The only way I get in is by checking which credit cards may have presales. Usually, Amex or Citi, sometimes Chase, and they open a day or two before the general sales. Otherwise, if it is someone very popular, almost impossible. The TM app is a little better, but you have to have a really fast internet to get through otherwise.

I saw that and chortled a bit at it being described as an "intimate conversation". In an arena with a capacity of nearly 20,000 people.

I'm sure she'll be making talk show appearances too. No doubt YouTube videos will be available not too long after this short tour of "intimate conversations" being held in a short list of cities.

Look at other ticket sites besides Ticketmaster. They aren't the only ones who sell event tickets.

Like this site. There's lots of tickets available.

Michelle Obama Book Tour Tickets | Vivid Seats

https://www.vividseats.com/theatre/michelle-obama-tickets.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Public+Speaking&utm_term=michelle+obama+tour+tickets&vkid=20356984&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrZLdBRCmARIsAFBZllHgyb3WgLza5RU3eMA3DSz5sOhFRDY8B1vTil2_t5f6reavtjdiuWUaAtJKEALw_wcB

That's a ticket reseller - scalper. Tickets to anything are always available from such sources.

Ticketmaster sells event tickets from the original issuer.

Elmer, I buy tickets to most events from that site. Been doing it for years. Just saw Rod Stewart with awesome seats that I bought from there. I've never had any issues or problems with tickets I've purchased.

Stubhub is another event ticket site.

Of course. I've used them before many times too, but as a last resort. I was just commenting that to "discover" tickets available from a reseller isn't a miraculous find but perhaps sjerin doesn't know about them if she's not an event goer.

The resellers are always more expensive for in-demand shows, and sometimes much more expensive. Prices drop as the date approaches and inventory remains unsold. I myself always prefer to buy from the Ticketmasters of the world when I can, unless I find out too late about an event and the original ticket issuer is either sold out or has poor selections available.

Elmer, "intimate" in an arena of 20,000, here too! I laughed when I heard that ad.

Nonetheless, when my friend had an early purchase opportunity and asked who was interested and our price points, I said sure! But the only seats available were in Outer Mongolia, at a high price, and then THOSE were gone. She tried again for the regular sale, and it sold out in under a minute.

But, surely it will be available to purchase, and/or will be available for screenings by organizations, surely for a fundraising fee.

No, I won't buy resold tickets at a higher price.

Here in Australia, if you're a Ticketmaster member you get pre-sale privileges which they send you email alerts for. Do they not do that in the US?

But now with it coming out that the scalpers are actually working with/on the payroll of Ticket Master, buying from second party sellers (scalpers) means that you are still buying from Ticket Master, you are just paying more for the "privilege".

Ticketmaster and other producer/venue contracted ticket sellers dislike the resellers and hardly want to work cooperatively with them. The secondary market disrupts ticket pricing and indirectly or directly takes revenue from the event sponsor/producer. What's the basis for your comment, daisychain? It sounds dubious on its face.

Try googling "CBC ticketmaster scalper" for more info.

ticketmaster scalper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-HCqL38WdY

I followed your link and also read about it on the Ticketmaster site. They offer Fan to Fan resales - as in the case of changed plans or unwanted tickets - in limited numbers only, with confirmed identity of the seller as an individual, and subject to the approval of the principals in each event instance. It's not a wholesale secondary marketplace of unlimited numbers, like a StubHub or smaller operators that that buy up blocks of tickets and then sell them.

Or, have I misunderstood?

And this article from Rolling Stone magazine.

Ticketmaster has its own scalpers

It's not at all surprising. As per usual these days, those able/willing to pay more will get what they want.

colleenoz, no, they haven't found a way to squeeze more $$ out of us in the US yet. :-)

Elmer J Fudd, yes, TM has fan-to-fan sales, the seller can set the price. I had to sell my US (Tennis) Open ticket, did it through TM, named my price, TM added their overhead. It sold, I never knew the purchaser's name, I'm assuming they didn't find out my name, and I received the funds about a week after the event.

diane_nj , the pre-sale tickets don't cost any extra and neither does membership of Ticketmaster Australia. It's just a perk that regular customers get.

maddielee's linked article is interesting. TicketMaster is dead set against bulk, bot buyers, and scalper resellers, unless, of course, they get additional fees and a cut of the action. Then its all good.

I read about a proposed bill, the goal of which was to stop bulk buying and scalping, but either the bill never passed or (more likely IMHO) it passed and is completely toothless and ineffective.

If everyone could simply be more steadfast and refuse to frequent the scalpers entirely, they would quickly be out of business. But that is expecting people to deny themselves a short-term enjoyment in the hopes of a long-term benefit for all, but that seems to be an anathema to the modern American state of mind.

I just heard a report on our CBC in Canada that Ticketmaster was actually actively recruiting resellers/scalpers. They went undercover to an event and were asked by Ticketmaster to scalp. I listened to the recording and was shocked and disappointed. Profits profits profits! And fairness be d*mned.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/ticketmaster-resellers-lawsuits-1.4834668

This is old news too many but it was new news to me.

"If everyone could simply be more steadfast and refuse to frequent the scalpers entirely, they would quickly be out of business. "

Unlikely, bob. StubHub and its competitors are nothing more than automated payment and ticket transfer sites doing the same thing that Craigslist and the guy standing on the sidewalk do without IT. When someone owns something they want to sell, and people want to buy such things, they find each other in any variety of ways. That will never change.

I agree it is highly unlikely. I looked up the law I referenced earlier and found this article:

https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/15/president-obama-signs-ticket-bot-bill-into-law/

According to that article it is "illegal to use software to purchase tickets to popular events." and further it is "illegal to resell any tickets than were bought with the help of a ticket bot."

However it seems that the law is toothless, requiring states attorneys or the FTC to bring a civil suit against the bot user, which would doubtless require proving, after-the-fact, that a bot was used. If instead the law required effective measures to block bots in the first place, or prohibited re-selling tickets for more than their "face value" irrespective of how they were originally purchased, then the law may have actually been effective.

Thanks for the info, colleenoz!

Yes, thanks from me too, Coleenoz. Friend realized too late about buying 'pre-sale' tickets.

The report here was that TicketMaster was recruiting people to resell for them at a recent gathering of scalpers in (was it Las Vegas)?

A CBC journalist and the Toronto Star were investigating. Were offered to be recruited by more than one of TMs people at the show ... and TM later claimed that such offers were unauthourized/fraudulent(?).

ole joyful