Quote:
Originally Posted by squiggs96
Throughout this thread, and in the other threads where this issue has been debated, several people keep stating that if you allow tickets above face value, that scalpers will invade CP and the ticket exchange will be polluted with them. Is there any evidence this will happen? Any? Has this happened on another site that used to allow face value, then changed to unlimited, and now all the scalpers are there? If so, which site is it? Further along these lines, if scalpers are posting here to make a profit, and the prices are high, it doesn't mean you have to buy them. If scalpers do post here, that means the supply of tickets is higher, which, if economics has taught me anything, should lower the price of tickets. Of all the arguments against selling above face value on CP, saying that scalpers will flood the forum is the 2nd worst. The worst reason is that it's immoral and it cuts out real fans.
My reason for allowing tickets to be sold above face value is pretty simple. Money. Here is one of my posts from September:
https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpo...1&postcount=54
I think if you allow CP members to sell tickets over face value in round one of this year's playoffs, you'd find out pretty quickly if there was a problem or not. If it works as I believe it will, then you can continue letting CP members sell above face value. If it goes the opposite way, then you've only allowed it for a maximum of four games, and the entire debate can be put to rest. If that happens I will unequivocally state I was wrong, and I'll never bring up the topic again. I think that is a very minimal amount of risk to find out the answer.
Buyers still have to be willing to pay what the seller is offering in a free market. If the buyers don't want to pay those prices, the prices will come down. Mods can find out if there are a rash of new sign ups. In calendar 2019 there have only been 39 new sign ups at CP. Only two of those sign ups have over 20 posts since being here. The rest are likely just mmf's new accounts he's trying to get through. If all of a sudden that number jumps to 100 sign ups, and they all start listing in the ticket exchange, then there is a problem. You could also say you can't post in the ticket exchange unless you meet all the current criteria, plus have been a member since at least March 1, 2019. This way any scalpers that want in on this year can't do so. There are so many ways to quell the fears being posted about. |
Great post. It's logical and based on math and economics. It feels like there are a lot of posters hiding behind the guise of community thinking that it'll drive down ticket prices. They are at the best misguided and at the worst just being greedy (not realizing it doesn't work because 99 percent of sellers aren't here to subsidize their costs).
I like the idea of opening it up for any period of time. If we see that the community is being hurt then we could easily go back to the old rules. However, I would rather we do it next year and not for this playoffs for a few reasons:
1. All playoff games will be expensive and they'll just point at these "raised" prices as proof sellers are gauging buyers without even checking what the prices will be on StubHub or TM (
after fees and taxes - just wait until people see the fees on a 200 dollar ticket)
2. Doing it during the regular season will make it wildly obvious that 90 percent of the games don't even get near face value which will defeat the whole price gauging argument
3. To be a little vindictive by limiting screwing CP out of playoff tickets at a more than reasonable price lol jk... I think
In regards to 3, it would be an interesting excercise to post the fees relates to every single section for resale tickets during the playoff run. It'll give people an idea of how much they would've saved. I won't hide that sellers may eventually try to raise prices to eat away at some of the taxes and fees savings from the buyer but this is limited by the fact that the buyer will just go elsewhere whether to StubHub or TM or to another CP seller. I think it'll settle somewhere where both parties are getting a piece of those savings - and this ONLY for popular games. Sellers will continue to eat losses on games against non-popular opponents.