Another new low for the scalpers in Boston! They are trying to make a buck off of free tickets to skate at Fenway. I hope that nobody buys them. I waited in the cold for an hour and a half and only got on the waiting list. Adam
Scalpers cloud free skating at Fenway
City protests as rink tickets are hawked at high prices
By Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff | December 22, 2009
It was supposed to be a dream opportunity. But it wasn’t supposed to cost $1,800.
Scalpers used to hawking game tickets at exorbitant prices are now doing the same with tickets that were supposed to be free for city residents to ice skate at Fenway Park, in what could be the first trip for many to the hallowed field.
Tickets for the extraordinary skating opportunity at Fenway, handed out to city families as part of Boston’s New Year’s celebrations, were going for as much as $1,800 for four on websites such as Craigslist and eBay, outraging city officials and event organizers who want to know the identities of the people conniving against others for a buck.
“These are free tickets that were arranged to be given to City of Boston residents to skate free at Fenway Park, they weren’t meant for people to make money off of,’’ Dot Joyce, a spokeswoman for Mayor Thomas M. Menino, said yesterday. “It was really the mayor making sure the residents of this city get something back, especially young people who, given this is Fenway, it might be their only chance to be there.’’
The city organized the skating event for two consecutive Sundays, Jan. 3 and Jan. 10. Event organizers were taking advantage of the ice rink set up at the ballpark as part of the 2010 National Hockey League Winter Classic Game on New Year’s Day between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers. More than 38,000 fans are expected to head to that special event, and tickets to the game were going for as much as $700 on websites.
The scalpers’ postings for tickets to skate at Fenway are clear and blunt. One went: “I have 12 tickets total, will sell all for $4,000. 4 tickets for just $1,800. Once in a lifetime opportunity! No sob stories please prices are firm. Hard tickets in hand. I was given these tix by menino directly and I will be there to ensure your entire party gets into the park. . . . VIP tickets include a meet and greet with Bruin Old Timers and free hot chocolate and donuts.’’
The identity of the scalper was not known last night. Reached by e-mail, the scalper responded, “Buy 4 and I will give you an interview.’’ The message came from a Verizon Wireless BlackBerry. When told the Globe would not buy the tickets but still wanted an interview, the scalper responded “No Thanks, Pal.’’
Another scalper who left a phone number offered four tickets for $500 for “under the lights at Fenway Park. . . . Good Luck and happy holidays : ) ’’
The scalper, known only as Tom because he would not identify himself, said he is a Boston resident who properly obtained four tickets, but that he later learned that he cannot bring his family members because they do not live in Boston.
He said he decided to sell the tickets to purchase family presents, but later added, “You’re making me think twice about what I’m doing.
“Maybe it’s not such a good idea,’’ he said.
To which Joyce offered, “he should feel bad.’’
Hundreds of residents across the city had tried to get tickets on Saturday, but were turned away because they ran out so quickly. Tim Theriault, 53, of the South End, showed up at the Boston Public Library, only to be told 200 tickets were gone in 15 minutes.
He was disappointed: “Skating in Fenway Park would have been a one-time experience,” he said. But he was more disturbed that someone would take the opportunity to cash in at such exorbitant prices, saying “that’s disgusting.”
“I wish the city could do something, but what can they do,” he said. “That’s just really horrible, really bad.”
Bill Zeoli, a 44-year-old from the South End, waited in line first at the Blackstone School in the South End for close to two hours, then in Chinatown for nearly two hours, and still didn’t get tickets.
But Zeoli, who for years ran a pushcart outside Fenway Park and still goes to Red Sox games regularly, said he recognized some of Fenway’s regular scalpers among the moms and dads waiting in line with their children, and already thought the worst.
“There were absolutely scalpers that I’ve seen for years and years and years,” he said. Zeoli said he doesn’t regret not getting tickets. He went just for the memories of what he called a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But he said he feels for the youth hockey players who never got tickets.
“Once again, the profiteers have ruined it for the average working family,” he said. “It’s just a sad commentary for where we are at this time of the year.”
Aside from the hockey game, the city, in partnership with Sun Life Financial, set up the free skating events. On Saturday, 3,000 tickets were handed out on a first-come, first-serve basis at community centers throughout the city. Residents had to bring proof of their residency, and a maximum of four tickets were distributed for each family. Tickets were for designated times on either Jan. 3 or Jan. 10.
David Jacobson, spokesman for Sun Life, said yesterday that, “we’re extremely disappointed that some people are choosing to resell the tickets and deprive Boston families of this opportunity. We do not condone these actions and want to stress these tickets should not be offered for sale.’’
