL. My problem is people who sell the tickets at huge mark ups just because they can.

Me personally, I have plenty of friends and family that I pass my tickets to if I can't use them but not everyone has that option. Like I said before, I think that using tickets for nothing but profit is disrespectful to the game.

The fact is that it is legal and you can do it. Hospitals can also charge you $60 for an Ace bandage that costs you $7 at the store and there is nothing you can do about it. That is completely legal and to the hospital that Ace bandage was an investment too. Doesn't make it right.

I have to take a little offense to the remark about it being a scam, by not offering PSLs' with season tickets. I'm in the Coast Guard, and I just transfered from St. Louis to Tampa. While in St. Louis, I traveled the 4.5 hours to every home game. I don't feel that I should have to sell my PSLs just because I'm not in the area. It's my security that I will have tickets when I return to the Nashville area. I do agree with the other comments on scalpers. Even with anti-scalping laws, it doesn't change anything. Instead, you will see people bidding on $2,000.00 dollars on a football card that comes with "free" season tickets. It's a shame.

very well said. Of course there will be different situations that warrant different results. Being in the military, you are moved constantly and that changes the situation. Also, I'm sure that if you were to sell those season tickets that you would inform the buyer that they would not include playoff tickets or offer them the chance to buy the playoff tickets.

I get roughly 500 words a week for the 12th man and I used them pretty quickly on this subject. It obviously can be a touchy subject and people will have different views.

You are probably right about laws if they were put into place. I guess you can always find loopholes.

Your right, there are a lot of different senarios. But I will offer the playoff tickets to the ticket holders (you can check me on ebay shortly). That's only fair. I know most people wouldn't, but I do have a conscience. I'm like you, it pisses me off that there are so many people that want to go to the games, but the majority of the tickets are held by people that just want to make a buck. It's crazy when you go online, and see tickets from across the country. I got 2 so called "free" NLCS tickets for the Cardinals/Astros game 5 off ebay by buying a paperclip ($125.00 paperclip) because Missouri has laws against scalping. Doesn't stop them.

Wow, so much to think about with this topic...

First, thanks to Brian Maxwell for posting his opinion (and apparently the opinion of many others) on the forum. It's great that we live in a country where we can state our thoughts freely, especially about this game that we are all so passionate about!

Now for a few issues I have with the complaints that have been posted...

- I have a really difficult time any time someone states that government should come in and regulate the trade of a 'good or service' that is legal. I know there are instances where it happens, but it just scares me. The retail busines I work in has a simple formula: I purchase a good (or provide a service), put an acceptable markup on the good or service, and resell it to the public at a price that is 'market driven'. Market driven means the public will somewhat willingly pay the price, within reason. I sell products into the trucking industry. There are truckers out there who can afford my products, and others that can't...but that doesn't mean that some agency should come in and mandate that I set my prices artifically low so everyone can afford them. Furthermore, if some dude thinks he could purchase my product, and turn around and sell it at an even higher price to someone else, more power to him.

- Let's think about who is really making the absurd profits here (again, legally and well within their rights). Is it the ticket brokers? Well, they certainly clean up whenever the big game comes to town. But then there are plenty of games (such as the Houston game the guy mentions below) where they can't be given away. I know brokers make plenty of profits...or they wouldn't keep brokering. However, has anyone ever thought about the Titans (or NFL) front office role in this? Think about it...at an average of $50 per ticket (that's probably too low, but we'll use it for this discussion), they draw $3.4 million PER GAME. $34 mm over a '10-game' season (don't even get me started on league practice of charging full price for preseason games. Again, they do it because we, the passionate fans, will typically pay the price). Anyway, I know it costs money to run a business, open the stadium, turn on the lights, and everything else. But with all the concession revenue, corporate sponsorship revenue, and league shared TV revenues, do you really think the teams are selling us the tickets at 'cost'? C'mon...we're being taken advantage of, big time. I don't hear anyone complaining about that

- PSL's - Most of the same points I've applied to tickets apply to PSL's as well. They are 'property' that we purchased as the price to pay to get the team here. I agree that it's a stretch to say that tickets or PSL's should be considered 'investments', but in essense it's the same as buying a piece of land somewhere. It can go up in value, it can go down in value, and it can be resold at market value. I own 2 in the south end zone. When we were taking the tour of the stadium before it was finished, the tour guide actually pushed these PSL's on the group, saying that 'the same seats in Panther's stadium sold for $500, and are now going for $5000 each in the aftermarket'. Sounds like an investment push to me. And I don't ever plan on selling mine, but I could if I wanted to.

