Scalping is not really illegal. You're not allowed to sell the tickets on the
premises, that's all. There are companies that regularly buy tickets for
concerts, shows and such and resell them for a very high profit. Annoying as
hell, yes, but it is apparently legal since they advertise in newspapers and
on television and radio.

I don't like having to stand in line, but supply and demand determine that,
not the mere presence of scalpers. And having stood in line for several shows
at the National Gallery, I can tell you that the scalpers are a very small
portion of the line. Most people are waiting to get tickets for themselves and
their friends.

"Professional" scalpers can buy blocks of tickets with computers and advertise
in the paper. Yet I believe that the homeless guys who have spotted a demand
for something they can supply and have figured out a way to make it profitable
through January are now scapegoats for the bigger problem of the professional
scalper (the Van Gogh tickets are only available at the door now -- first
come, first served -- no buying blocks of tickets by phone or computer). But
it seems to me that most people I've talked to disagree with a laissez-faire
approach and have a problem with what is clearly a natural result of our
capitalist system. I find that curious.

By the way,

In a message dated 11/3/98 3:31:33 PM, [log in to unmask] wrote:

>Since I am quite willing to wait in line for tickets (free or otherwise -
I've
>stood in quite a few lines for concert tickets in January in Boston, i.e.,
>freezing cold), I think scalpers do abuse the system (besides being
>illegal). **They are the main reason one must get in line so early.** (I have
>never seen scalpers working movies, even the  opening night of a
>blockbuster hit in the Los Angeles area, and people are always willing to
>wait in line for a movie so some of your logic is off). They always get the
>maximum allowed tickets (some people will go for 6 tickets for their
>friends and family - and they are usually several of them waiting in the
>line as it is), where as the typically person only gets 2-3 tickets. I don't
>know if you have stood in lines for tickets to concerts and such, but
>scalpers have an amazing system set up. They often don't stand in line
>the whole time (the scalper will hire people cheaply to stand in line for a
>short while and then switch), they have been know to cut in lines, to
>weasel their way up in lines, if there are several locations around the
>city selling tickets, they are at all of them (the entire system of selling
>tickets to rock concerts in Southern California has changed over the past
>few years mostly because of scalpers (line ups only two hours before
>tickets go on sale, numbered wrist bands handed out and the beginning
>of the line is from a randomly chosen number and in order from there)),
>and to take up some much of the line and tickets  that those of us who
>are willing to stand in line still cannot get tickets.
>
>I am perfectly capable and willing to stand in line, but the scalpers make it
>such that I am not able to get tickets even if I do.
>
>                                                        -angela
>                                                        [log in to unmask]