Attn: People Irritated With Resold Tickets to Opposing Fans

[TEXANSTAILGATER]

I got this form letter, too! It's bullsh*t!

Thank you for your email and support of the Houston Texans! We appreciate your feedback regarding the reselling of tickets. We cannot control what season ticket holders decide to do with their tickets once they have purchased them. We sell our remaining tickets through Ticketmaster and we can not guarantee which fans purchase these tickets. Stubhub is one of our sponsors but we do not sell them any tickets it is strictly advertising. The tickets you find on there are from season ticket holders. We would like the Stadium to be filled with Texans fans to create and maintain the home field advantage and we think the Stadium is one of the best when it is filled with Texans fans. Thank you and have a great Thanksgiving!



GO TEXANS!

 

[StarStruck]

I heard from a reliable source that 20% of the Texans' season ticket holders are scalpers. Apparently, when 2001 rolled around and the Texans season tickets first went on sale, the scalpers pounced on the psl's and the tickets.

It's been over six years so my memory could be fading, but if I recall correctly, those PSLs were on sale for quite a while. Seems that I took a few days maybe even a couple of weeks to decide which section I wanted to purchase. One thing I have learned when it comes to purchasing tickets is having your mind made up by the time they become available, then act.

If Celine Dion's "A New Day" becomes available on DVD, it would be well worth the purchase. After seeing that concert in Vegas, I felt I owed the lady some more money.

 

[hollywood_texan]

I honeslty wonder, if you swipped every ticket broker's (let's define that as 10 or more PSL's that you only ever resell) seat, and offered them to Houston fans (someone who will only resell when they can't make a game, out of towners included) - what % would sell.

Probably not many is my opinion.

For the last two seasons, I have been selling some games I couldn't use. Typically, in the past, I would just give away all tickets to family/friends. Without getting into sorted details, I noticed people really wanted certain games and avoided other games even though they were free. Further, there were some other personal issues that really are not relevant to this discussion.

Point is, most of the people I know, are not Texans fans.

So, starting last year, I started selling tickets on ebay. The big draw teams, Bears, Chiefs, Cowboys, Titans, and so on, draw the best sells on ebay. I ask very nicely of the people that win my auctions what team they are rooting for, Texan fans are maybe 40% on the tickets I have sold.

Furthermore, I have found that opposing fans going to Reliant are willing to pay more money for tickets. That is my experience from posting available tickets on this board and selling tickets on ebay.

To bring this home, I have auctions for my seats on ebay at FACE VALUE WITH NO SHIPPING COSTS/NO RESERVE for the Tampa Bay game. I am getting e-mails from people that when the tickets don't sell, they'll buy them for below face. It probably won't come to that, but there is very little interest in these tickets compared to high draw teams.

FYI, I have 6 seats on the aisle, 3 rows from the field, next to the Bull Pen. These are great seats and sold for a very high premium for the Titans game!

Bottom line, if you want to sell out Reliant, you are going to have to have opposing fans there in force.

 

[whiskeyrbl]

Here is the answer I received from the Texans regarding the reselling of PSL's and opposing team fans in the bullpen.



There you have it -

Got the exact same response

 

[Bob McNair]

Probably not many is my opinion.

For the last two seasons, I have been selling some games I couldn't use. Typically, in the past, I would just give away all tickets to family/friends. Without getting into sorted details, I noticed people really wanted certain games and avoided other games even though they were free. Further, there were some other personal issues that really are not relevant to this discussion.

Point is, most of the people I know, are not Texans fans.

So, starting last year, I started selling tickets on ebay. The big draw teams, Bears, Chiefs, Cowboys, Titans, and so on, draw the best sells on ebay. I ask very nicely of the people that win my auctions what team they are rooting for, Texan fans are maybe 40% on the tickets I have sold.

Furthermore, I have found that opposing fans going to Reliant are willing to pay more money for tickets. That is my experience from posting available tickets on this board and selling tickets on ebay.

To bring this home, I have auctions for my seats on ebay at FACE VALUE WITH NO SHIPPING COSTS/NO RESERVE for the Tampa Bay game. I am getting e-mails from people that when the tickets don't sell, they'll buy them for below face. It probably won't come to that, but there is very little interest in these tickets compared to high draw teams.

