Auctions are becoming more common but they are due largely to artists recognizing that they are missing out on a lot of money in the secondary ticket market. Auctions are an attempt to capture some of that revenue, not to end scalping.

Auctions are becoming more common but they are due largely to artists recognizing that they are missing out on a lot of money in the secondary ticket market. Auctions are an attempt to capture some of that revenue, not to end scalping.

Scalpers are never going away, nor should they. If ticket limits are placed, then scalpers hire people to stand in line and buy the tickets. The extra costs of paying people to stand in line (or use PCs online) is handed over to the secondary consumer in the price of the resale. C'mon, folks, you talk about the virtues of living in a world class city, well, this market is one of those virtues.

However, it might be fair to call for an journalistic investigation into the practices of ticket brokers (ones who do this as a legit business, as opposed to those who place ads in the paper). It may be that they are using some sort of automated system. It may be that they are using an inside (read: corrupt) connecting with Ticketslave or other sellers (the venues). It may be informative to consumers to find out that these businesses are selling their tickets through eBay at a discount compared to what consumers pay directly to the resellers. That could be an interesting article.

It's become symptomatic. Concerts and shows are 'sold out' in a matter of minutes, but I betcha a good chunk of those tickets, probably more than the 100 out of 700 that crazed poster mentioned in her example, are swallowed up by scalpers who then turn and sell them back for twice or more the face value.

The only solution to stop scalping would be to make scalping a crime (if you haven't yet) and then run plain-clothes stings on people who scalp or run ads for tickets at 2-3 times face value. Of course, the cops in cities don't really care, so then what? Ticketmaster doesn't care because scalping actually makes it easier to make their money (any policy they have against it is lip service to keep demand for shows up). Vigilantism?

But the secondary market has become big business. It's hard to blame an artist for wanting a piece of the 2x and 3x face value they see being paid for tickets to his show. You're not dealing with a shady guy or two outside the arena, you are dealing with crews of employees standing in line at Ticketmaster every Saturday morning.

So who is really to blame? Rich assholes who can afford 3x face value to go to sold out shows, and don't want to be bothered standing in line. Apparently, there are a lot of them.

Anyway - since the FCC is cracking down on offensive language and suggestively fictional scenes. Teen orgies on TV - sign me up. And why is Fox exempt while CBS is takes it up the butt?

Hmmm - 3 million dollars for an obsenity while mining disasters net 100K that will probably be knocked down to a grand on appeal.

But I'm offended by obsenity as much as the next guy. Which is why in this election season newscasters or tv ads should not be able to utter that word associated with a sex act. And I blush as I write this - Santorum. I certainly understand if this post is censored. But I implore everyone to write to the FCC whenever the offending word is said on network TV and demand the severist punishment possible - fines of one million dollars and the loss of their broadcasting license.