Event tickets proving difficult to come by without over paying
Posted May 9, 2022 2:57 pm.
Last Updated May 10, 2022 8:35 am.
As the Oilers return to home ice Tuesday for Game 5 in the playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings, fans are excited to cheer on the team.
But there isn’t excitement over the cost of tickets to see them in action. A quick check on ticketmaster.ca shows only ‘verified resale’ tickets left for the game.
Those tickets are selling above face value, with some pairs costing nearly $1,000. Some second-market sites are even more expensive.
One hockey fan wrote on social media ‘Tickets are too expensive, doesn’t matter where you get them, its a ripoff.”
Another person added, “Games are out of reach for many.”
RELATED:
- IN PHOTOS: Fans outside Rogers place for Oilers-Kings Game 2
- Country legend excited to be returning to Edmonton
Meanwhile, over at Commonwealth Stadium, country artist Garth Brooks added a second show to his Edmonton stop in June, after tickets for his first show sold out in 45 minutes. One person took to social media saying, “hoping I can get tickets this time before the scalpers.”
And another comment reads, “Now if there was a way to stop third-party vendors from buying most of the tickets, people would be able to get some.”
Some third-party sites have Garth Brooks tickets listed for upwards of 10 times the original cost. But how can you ensure the tickets are legitimate? The Better Business Bureau in Edmonton told CityNews they have received over 140 reports about ticket scams related to sporting events, concerts and theatres, last year alone.
“With popular events, scammers are always going to take advantage of those situations knowing people are super excited about attending these events,” says BBB Communications Manager Jessie St-Cyr. “We recommend buying from a platform you already know and trust that is already selling the primary tickets like live nation, Ticketmaster, that adds another layer of protection for you.”
While securing a ticket to popular events can be difficult and competitive, meeting the demand and adding an extra show, could force scalpers to lower their prices while giving fans a second chance to score affordable seating.
