Scalpers at Jack Trice

[Cycsk]

Have you noticed how we seem to have the same set of scalpers at Jack Trice for most games, especially when it is a seller's market like this week? Who are these guys? I've heard that they are from Minneapolis. They seem to have a nice system with guys who work the lots (some on bikes) with "Need Tickets" signs and other guys who sell on the street near Jack Trice.

Who sells their tickets to these guys? They can't be paying very much or it wouldn't be worth their while to be there. Do season ticket holders not recognize that these guys are making lots of money selling to fans of the visiting team and gouging Iowa State fans? I suspect that they may buy some season tickets themselves and sell those, but I'm particularly concerned about Iowa State fans "giving" away their extra tickets to these guys in the parking lot as if they were Cyclone fans.

Further, why don't the Ames/Iowa State police run these guys off? If this were Chicago or Minneapolis, it would be because the cops and university are getting paid off by the guys, but I don't think that is happening here.

Pardon the rave, but I just get really frustrated seeing these guys with the "Need Tickets" signs who obviously aren't Iowa State fans. One guy usually has a Cal hat on. I would never sell a ticket to these guys, but somebody must because they are always in the parking lots working the fans. Maybe we should have a Cyclone Fanatic follow these guys and tell people what is going on, matching the price, and promising to make the ticket available only to Cyclone fans without gouging them. Or maybe follow them with a video camera. Maybe we could create a Cyclone Fanatic non-gouging service. I don't mind a free market economy. I just hate seeing these guys getting good tickets cheap from Cyclone fans and then turning around and selling them to visitors or gouging Cyclone fans.

 

[3TrueFans]

I don't think it's against the law in Iowa?

 

[Bigman38]

I heard the one guy on a bike(who I've seen at many home games) tell someone that he had a family reunion this weekend and was trying to gather tickets for his whole family. He then offered to pay about half of the face value on the tickets he was trying to buy.

I'm guessing there are some good buys if you spend the time looking in the tailgate lots. There is always someone who has an extra ticket who is drunk, or just doesn't want to have stand in front of the gates trying to sell them.

Seems pretty scummy to me, but as long as there is a market for it this will happen.

 

[CycloneWarning]

Have you noticed how we seem to have the same set of scalpers at Jack Trice for most games, especially when it is a seller's market like this week? Who are these guys? I've heard that they are from Minneapolis. They seem to have a nice system with guys who work the lots (some on bikes) with "Need Tickets" signs and other guys who sell on the street near Jack Trice.

Who sells their tickets to these guys? They can't be paying very much or it wouldn't be worth their while to be there. Do season ticket holders not recognize that these guys are making lots of money selling to fans of the visiting team and gouging Iowa State fans? I suspect that they may buy some season tickets themselves and sell those, but I'm particularly concerned about Iowa State fans "giving" away their extra tickets to these guys in the parking lot as if they were Cyclone fans.

Further, why don't the Ames/Iowa State police run these guys off? If this were Chicago or Minneapolis, it would be because the cops and university are getting paid off by the guys, but I don't think that is happening here.

Pardon the rave, but I just get really frustrated seeing these guys with the "Need Tickets" signs who obviously aren't Iowa State fans. One guy usually has a Cal hat on. I would never sell a ticket to these guys, but somebody must because they are always in the parking lots working the fans. Maybe we should have a Cyclone Fanatic follow these guys and tell people what is going on, matching the price, and promising to make the ticket available only to Cyclone fans without gouging them. Or maybe follow them with a video camera. Maybe we could create a Cyclone Fanatic non-gouging service. I don't mind a free market economy. I just hate seeing these guys getting good tickets cheap from Cyclone fans and then turning around and selling them to visitors or gouging Cyclone fans.

I guess for me, scalpers serve a necessary market. I like to know it is an option to pick up an extra set. Buyer beware mainly. If you don't want to pay market price, you can keep looking.

And if the police are not aggressive, it just makes ISU fans more comfortable to buy and sell tickets to each other. Most times, I will sell mine for face value or less if I see it is an ISU fan buying.

I agree with what you are saying that it is the same guys, but I am not sure I agree that they are making a ton of money. Whenever I have an extra ticket or two, I generally skip these guys because they will definitely low-ball you on a purchase. But if you think of all the time and money they put into the effort, not sure scalping ISU football tickets would be a profitable line of work. If the weather turns south on them, they are holding a big fist of tickets that they can hardly give away.

 

[MNclone]

Further, why don't the Ames/Iowa State police run these guys off? If this were Chicago or Minneapolis, it would be because the cops and university are getting paid off by the guys, but I don't think that is happening here.

Huh?

