TFC Cracks Down On Scalpers
http://viewfromthesouthstands.com/20...n-on-scalpers/
Thoughts on reports surfacing that there is a renewed crackdown by TFC on scalpers reselling their tickets.
TFC Cracks Down On Scalpers
TFC Cracks Down On Scalpers
http://viewfromthesouthstands.com/20...n-on-scalpers/
Thoughts on reports surfacing that there is a renewed crackdown by TFC on scalpers reselling their tickets.
you know what's cracking down on scalpers?
the demand for tickets.
why would ANYONE ever pay a scalper when there's seats at face value at the box office?
I saw the same scalpers out before the game on Sat that I always do.
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good article newf. Certainly there's more to the meat of the story than just the headline (which was all I read when I posted my first comment)
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Thanks Parkie!Originally Posted by Parkdale
The skeptic in me says that they are cracking down because the tickets are being offered below face. Of course, that impacts their ability to sell their current inventory and devalues their cost structure.
It is clearly not a MLSE corporate vision to rid the world of scalpers at their events. There are no such crackdowns at Leaf games or on the internet.
Dare I say that they will enforce the law when it is convenient to their bottom line?
The ACC doesn't have the same issue with 'private property' that Exhibition Place does.
IF the board of directors at Exhibition Place wanted to do something about scalpers, they could set the wheels in motion with or without MLSE.
it's their property, and they can ask the police to enforce the laws on their property.
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^ not sure I follow where your point is trying to lead me
who doesn't do it?
Interesting point.
There are many tickets starting to surface for below face value. Will this have the opposite effect of deflating the perceived value of TFC tickets in the market?
If so, well then MLSE have no one to blame but themselves. Poor business practices always tend to bite you in the ass in the long term.
It really does seem like they are doing it because it's convenient for them at the moment... however I hate scalpers so I love this development anyways.
I can certainly see where you're coming from when ML$E did very little on scalpers when they were selling tickets for $100+ per south end seat.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
You should have seen the mood of the scalpers on Saturday. I got there about 10 mins after kickoff and most still had a ton to unload and were just giving up. I heard "Fuck this" more than a few times.
^ poor practices and price setting.
My understanding of the scalping law is that police will only act when there is a complaint on behalf of the promoter. Cracking down at TFC and not at Leaf games speaks to a different set of circumstances. IMO, one event is virtually sold out whereas the other is suffering from availability.
Parkdale highlights the property issue but clearly if scalping Leaf tickets was a problem that concerned MLSE, websites would be shut down and tickets would be revoked from season ticket holders. They aren't because in that case, scalping is good for business. Holding a Leaf season ticket (and paying a Personal Seat License fee) can be profitable for the holder.
In this case, scalping is bad for business as they have unsold inventory. Excess inventory below cost hurts their ability to sell that inventory and could erode their price points (which needs to happen anyways) for 2012.
My guess is that they are putting energy into reducing the access people have to scalped tickets so that they can direct them to their unsold inventories and try to maintain their price in the marketplace.
sorry, my point was that it might not be an MLSE initiative to reduce scalpers at BMO
(just like they don't seem to do anything about the ones at the ACC either)
if the police were cracking down, it might have been the Exhibition people who wanted it stopped.
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Hahahaha. There are tickets, as newf's article points out, still available with three days to match day. So where should the ownership spend its efforts? By cracking down on scalpers, of course. Amazing logic.
That would make sense. However, the piece of legislation quoted in bignewf's story states clearly it's only an offence if you're offering tickets ABOVE face value.
I saw an ad today. TFC is now selling 5 match flex-packs for the North End seating.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
^Ouch. Flex pack = weak attendance.
If MLSE sold all there tickets (like in past years) then they would not care about the scalpers.
There are pissed now because
A. Many scalpers did not renew all of there seats (since demand has decreased)
B. Many scalpers are probably selling below face value, still turning a small profit, but since this would cause a consumer to purchase already sold ticket from a scalper rather then purchase additonal that the club is sitting on.
It helps the club if people buy from the FO instead of a scalper.
I don't mind that they are cracking down, but when demand increases once again and tickets are sold out, they should continue their crackdown on scalpers.
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scalpers have ALWAYS made most of their cash from a handfull of games and taken a loss on the rest.
TFC hosts LA Galaxy (first year with Beckham)
TFC hosts Real Madrid (with C.Ronaldo)
^ those two games probably covered the ENTIRE seasons ticket pack for scalpers.
The rest of the games were just gravy. You'll notice that the MLS Cup final was NOT
a sell out, and there's no friendly announced yet this year.
So now the scalpers are for the actually selling the regular season games, and not just cash in on the BIG games.
and it's looking like it's not worth it to them.
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Personally, I saw scalpers at BMO as I always do so I'm not sure there is even validity to your story in the first place.
Now let's say there is some kind of crack down going on. You go on to assume MLSE is the one cracking down but it's pure speculation on your part. I don't mean to be rude but this article was one big speculation on all accounts.
I'd just like to see alot more links or proof that a crackdown is happening, or else all I have to go on is what I saw. And I know I was offered tickets all the way up to BMO as usual on this day. I even told one couple (talking to a scalper) that there were tickets for sale at the gate.
True and I'd be really interested to see who and how many were actually charged/ticketed. It may be that the purpose of the police presence was to "hassle" them and make it uncomfortable for them to be there.
With so many game day tickets available, I find it hard to believe they were offering tickets above face.
There is no crackdown. I saw as many scalpers as usual and it's not uncommon to see scalpers standing 20 feet away from uniformed officers at sporting events.
You've got to be a serious conspiracy theorist to think that MLSE has the Toronto Police at their beck and call.
the LCBO, The Indy, The Santa Clause Parade and every movie shooting in the city pay for paid-duty officers.....
MLSE / Exhibition Place probably has to have PDO's hired for every game day.
(which doesn't mean you 'own them' and they will answer to you, but it means they are maintaining law and order at your event)
Last edited by Parkdale; 03-30-2011 at 01:42 PM.
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The Norb digs Scalpers.
Parasites. . . but parasites that . . at times, can provide a valuable service.
NOTICE: Wager with STB: OVER 2 shots on goal in the First half wins a Pint at HT.
That's not scalping and therefore legal. If the scalpers were smart and wanted to cut loses they should stand right next to the box office and sell their seats at a bit below face value. But I suspect they are, by nature, a greedy sort and will ask for over face value as a starting position, which is scalping.
Someone should record this with their phone and post it on youtube. That might get some backs up in the media/city hall (I'm sure Ford could run with that) and then maybe we'll see some real progress on this. Drink a beer in public and the world is ending but scalping? Nah that's fine. Who do they serve and protect the people or MLSE?From the article:
Police Officers were often within hearing distance of the scalpers yet next to nothing was being done to crack down on the illegal activity going on in front of their eyes and ears.
BTW has anyone gone up to these cops and said anything about the scalping? If so what was the response?
Agreed. Which is why I suspect it was more of a "hassling" than a crackdown.
If you are a scalper losing money and getting hassled, you probably can find better venues to ply your trade. Make it uncomfortable, they leave and then the public doesn't have the access to the "below face" ticket. The only option becomes the box office at the prices set by MLSE.
putting one cop on youtube won't do anything except embarrass (and piss off ) that one guy. it won't change anything.
from what I've seen, the cops are there as a deterrent. I've only seen them get involved with things a few times, and only AFTER BMO were on the scene.
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I'd say the number were down by around 1/3 from last year, but that probably has to do with lower demand and therefore less tickets renewed than anything else.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
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