Joyce said that residents had to register when they obtained tickets, so organizers will conduct spot checks to make sure people have the right tickets. She said city officials also contacted Craigslist, eBay, and other sites yesterday to complain about the scalpers. (The Craigslist postings were gone late last night.)
Joyce called on scalpers to have a heart. “If you don’t want them, give them to a kid, because there are hundreds of kids who would like to go,’’ Joyce said.
Globe correspondent Michaela Stanelun contributed to this report. Milton Valencia can be reached at mvalencia@globe.com.
© Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Fenway bars and restaurants benefit from Winter Classic
I would also add of the benefit to the local hotels nearby the ballpark as well. The buzz is amazing around this event! Adam
Classic a Winter warmer
Fenway bars, eateries hope for hockey fest windfall
By Donna Goodison | Tuesday, December 22, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Business & Markets
For Burtons Grill on Boston’s Boylston Street, the NHL’s Winter Classic at Fenway Park [map] couldn’t come at a better time.
The week after Christmas is usually the restaurant’s quietest time of the year: College students are on break, and many of the people who live in the area are spending time with their families, according to owner and president Kevin Harron.
But Harron says that’ll be different this year, thanks to Burtons’ two-block proximity to the ballpark. He anticipates a boost in business not only from the Jan. 1 Boston Bruins [team stats]-Philadelphia Flyers feature match-up on the outdoor rink, but for the college doubleheader the following week and all of the other Winter Classic events.
Fenway restaurateurs expect that fans will want warm places to retreat to after a few cold hours inside Fenway Park or at the free Fan Fest opposite the park, and that others will congregate in the area to watch the games on TV.
“We already have gotten many, many inquiries for the events on reservations and booked several large parties,” Harron said. “Even this weekend, there were events going on and some people stopped by that typically wouldn’t be in this neighborhood, so that’s a good thing.”
The Lyons Group, which owns Game On!, the Lansdowne Pub and Bleacher Bar surrounding Fenway Park, also is already seeing more customers coming in before and after private skating events on the Fenway ice. And pre- and post-game bookings have been “brisk,” according to owner Patrick Lyons.
“The whole area is electric,” Lyons said. “And I’m sure when the Winter Classic takes place, it will be like a Friday night Yankees homestand. Lansdowne (Street) and Kenmore (Square) will be wall-to-wall in the cold and snow - before, after and during the event.”
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1220430
Classic a Winter warmer
Fenway bars, eateries hope for hockey fest windfall
By Donna Goodison | Tuesday, December 22, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Business & Markets
For Burtons Grill on Boston’s Boylston Street, the NHL’s Winter Classic at Fenway Park [map] couldn’t come at a better time.
The week after Christmas is usually the restaurant’s quietest time of the year: College students are on break, and many of the people who live in the area are spending time with their families, according to owner and president Kevin Harron.
But Harron says that’ll be different this year, thanks to Burtons’ two-block proximity to the ballpark. He anticipates a boost in business not only from the Jan. 1 Boston Bruins [team stats]-Philadelphia Flyers feature match-up on the outdoor rink, but for the college doubleheader the following week and all of the other Winter Classic events.
Fenway restaurateurs expect that fans will want warm places to retreat to after a few cold hours inside Fenway Park or at the free Fan Fest opposite the park, and that others will congregate in the area to watch the games on TV.
“We already have gotten many, many inquiries for the events on reservations and booked several large parties,” Harron said. “Even this weekend, there were events going on and some people stopped by that typically wouldn’t be in this neighborhood, so that’s a good thing.”
The Lyons Group, which owns Game On!, the Lansdowne Pub and Bleacher Bar surrounding Fenway Park, also is already seeing more customers coming in before and after private skating events on the Fenway ice. And pre- and post-game bookings have been “brisk,” according to owner Patrick Lyons.
“The whole area is electric,” Lyons said. “And I’m sure when the Winter Classic takes place, it will be like a Friday night Yankees homestand. Lansdowne (Street) and Kenmore (Square) will be wall-to-wall in the cold and snow - before, after and during the event.”
