Celtics Fans in Line For Tickets

[cdif911]

$300 for one of the worst Balcony seats is ridiculous, even if it is Celtics-Lakers. Factor in the 10% surcharge, $17 shipping (yeah I used Stubhub before for Game 1 of the Atlanta Series -- the only way I could get tickets), then the $25 parking (if you want to park there and pay it), drinks/food/etc. you're talking $400 -- for 1 ticket! For a 9:00 PM game? Why are these games so late?! So the West Coast can see it when they come home from work by 6:00 PM?? Jordan's Bulls finals were at 8:30 PM if I remember correctly. Why not at least start it then?

Right now I noticed that there are a few tickets just a tad under $300 right now. ($275 and $287) There definately was not yesterday and the day before. I guess the scalpers are getting worried they might not sell the tickets in time.  I wonder what will happen if there are so many empty seats because scalpers aren't able to unload these in time? Street scalping?

The funny thing is, if this were game 6, Celts up 3-2 or game 7 with a chance to win the title that game, I'd think it's worth it but when it goes that far, you'd probably see the cheapest balcony tickets being $500+ on stubhub.  I guess I'll just have to watch it at home where I have a much better seat and view on my 50" plasma than I will get far the mirrage $300, really $400 deep, corner balcony seats.

Its simple economics - if someone is willing to spend that much on a ticket, a free market will reflect it - the sad truth is the Celtics are the ones really getting the shaft, they could change 300 bucks for those tickets and they'd sell... and if no one is willing to buy the scalped/err stub hubbed ticket, the price just goes down.. Scalping is probably the best example of a free market in action, the idea that there is a limited supply and a large demand necessitates a large price on the item... (I teach this stuff, good times!)

[ManchesterCelticsFan]

Yes I understand it. I had Micro and Macro Economics courses in college. Why start at $300? Seems like the scalpers arbitrarily picked that number because they want to make X-Amount of profit off of each ticket. I'd be shocked if every single ticket was sold, which is why there are so many empty seats during games.

[Rizzo]

My friend got 5 tickets front row of balcony but we only have the tix because he works with the Patriots and has connections. They cost $145 a piece but that is a price I am definitely willing to pay.

[CelticsPrideKG]

Yes I understand it. I had Micro and Macro Economics courses in college. Why start at $300? Seems like the scalpers arbitrarily picked that number because they want to make X-Amount of profit off of each ticket. I'd be shocked if every single ticket was sold, which is why there are so many empty seats during games.

The psychology of this whole ticket scalping this is kind of crazy too.  I started off thinking I'd be willing to spend about $200 per ticket for a chance to go to game 2 and get that whole experience . . . then I start seeing nothing really for under $300 and those being pretty much the worst of the worst . . . so then I see some $350 tickets that are decent seats and I start considering actually paying that much.  Really had to talk myself out of that one.  My guess is there's some data the scalpers have that suggests that the $300 range is the sweet spot for a game of this magnitude for the upper level seats.