Attention New York concert goers: Ticket scalping may soon be legalized statewide. Long-standing scalping laws, which are up for review this June, are now being criticized by theatre owners — the same people the laws were implemented to protect. “An increase in the number of legal resellers will increase legal competition in the marketplace and drive prices down,” said League of American Theatres & Producers chairman Gerald Schoenfeld in a statement. And New York Governor Eliot Spitzer concurs. “My view has always been that the laws don’t work,” Spitzer told the New York Post. “It’s the only product I know where we are regulating the secondary market but we don’t set a price for the primary market. It makes no sense.”
But many bloggers question if this tactic will actually reduce prices. Although officials’ hopes are high regarding consumer benefit, some fear the lifted law could jack up prices, making tickets harder to obtain, especially in a high demand city like New York.
Here’s what concert goers, supporters, and critics have to say:
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“New York prides itself on its history of ‘progressive’ public policy. Let it remain progressive, by abolishing archaic laws interfering with private contracts and private property, including the scalping laws.” — Kip, kipesquire.powerblogs.com
“Theater movers and shakers do, however, recommend that the state maintain its ban on street scalping within 1,500 feet of a venue. Sorry all you shady corner ticket flashers.” — Kari Milchman, nypress.com
“I’m no economist, but how could the ticket prices be driven below the retail price at which the scalpers purchase tickets? I know this policy may work for other states, but in New York — where theaters are small, fans are plentiful and industry-types fill the seats before anyone else gets a chance — will this system benefit the regular fan at all?” — city girl, country girl, hellocaitlint.wordpress.com
“Currently, top Broadway tickets are already well out of my price range. I say, if people want to horde tickets in the hopes of making a buck off them, more power to them. I’ll go for my twofers or discount codes.” — Eric, kipesquire.powerblogs.com
“The “eBay Box Office” just came one step closer to being born.” — Playgoer, playgoer.blogspot.com
Talk: Legalized ticket scalping: beneficial or hindering for the consumer?
