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Are your ‘Wicked’ tickets legit?
Scalpers, or secondary market ticket sellers, have been an issue for some audience members during the run of the hit musical “Wicked” (through March 7) at the Schuster Performing Arts Center.
Lisa Wagner, the Victoria Theatre Association’s vice president for ticketing and hospitality, and Lisa Japs, director of the VTA’s box office, Ticket Center Stage, have learned to dread hearing the words, “I bought tickets and haven’t received them yet.”
They have encountered several agitated patrons who expect them to alter or complete a transaction that wasn’t made at the official box office.
If the seats weren’t purchased from Ticket Center Stage, which is the only authorized seller, they may not be valid. There will be no record of the transaction in the box office system, no refund is possible, and the tickets can’t be reissued or reprinted.
If seats were purchased from a secondary seller such as Stub Hub or Jumbo Tickets, the customer needs to contact that particular seller.
“A lot of times tickets from the secondary market are valid, but it is still a risk. The lesser of the two evils is that patrons are paying way too much,” Wagner said. For example, a $50 ticket may go for $150 because a scalper’s sole motivation is to make as much as the market allows. Because “Wicked’ is phenomenally popular, some audience members have been willing to pay higher amounts to see it.
“Wicked” tickets are priced at $46-$125 at Ticket Center Stage. The handling fee is another $5. Handling fees may also be higher for secondary transactions.
Wagner and Japs said some secondary markets “have been impersonating Ticket Center Stage. Some of them have told potential buyers it is Ticket Center Stage’s policy to sell tickets to secondary dealers. That is false. Our policy is to sell them only to our patrons.”
The Top 7 Ways to Know if you have purchased from a secondary market:
You didn’t buy from Ticket Center Stage
You paid more than $100 for a seat in the upper balcony of the Schuster Center.
While purchasing your ticket, you spoke with a person outside the state of Ohio.
Your ticket was postmarked or mailed from somewhere other than Dayton, Ohio.
You paid more than $5 in fees.
The seat you purchased does not match the seating chart of the venue.
You bought tickets on ebay or craigslist.
Contact Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or www.ticketcenterstage.com.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Theater
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By Bust a gut
March 1, 2010 4:59 PM | Link to this
The ticket agent was green and had a large wart on her nose.
By Rick
March 3, 2010 4:32 PM | Link to this
Well, I paid almost $500 for two tickets from StubHub. Saturday night performance. 4th row from the stage. Dead center. It was worth EVERY penny!! (But now you’ve got me nervous over doing this again!)