That's about all I have to say today. Except some clarification so you all don't think I'm a heartless capitalist with no sympathy for the common man. As stated above, I have 2 seats in the south end zone. As my family has grown, I don't get to attend all the games like I used to...and for the past 2 years I've sold a number of my tickets to friends and family, and sold them at face value. I typically give my preseason tickets away, as I care absolutely nothing about watching those games, and I feel guilty charging face value to watch a glorified scrimmage. I love my team, but 'living and dying for them' might be a bit of a stretch...I was there for the Music City Miracle, the Pittsburg OT win, the 60 yard FG, VY's miracle comeback, all the games mentioned below. I love my Titans, but there are plenty more important things in life. Football is a luxury, and like any other luxury, some can afford it and some can't. Whether or not we get to go to games shouldn't define us, however.

By the way, if you don't want to pay high prices to brokers, go to a game and wait until kickoff...you'll be surprised how the price drops, and you can rub it in their face when you pay $20 to get inside!!

We all know that it is legal. We are simply stating that we have a higher respect for the game. Mike Tice sold his Super Bowl tickets for money. To me that is crazy. The fans spend their money on jerseys, hats, playing cards, footballs, t-shirts, bumper stickers, flags and the list goes on and on. All I am saying is give them a chance to buy the tickets.

"live and die" is a common phrase that is not meant to be literal.

Well said "truckerfan"--it's hard to disagree with your point.

I think its an issue where everyone gets a little angry (including myself). The NFL in general is the richest, most profitable of all sports. The players coming from college to make 60 milllion is absurd--Vince Young included. In an idealistic world he shouldn't make more than a cardiologist, who saves peoples lives. Another very touchy subject with me is military members. You have some 24 year old guy in the service in Iraq with a wife a 2 kids fighting for all the freedoms we have here, with a gross income of about $33k a year, and can barely afford to live in a subpar apartment community. To help coax an NFL player into a deal, they give them garunteed money to the tune of millions of dollars. A soldier gets tax free pay and hazard pay (about an extra 5-6k a year) for the chance of losing their life. Were is the justice in that. But like "trucker fan" said, we pay them. I don't think you will see fans boycotting games for lower ticket prices anytime soon-somebody will buy thew. Besides, the Titans prices are below average compared to the rest of the league. It's a business--it just sucks!

I also think that paying a kid fresh out of school millions of guaranteed dollars is an insane practice. The number one pick in the draft is the worst possible pick a team could have. There should be a rookie pay scale that teams are able to work with and only have the options of how they will pay them. The scale would be made using the salaries of all players. Don’t ask me to do the math but I’m sure the NFL has plenty of people who can. Good veteran players are being forced into retirement because of these insane contracts. Teams are set back a minimum of five years if they pick a kid in the top three and he turns out to be a bust.

Bill Parcells is doing the right thing by demanding that a contract be signed before they pick anyone. If Jake Long doesn’t want to sign for what Parcells wants to give him then Vernon Gholston becomes the number one pick and signs the contract Jake Long would have received. Jake Long now gets paid less than the contract Gholston signs because he is a lower pick.

It won’t fix the problem but it is a start.

Your right- It's a great idea which would have a domino effect that should help to lower these huge contracts throughout the entire first round. What do you think are the chances of the league setting a limit (probably none)? It's a bad situation with a salary cap involved. It's almost better to pass (trade) on the first round all together. But then the fans get pissed off because we aren't going after the "big names".

The contracts will eventually get so high that the league will have to step in and do something about it. It could be ten years down the road but it will eventually have to happen. I doubt they will do exactly what I proposed but they will have to do something.

The NBA had a similar situation with high school kids. They made a rule to send kids to school for one year before they can come into the league not because they are not ready to play but because they had so many high school kids being drafted, getting big bucks, then doing absolutely nothing. Sending them to college for a year allows teams to evaluate the player and not spend loads of money.