FYI, I have 6 seats on the aisle, 3 rows from the field, next to the Bull Pen. These are great seats and sold for a very high premium for the Titans game!

Bottom line, if you want to sell out Reliant, you are going to have to have opposing fans there in force.

Very similar to my experiences. I got 2 season tickets in 2004. Everyone was all "great, can I come to a game?" - no, my wife likes football. So got a couple of more season tickets starting in 2005 (great timing - ha ha.) Not as much interest in Texans since then.

My wife and I attend every game. If family or friends are interested, I sell them the extras at face value. If not I sell the extras on eBay.

"Big" games (this year Titans and Saints) draw a big premium over face value. Others, not so much. Even the Colts barely cover face value plus eBay fees (about 3% for eBay, another 3% for PayPal). Big primetime game against Denver? Forget it, sold for under face value. Preseason? Are you kidding? Only get over half face value for the Cowboys. So yeah, I'm am evil scalper profiteering off of hapless Texans fans. The truth is, if I get enough off the "big" games to cover the losses on the rest of them, I am happy. I like having the extra tickets because I enjoy going with friends or my brother or taking my grandson.

I think the original purpose of this thread was to complain about non-Texans fans buying so many tickets. My response to that is: every Texans fan who wants a ticket already has one. This year they were still offering season tickets for sale after the preseason games were over. You could have bought the regular season at face value without paying for the preseason tickets. For any games other than Tennessee or New Orleans you could have bought tickets on eBay at, or near, or even below face value. The reason the Jaguars tickets sell for below face value is not because of more or less interest by Texans fans; it is because there are very few Jaguars fans in this area. If Texans fans are willing to pay face value, zero Jaguars fans will be in attendance. If the person who bought my extra tickets is a Jaguars fan it is because no Texans fan was willing to bid face value.

The thread seems to evolve from complaining about non-Texans fans buying tickets into a complaint about tickets being sold for more than face value. As Hollywood and I detailed above, those instances are just payback for all the below face value instances. (I can't believe the big time scalpers like Ticket Attractions have done that well off their Texans tickets - at least the last 3 years.) The Patriots do have a rule about not selling the tickets for above face value (the Texans don't). Do the Patriots have a rule that you can't buy the tickets for below face value? And exactly what is face value? Shouldn't a PSL holder be able to "prorate" the cost of the PSL? Shouldn't a season ticket holder be able to "prorate" some of the cost of the pre-season tickets he is forced to buy? Shouldn't someone who buys a $60 ticket through Ticketmaster (the number one scalpers of all!) be able to get back the $75 he paid them? Shouldn't a eBay seller be able to cover his costs (~6%)? Shouldn't a StubHub seller be able to cover his costs (~15%, not counting the buyers premium of 10% - yikes - 25% total - that's why I sell on eBay instead)?

As to the poster who warned about buying a ticket and then having the seller e-mail the tickets to someone else (or himself) invalidating the original ticket - that is a possibility. If it happens you WILL get you money back if you complain to PayPal or your credit card company. Always check the sellers feedback rating. Someone with over a 100 positive feedbacks and a rating of over 98% (there could always be a crank or nutjob who gave a negative) then that seller is not pulling weaselly stunts like that. (I am always stunned to see people bidding big money on an auction with a seller with zero feedbacks - sure the odds are the seller is honest, but I draw the line at about 10 bucks.)

Sorry to ramble on so long, but I blame Hollywood_Texan for making all the good points already! I guess my final thought would be: if the Texans clamp down on selling extra season tickets (especially by taking your tickets away) then big time scalpers will be allowed to beat the system and true Texans fans like Hollywood and myself will lose out. Err... rant off.

 

[Specnatz]

Bob, from what I can tell no one as any problem with that what so ever. You are not a corporation that has a lot of parking passes and seats. that is the only thing that I can tell people hate.

Every time I buy tickets I try and see if I can get them under face value off ebay. If I was going to goto the Siants or Titans game I know I would have to pay through the nose for them. I think that is the thing that is confussing everyone.