 

[Judoka]

Nothing wrong with scalpers, they serve a purpose and it is legal in Iowa. For which I'm glad, it sucks going somewhere scalping isn't legal and trying to get a ticket last minute.

It is scummy if some of them are lying to get people to sell them tickets cheap so they can mark them up though.

 

[CyFan61]

Further, why don't the Ames/Iowa State police run these guys off? If this were Chicago or Minneapolis, it would be because the cops and university are getting paid off by the guys, but I don't think that is happening here.

Scalping is not illegal in Iowa. Many states and jurisdictions have laws regulating or banning scalping (for example I think Lexington, KY has a city-specific law about scalping intended for Kentucky basketball).

Iowa has no regulations at all on scalping.

 

[Cycsk]

I don't think it's against the law in Iowa?

Legality isn't my main point. Cyclone fans "dumping" their extra tickets to these guys is my main point. If folks take 10 minutes to walk around near Jack Trice, they will find real Cyclone fans who will gladly pay the same price as the scalpers, but not feed into the gouging that these guys do. And I don't have the same issue with Cyclone fans who gouge the visiting team (that is another issue). I just can't imagine giving my extra tickets to these "pros" at a bargain.

 

[CyFan61]

Legality isn't my main point.

So what would be your reasoning for the police "run[ning] these guys off" when what they are doing is 100% legal?

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

I remember seeing the same guy every week back in the 80's early 90's. I never understood that. You could buy a hillside ticket for $5 and sit anywhere you wanted. Especially in the 2nd half.
One time he was trying to gouge a couple of kids and a friend of mine that had two extra tickets walked over and handed the kids the tickets and said here you can have these for free. The scalper didn't look too happy.

 

[Cycsk]

I heard the one guy on a bike(who I've seen at many home games) tell someone that he had a family reunion this weekend and was trying to gather tickets for his whole family. He then offered to pay about half of the face value on the tickets he was trying to buy.

I'm guessing there are some good buys if you spend the time looking in the tailgate lots. There is always someone who has an extra ticket who is drunk, or just doesn't want to have stand in front of the gates trying to sell them.

Seems pretty scummy to me, but as long as there is a market for it this will happen.

This is the sort of thing that really torques me. Are Cyclone fans so dumb that they don't know what this guy is doing? Even drunk, I wouldn't dump my tickets to a guy on a bike, with a Cal hat, and a well-worn "Need Tickets" sign (that has "Need Tickets?" on the other side)!

 

[Judoka]

Legality isn't my main point. Cyclone fans "dumping" their extra tickets to these guys is my main point. If folks take 10 minutes to walk around near Jack Trice, they will find real Cyclone fans who will gladly pay the same price as the scalpers, but not feed into the gouging that these guys do. And I don't have the same issue with Cyclone fans who gouge the visiting team (that is another issue). I just can't imagine giving my extra tickets to these "pros" at a bargain.

Because not everybody wants to walk around asking if anybody wants a ticket. They are a middleman and when they buy tickets off people they take a risk that they won't be able to resell them. If somebody is going around lying to people to get them to part with their tickets then that's one thing, but your problem seems to be with scalping in general.

 

[MartyFine]

Have you noticed how we seem to have the same set of scalpers at Jack Trice for most games, especially when it is a seller's market like this week? Who are these guys? I've heard that they are from Minneapolis. They seem to have a nice system with guys who work the lots (some on bikes) with "Need Tickets" signs and other guys who sell on the street near Jack Trice.

Who sells their tickets to these guys? They can't be paying very much or it wouldn't be worth their while to be there. Do season ticket holders not recognize that these guys are making lots of money selling to fans of the visiting team and gouging Iowa State fans? I suspect that they may buy some season tickets themselves and sell those, but I'm particularly concerned about Iowa State fans "giving" away their extra tickets to these guys in the parking lot as if they were Cyclone fans.

Further, why don't the Ames/Iowa State police run these guys off? If this were Chicago or Minneapolis, it would be because the cops and university are getting paid off by the guys, but I don't think that is happening here.

Pardon the rave, but I just get really frustrated seeing these guys with the "Need Tickets" signs who obviously aren't Iowa State fans. One guy usually has a Cal hat on. I would never sell a ticket to these guys, but somebody must because they are always in the parking lots working the fans. Maybe we should have a Cyclone Fanatic follow these guys and tell people what is going on, matching the price, and promising to make the ticket available only to Cyclone fans without gouging them. Or maybe follow them with a video camera. Maybe we could create a Cyclone Fanatic non-gouging service. I don't mind a free market economy. I just hate seeing these guys getting good tickets cheap from Cyclone fans and then turning around and selling them to visitors or gouging Cyclone fans.

