Ticket Brokering's Most Frequently Asked Questions

… and, their answers! Ticket brokering is still a mystery to many in the U.S. While some are devoted converts of ticket brokering sites, others spend hours in virtual waiting rooms, and wonder what all the fuss is about … after all, they assume it's just what you have to do to get the good tix! Today we are looking at why ticket brokers are such big business, and the benefits they offer to the consumer … and also answering some of the more obscure questions about the business.

Why would I go to a ticket broker?

So many people in the U.S. are afraid of small businesses. They assume that if a business doesn’t have a brand that has been established for thirty years or more, they can’t be trusted. They automatically go to the Box Office … and they either pay more than they had to, get seats that are less than ideal, or get told that the show is sold out! Ticket brokers are good for many things:

• They offer the good seats that always sell out early,
• You don’t have to spend hours standing in lines, either real or virtual, to buy tickets.
• They still have tickets close to the concert date, or if it was sold out through the promoter

Isn't that what Ticketmaster and Ticketron do?

Not quite. Ticket brokers have to go through the public sale process, just like everybody else does. It's just that they know a few tricks of the trade to ensure that they get concert tickets in bulk amounts at good prices, that will be in high demand.

Why is the price sometimes so radically different than the face value?

The price that a ticket broker charges you is directly related to the demand for a ticket. Tickets in high demand will often cost more than face value; on the other hand, you might get an awesome discount from a ticket broker close to the date if there are lots of seats unfilled. This is the way that our entire market works -- on supply and demand. If you want something that not many other people do, you'll pay less.

But ticket brokers don’t have tickets for every concert, do they? Doesn’t it create a lot of running around?

Actually, if you want tickets for a popular event the ticket broker will often use their network of contacts to get you a ticket. They'll do the running around … it's their job!

Hottest Upcoming Concerts Reviewed

It's holiday season, and everyone is in the mood to party … and performers are only too happy to oblige, for such good audiences! There are heaps of good concerts coming up across the continental U.S. this month. We look at some of the hottest tickets in town this December, and what you can expect from the big names.

Elton John

He toured earlier this year with Billy Joel -- but don’t expect that his solo tour will be a lackluster imitation! He and Billy always have an awesome time playing together, but Elton John has an amazingly strong personality and a voice that sounds twenty years younger than his age. If you get that chill down your arms and legs every time you hear the chorus of Tiny Dancer or Love Lies Bleeding, then Elton John concert tickets are not-to-be-missed this December.

Ani DiFranco

Thanksgiving and Christmas, as wonderful as they are, can get a little stressful. It's easy to get caught up in the competitiveness of gift-giving, decorating your house, cooking the best turkey… Ani Difranco is a breath of fresh air among the consumerism of the season. Every concert of hers is different -- she's prolific, having released over twenty albums, so you'll never buy concert tickets for Ani DiFranco only to hear the same songs you've already heard.

AC/DC

They're getting on in their years, and they may be Australian originally, but they're American icons now more than ever! The concerts are set for early in the New Year, making this the perfect present as a pick-me-up post-Christmas and NYE. The pitch is one of constant frenzy at an Acca Dacca gig, according to reviewers … hot! The big bucks attached to these concert tickets mean they are best bought from ticket brokers.

Arlo Guthrie

He's only doing a few shows, in the early months of 2010. But the Arlo Guthrie performances are set to be intimate gigs, even with hundreds of people in the audience. He's known for being a natural storyteller, which comes through in his stage persona just as well as it does in his music. Concert tickets for Arlo Guthrie will be the closest you can get to seeing Woody Guthrie -- and so much more at the same time.