Idividual - that would be you and Holloywood
Corporation - http://stores.ebay.com/I-AM-A-HOUSTON-TEXAN

You making a little profit fine, corporation designed to screw the fans and the Texans letting them BAD!!

Like Bill said before he would love to move up but he cant because of a company like the one I posted has them so he is SOL.

 

[hollywood_texan]

Bob, from what I can tell no one as any problem with that what so ever. You are not a corporation that has a lot of parking passes and seats. that is the only thing that I can tell people hate.

Every time I buy tickets I try and see if I can get them under face value off ebay. If I was going to goto the Siants or Titans game I know I would have to pay through the nose for them. I think that is the thing that is confussing everyone.

Idividual - that would be you and Holloywood
Corporation - http://stores.ebay.com/I-AM-A-HOUSTON-TEXAN

You making a little profit fine, corporation designed to screw the fans and the Texans letting them BAD!!

Like Bill said before he would love to move up but he cant because of a company like the one I posted has them so he is SOL.

You are assuming there are Texan fans that will step up and be on the hook every year for season tickets regarding tickets that are vacated by the corporate scalpers.

I suspect that if the Texans eliminated the scalping issue you guys are so upset about, Reliant wouldn't be a sell out.

At some point, could these scalpers walk away? They have to be taking a bath on Texan tickets if their sole purpose is to make a monetary profit on their investment.

A guy like me must really annoy them, I put my tickets up at face or little less, with no reserve and free shipping. From some perspective, I am actually screwing the scalpers because I am further diluting the market at a cheaper price.

 

[Texans_Chick]

You are assuming there are Texan fans that will step up and be on the hook every year for season tickets regarding tickets that are vacated by the corporate scalpers.

I suspect that if the Texans eliminated the scalping issue you guys are so upset about, Reliant wouldn't be a sell out.

At some point, could these scalpers walk away? They have to be taking a bath on Texan tickets if their sole purpose is to make a monetary profit on their investment.

A guy like me must really annoy them, I put my tickets up at face or little less, with no reserve and free shipping. From some perspective, I am actually screwing the scalpers because I am further diluting the market at a cheaper price.

I am guessing every field level ticket currently owned by scalpers would easily be purchased by an individual season ticket holder. There is a wait list a mile long for the bottom level.

A ticket broker friend says he makes plenty of money off of the Texans. Not as much as he would if they were doing well, but he is doing fine.

 

[Hardcore Texan]

I am guessing every field level ticket currently owned by scalpers would easily be purchased by an individual season ticket holder. There is a wait list a mile long for the bottom level.
A ticket broker friend says he makes plenty of money off of the Texans. Not as much as he would if they were doing well, but he is doing fine.

I believe if this was done they would sell out in heartbeat, for field level PSL's only, as you stated. The best way to get field level PSL's is to find an individual that wants to sell. That's what I had to do and I had to pay 70% over face for them too. Other than that you will rot away on the waiting list. Texans' fans would jump on them for face value.

I am with Bob and Hollywood as well. I live out of town and with small kids I can't make it to every home game, and the ones I can't I try to make a little money of my investment back. That's the only way I could talk the wife into it.....LOL. And most of the time I am lucky to get face value.

 

[Specnatz]

I believe if this was done they would sell out in heartbeat, for field level PSL's only, as you stated. The best way to get field level PSL's is to find an individual that wants to sell. That's what I had to do and I had to pay 70% over face for them too. Other than that you will rot away on the waiting list. Texans' fans would jump on them for face value.

I am with Bob and Hollywood as well. I live out of town and with small kids I can't make it to every home game, and the ones I can't I try to make a little money of my investment back. That's the only way I could talk the wife into it.....LOL. And most of the time I am lucky to get face value.

This is where the argument gets skewed. I have not seen one person, NOT ONE, who has objected to you selling your seats, YOUR SEATS. Of course if you could sell to a Texan fan it would be better but if you don't no one is going to hold it against you. HardCore it is about a company that owns a bunch of seats and PSLs that most of us do not like, NOT the individual.

Individual is the key word here, PLEASE understand that.