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1220430
Globe editorial on high speed rail stimulus money
I took the Acela from NYC to Boston last weekend and it is truly the best way to travel. It's much more comfortable than the bus, less hassle than driving, and it drops you off in the heart of downtown on both ends, not at an airport several miles away. Any money put into making this line faster would truly be money well spent as it would increase its popularity even more and would also increase economic activity. Adam
The Boston Globe
GLOBE EDITORIAL
Narrow rules are no excuse to withhold rail money
December 21, 2009
THE FEDERAL Railroad Administration says it was just following the law in requiring a major environmental review before Amtrak can seek money for improvements on its Boston-Washington route. The review should be performed as quickly as possible, and, if it can’t be completed in time to qualify for some of the $8 billion in high-speed rail funds in the federal stimulus bill, Congress should change the rules. The Northeast Corridor is, after all, a century-old railbed, and environmental risks stemming from fairly simple improvements aren’t serious enough to jeopardize the best chance in a generation to push American rail policy in the right direction.
This is not just a matter of local interest. The Northeast Corridor is Amtrak’s most popular route by far, and the only one with a clear shot at profitability. The economic and environmental benefits of faster, more frequent connections between Boston, New York, and Washington are vast, and would be felt beyond the Northeast. Hundreds of flights ply the 427-mile route, polluting the skies while taxis, buses, and passenger cars clog the access roads to some of the busiest airports in the country. A more viable rail option would free up airport capacity and provide quicker connections for business travelers, creating new economic opportunities in cities along the entire train route.
Even the incremental track improvements being considered by Amtrak would be a considerable help, shaving a half-hour off the Boston-New York run, making it about three hours, and another half-hour off the New York-Washington run, getting it closer to two hours. A more ambitious rail agenda would open a potentially faster western route from Boston to New York, providing a sharp increase in service to the struggling cities of Worcester, Springfield, and Hartford. With easier travel to New York and Boston, those cities could compete for lucrative back-office jobs in financial services, among other industries.
But all of these improvements will require more advance planning among the various Northeastern states, so they can compete effectively for federal dollars when they become available. This would include finishing the necessary environmental reviews before securing the funds. So far, states have been sluggish about coordinating among themselves, though the New England Governors’ Conference recently commissioned Governor Patrick to take the lead. Clearing the way for faster rail connections should be near the top of his priority list.
© Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
The Boston Globe
GLOBE EDITORIAL
Narrow rules are no excuse to withhold rail money
December 21, 2009
THE FEDERAL Railroad Administration says it was just following the law in requiring a major environmental review before Amtrak can seek money for improvements on its Boston-Washington route. The review should be performed as quickly as possible, and, if it can’t be completed in time to qualify for some of the $8 billion in high-speed rail funds in the federal stimulus bill, Congress should change the rules. The Northeast Corridor is, after all, a century-old railbed, and environmental risks stemming from fairly simple improvements aren’t serious enough to jeopardize the best chance in a generation to push American rail policy in the right direction.
This is not just a matter of local interest. The Northeast Corridor is Amtrak’s most popular route by far, and the only one with a clear shot at profitability. The economic and environmental benefits of faster, more frequent connections between Boston, New York, and Washington are vast, and would be felt beyond the Northeast. Hundreds of flights ply the 427-mile route, polluting the skies while taxis, buses, and passenger cars clog the access roads to some of the busiest airports in the country. A more viable rail option would free up airport capacity and provide quicker connections for business travelers, creating new economic opportunities in cities along the entire train route.
Even the incremental track improvements being considered by Amtrak would be a considerable help, shaving a half-hour off the Boston-New York run, making it about three hours, and another half-hour off the New York-Washington run, getting it closer to two hours. A more ambitious rail agenda would open a potentially faster western route from Boston to New York, providing a sharp increase in service to the struggling cities of Worcester, Springfield, and Hartford. With easier travel to New York and Boston, those cities could compete for lucrative back-office jobs in financial services, among other industries.
But all of these improvements will require more advance planning among the various Northeastern states, so they can compete effectively for federal dollars when they become available. This would include finishing the necessary environmental reviews before securing the funds. So far, states have been sluggish about coordinating among themselves, though the New England Governors’ Conference recently commissioned Governor Patrick to take the lead. Clearing the way for faster rail connections should be near the top of his priority list.
© Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center expansion op-ed
Check out this very interesting opinion piece from Saturday's Boston Herald about the proposed expansion of the Boston Convention & Exhibition center which was co-written by Mayor Menino and James Rooney, head of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. I think they make some very valid points about why an expansion of the center is needed. It's refreshing to see their leadership on the Top 5 initiative intended to make Boston one of the top five convention markets in the United States. Of particular interest is the paragraph towards the end that is in bold where they call for a strengthening of the hospitality industry in our city. Adam
For a more inviting Hub
By Thomas M. Menino and James E. Rooney / As You Were Saying . . . | Saturday, December 19, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Op-Ed
Over the last year, Boston lost the opportunity to host 72 future events because we lacked enough exhibit space, facilities and hotel rooms. This cost the region in tax revenue and economic impact.