We've had a hard enough time just selling the tickets at all in the past. I'm glad we're finally at this point.

 

[CyCrazy]

Legality isn't my main point. Cyclone fans "dumping" their extra tickets to these guys is my main point. If folks take 10 minutes to walk around near Jack Trice, they will find real Cyclone fans who will gladly pay the same price as the scalpers, but not feed into the gouging that these guys do. And I don't have the same issue with Cyclone fans who gouge the visiting team (that is another issue). I just can't imagine giving my extra tickets to these "pros" at a bargain.

Last time I checked someone can do whatever they want with their tickets, whether that be find "a true Cyclone fan" or dump them to a scalper. Big deal either way.

 

[erikbj]

I sold some extra tickets 2 years ago to them for face value - it was a bigger game and i probably could have got more money but the weather wasn't great and i wanted to tailgate. I am sure that they made a 25% return off my tix, but they took the time and risk. They were professional about it the whole deal.........obviously they tried to low ball me at first but we ended up working out a deal fair to both sides.

 

[Cycsk]

So what would be your reasoning for the police "run[ning] these guys off" when what they are doing is 100% legal?

I just can't stand it that Cyclone fans dump tickets cheap to these guys when there are tons of Cyclone fans in the lots who will just listen on the radio or go somewhere else for the game. We have twice as many people at my tailgate as those who have tickets. In my dreams, I would like to see a non-gouge market for Cyclone fans (only selling to Cyclone Fanatic members with 100 posts and certified non-trolls would be a good first criteria).

I know it is legal and I wouldn't want it to be illegal. And you can do whatever you want with your tickets. I always give my extras to friends at face value (or less). It just bugs me to think that Cyclone fans fall for the scam lines that these guys give them ("we are having a family reunion"). How hard is it to walk around to the tailgates within 100 feet and unload the tickets at the same price to true Cyclone fans?

My main point is for Cyclone fans to be smart. Don't sell tickets to a guy who has a smooth line, on a bike, with a Cal hat, and a sign with "Need Extra Tickets" on one side and "Have Extra Tickets" on the other.

 

[Cycsk]

Because not everybody wants to walk around asking if anybody wants a ticket. They are a middleman and when they buy tickets off people they take a risk that they won't be able to resell them. If somebody is going around lying to people to get them to part with their tickets then that's one thing, but your problem seems to be with scalping in general.

I have no problem with scalping in general. Before I started getting season tickets, I would just go and get tickets on the street (usually good seats at a decent price from old season ticket holders who wanted them to go to true Cyclone fans).

Of course, people can do whatever they want with their tickets. And I want a free market. But mostly, I would like to see tickets going at reasonable prices to Cyclone fans who probably wouldn't go to the game otherwise. And I don't like somebody from out of town making lots of money by gouging Cyclone fans. Is there a remedy? Probably not. My hope is simply that Cyclone fans know what they are doing when these guys come around and not "feel good" about falling for the "need tickets for our family reunion" line.

 

[Judoka]

The "face value" for a ticket isn't the true price for anywhere but non-donor sections though. If a ticket is $60 face but requires a $1,000 donation then it really cost more like $250.

 

[Cybyassociation]

Last time I checked someone can do whatever they want with their tickets, whether that be find "a true Cyclone fan" or dump them to a scalper. Big deal either way.

As long as they aren't leaving at the half to go get drunk in the parking lot. :arghh:

 

[Cydkar]

I just can't stand it that Cyclone fans dump tickets cheap to these guys when there are tons of Cyclone fans in the lots who will just listen on the radio or go somewhere else for the game. We have twice as many people at my tailgate as those who have tickets. In my dreams, I would like to see a non-gouge market for Cyclone fans (only selling to Cyclone Fanatic members with 100 posts and certified non-trolls would be a good first criteria).

I know it is legal and I wouldn't want it to be illegal. And you can do whatever you want with your tickets. I always give my extras to friends at face value (or less). It just bugs me to think that Cyclone fans fall for the scam lines that these guys give them ("we are having a family reunion"). How hard is it to walk around to the tailgates within 100 feet and unload the tickets at the same price to true Cyclone fans?

My main point is for Cyclone fans to be smart. Don't sell tickets to a guy who has a smooth line, on a bike, with a Cal hat, and a sign with "Need Extra Tickets" on one side and "Have Extra Tickets" on the other.

I honestly don't think people sell because of their "line". They sell because it's better than walking around the parking lot with their tickets in the air yelling "tickets!". People pay for convenience. I'm not sure why your panties are bunched. It's a bunch of grown-ups making grown-up decisions. Unless, of course, these scalpers are preying on the elderly and pre-teen market. If that's the case I'm ready to throw down.