 

[Hardcore Texan]

This is where the argument gets skewed. I have not seen one person, NOT ONE, who has objected to you selling your seats, YOUR SEATS. Of course if you could sell to a Texan fan it would be better but if you don't no one is going to hold it against you. HardCore it is about a company that owns a bunch of seats and PSLs that most of us do not like, NOT the individual.

Individual is the key word here, PLEASE understand that.

Oh, I know, I get it.....sorry if I came off otherwise, I was just chiming in and also agreeing with TC's post that people would jump all over those PSL's. And I totally understand what you are saying, it's all good.

And I know companys have jumped all over every ticket market, I have to pay double face value any time I want to do anything and seem like I always sell my tickets cheaper or at face. (I just got PSL's in the last couple weeks, I had Longhorn season tix up til now, but are not renewing since I found a decent deal with the Texans which is my first team in any sport)

 

[hollywood_texan]

I am guessing every field level ticket currently owned by scalpers would easily be purchased by an individual season ticket holder. There is a wait list a mile long for the bottom level.

I am basing my opinion on the experience selling my tickets tickets on ebay, watching the market on ebay, and observations at Reliant for the 2 or 3 games I make every year. Take it for what it's worth in that regard.

But, if you are right, why it is so difficult to sell my tickets at face (with free shipping) on ebay for games at Reliant against teams that don't draw well? My seats are 3 rows from the field and on the aisle. Very nice seats.

I know I am in the endzone, but there just doesn't seem to be that much interest for single game tickets in my experience for certain games. Furthermore, the games that do sell well, it's typically not Texan fans buying my tickets. Again my two year experience.

With that, I am concluding that if Texan fans aren't really interested in my tickets on ebay, I don't think there would be much interest for purchasing PSLs and reuping every year with season tickets.

Not saying I am right and your wrong, but just explaining why I don't think there would be huge run on Texans tickets.

A ticket broker friend says he makes plenty of money off of the Texans. Not as much as he would if they were doing well, but he is doing fine.

I suspect it's a couple games a year that he is making his money and breaking even the rest of the year on the games when opponents at Reliant don't draw well. It's kind of things work out for me for the games I sell.

I would ask a few questions regarding what games are being purchased at a premium and who is doing the purchasing.

It's possible he isn't making his money off of Texans fans.


Personally, I would like to see what would happen if they got rid of all the corporate scalpers just to see what happens to season tickets and if Reliant sells out like it has the first 6 years.

I guess we'll never know...

 

[Hardcore Texan]

I am basing my opinion on the experience selling my tickets tickets on ebay, watching the market on ebay, and observations at Reliant for the 2 or 3 games I make every year. Take it for what it's worth in that regard.

But, if you are right, why it is so difficult to sell my tickets at face (with free shipping) on ebay for games at Reliant against teams that don't draw well? My seats are 3 rows from the field and on the aisle. Very nice seats.

I know I am in the endzone, but there just doesn't seem to be that much interest for single game tickets in my experience for certain games. Furthermore, the games that do sell well, it's typically not Texan fans buying my tickets. Again my two year experience.

With that, I am concluding that if Texan fans aren't really interested in my tickets on ebay, I don't think there would be much interest for purchasing PSLs and reuping every year with season tickets.

Not saying I am right and your wrong, but just explaining why I don't think there would be huge run on Texans tickets.



I suspect it's a couple games a year that he is making his money and breaking even the rest of the year on the games when opponents at Reliant don't draw well. It's kind of things work out for me for the games I sell.

I would ask a few questions regarding what games are being purchased at a premium and who is doing the purchasing.

It's possible he isn't making his money off of Texans fans.


Personally, I would like to see what would happen if they got rid of all the corporate scalpers just to see what happens to season tickets and if Reliant sells out like it has the first 6 years.

I guess we'll never know...

I think those LL PSL's would sell because people would see them as investment and hope to break even when they can't be there and hope the team starts to do really well thus causing the market value of the PSL's to go up signigicantly.

My limited experience has been the same as yours with premium games and not breaking even on others, but if we start winning a lot one of the seasons then every game's value will increase. JMHO.