Boston has become a leading destination for meetings and conventions. Using conservative numbers, meetings and conventions held here have generated an impressive $2.4 billion in economic impact for the region.
But the convention industry is changing and Boston must renew its commitment to being a major destination if we want to compete with other cities.
Top 5, a long-term strategic initiative, was launched to make Massachusetts and Boston more competitive in the convention industry for the purpose of increasing the amount of economic impact, inspiring more economic development and creating more jobs.
We will mark our success when Boston is ranked among the top five convention destinations in North America by the industry.
Top 5 is built on our success as a premier convention destination. Since its opening, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) has welcomed nearly 2 million people and, together with the Hynes Convention Center, generated $1 billion in economic impact in just the past two years.
But we’re seeing some limitations. Over the last year, Boston lost the opportunity to host 72 future events because we lacked enough exhibit space, facilities and hotel rooms. This cost the region $336 million in potential future economic impact and $21 million in tax revenue.
To effectively compete for conventions and meetings over the long term, we must consider some bold steps.
First, the BCEC needs to expand. Important shows that bring the world to Boston and generate huge amounts of economic impact like BIO International will not put us in their permanent rotation unless the BCEC offers more space.
A second ballroom and a fixed-seat auditorium, which are expected of top destinations, should be part of this expansion. Our vision, based on a master plan commissioned by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) is to create a campus-like setting that will contribute to the development of the Waterfront district, not overwhelm the South Boston community, and provide vital pedestrian friendly links to and across neighborhoods.
More hotel rooms are needed. Competitor cities have thousands more hotel rooms within walking distance of their convention facilities, while shows looking to come to Boston must bus their attendees to rooms spread across the city.
To maintain our status as the leading North American destination for international meetings, we must also explore how we can reinvigorate and strengthen the hospitality culture in Boston. We will strive to make our destination more inviting to the world while making the hospitality industry a stronger source of good jobs.
To guide the ongoing dialogue driving Top 5, we are forming the Convention Partnership, a group composed of key stakeholders representing the state, the city and the business community. Their dialogue will be open and transparent and will determine how, or even if, we proceed.
The time to act is now.
We can do nothing for the next few years and enjoy some short-term success, but that is not a viable long-term growth strategy.
Through Top 5, we must defy conventional thinking and take the first steps today that will make our city a leader far into the future.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/op_ed/view.bg?articleid=121986
For a more inviting Hub
By Thomas M. Menino and James E. Rooney / As You Were Saying . . . | Saturday, December 19, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Op-Ed
Over the last year, Boston lost the opportunity to host 72 future events because we lacked enough exhibit space, facilities and hotel rooms. This cost the region in tax revenue and economic impact.
Boston has become a leading destination for meetings and conventions. Using conservative numbers, meetings and conventions held here have generated an impressive $2.4 billion in economic impact for the region.
But the convention industry is changing and Boston must renew its commitment to being a major destination if we want to compete with other cities.
Top 5, a long-term strategic initiative, was launched to make Massachusetts and Boston more competitive in the convention industry for the purpose of increasing the amount of economic impact, inspiring more economic development and creating more jobs.
We will mark our success when Boston is ranked among the top five convention destinations in North America by the industry.
Top 5 is built on our success as a premier convention destination. Since its opening, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) has welcomed nearly 2 million people and, together with the Hynes Convention Center, generated $1 billion in economic impact in just the past two years.
But we’re seeing some limitations. Over the last year, Boston lost the opportunity to host 72 future events because we lacked enough exhibit space, facilities and hotel rooms. This cost the region $336 million in potential future economic impact and $21 million in tax revenue.
To effectively compete for conventions and meetings over the long term, we must consider some bold steps.
First, the BCEC needs to expand. Important shows that bring the world to Boston and generate huge amounts of economic impact like BIO International will not put us in their permanent rotation unless the BCEC offers more space.
A second ballroom and a fixed-seat auditorium, which are expected of top destinations, should be part of this expansion. Our vision, based on a master plan commissioned by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) is to create a campus-like setting that will contribute to the development of the Waterfront district, not overwhelm the South Boston community, and provide vital pedestrian friendly links to and across neighborhoods.
More hotel rooms are needed. Competitor cities have thousands more hotel rooms within walking distance of their convention facilities, while shows looking to come to Boston must bus their attendees to rooms spread across the city.
To maintain our status as the leading North American destination for international meetings, we must also explore how we can reinvigorate and strengthen the hospitality culture in Boston. We will strive to make our destination more inviting to the world while making the hospitality industry a stronger source of good jobs.
To guide the ongoing dialogue driving Top 5, we are forming the Convention Partnership, a group composed of key stakeholders representing the state, the city and the business community. Their dialogue will be open and transparent and will determine how, or even if, we proceed.
The time to act is now.
We can do nothing for the next few years and enjoy some short-term success, but that is not a viable long-term growth strategy.
Through Top 5, we must defy conventional thinking and take the first steps today that will make our city a leader far into the future.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/op_ed/view.bg?articleid=121986
Saturday, December 19, 2009
"Nutcracker" popularity leads to rise in ticket scalping
Maybe next year the Boston Pops will be being scalped as well! The ticket brokers are not making as much on the sports teams this year and are being forced to expand their offerings. My advice is to always check at the box office first before going through any ticket broker, especially for arts events. It's much better that the money goes to the nonprofit arts group before the for profit ticket broker. Adam
‘Nutcracker’ boom means crunch time for patrons
Rampant ticket scalping has fans angry, confused
By Geoff Edgers, Globe Staff | December 19, 2009
On a recent weekday, a man standing outside the Boston Opera House offered a woman leaving the hall $25 if she would go back in and buy him some tickets to “The Nutcracker.’’ Boston Ballet wouldn’t sell him any, he told her. That’s because it suspected he was a ticket broker.
The woman, a staffer at the Ballet, declined and told her manager, who just shrugged. It was simply the latest attempt by scalpers looking to capitalize on the rousing popularity of the company’s signature production.
Boston Ballet has seen a boom in “Nutcracker’’ sales this season. It has sold 64,821 tickets so far for the production, which runs through Dec. 27. That’s 10,000 more than last year at this time. The company has grossed $4.7 million in “Nutcracker’’ sales, $1 million ahead of last year’s pace. At this rate, it will be the company’s highest-grossing “Nutcracker’’ in five years - a hit that Boston Ballet chalks up in part to its new website and branding campaign, as well as targeted advertising.
But success has come at a cost. Online ticket brokers have been snapping up Opera House seats, leaving patrons with little choice but to pay as much as three times face value for a ticket.
Boston Ballet sells “Nutcracker’’ tickets for $35 to $175. But a survey of half a dozen web brokerages yesterday showed some tickets selling for as much as $374, more than twice face value. And dance lovers looking for the least expensive tickets are often out of luck. For many shows, such seats are no longer available through Boston Ballet. They can only be found at inflated prices through brokers.
“The entry-level ticket price allows the kind of accessibility that we want people in this community to have,’’ said marketing director Leslie Cargill. “If those tickets are being scooped up by others who are re-pricing them at double, triple, quadruple the price, we’re losing that.’’
Ticket scalping is much more common for sporting events and big pop-music concerts. But the practice has caught Boston Ballet off guard, in part because this is the first year the company has run its own box office. In the past, ticket sales have been handled by Telecharge.
Boston Ballet’s box-office workers have had to become investigators as they work to cut off brokers. They can turn down sales for any reason, and they have a rule restricting anyone from buying more than 40 tickets during the “Nutcracker’’ run. Still, that didn’t stop a woman from approaching the box office under a fake last name, Doe. A worker recognized her from a previous bulk sale and refused her tickets.
One man pleaded by phone for a chance to buy more tickets, which he said he planned to donate to the military. Doing a Google search, a Boston Ballet staffer discovered he was based in Nebraska and runs a Web ticket brokerage.
The online scalping has left some dance patrons angry and confused.
“I think of ticket scalpers as the guys standing outside selling their tickets,’’ said Lisa Schmidt, a preschool teacher from Ludlow, Vt., who said she was cheated by a website that promised her five tickets for $575 but never produced them. As of this week, she was still waiting for her refund.
“I had a 4-year-old I wanted to have a great experience, and I didn’t know this could happen,’’ said Schmidt.
Massachusetts has an anti-scalping law, which prohibits the resale of tickets for more than $2 above face value. But it goes virtually unenforced, said Terrel Harris, communications director for the state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, which licenses ticket resellers under the law. For one thing, online brokers are allowed to include the cost of acquiring seats in their prices.
“We don’t know what the holder of that ticket who is selling it went through or paid to get it,’’ said Harris. “We don’t know what kinds of fees may have been imposed. So it’s really tough. It’s not as simple as you think it is.’’
His advice: “It just may be best to go to the ticket window at the venue.’’
That’s exactly what some scalpers have been doing.
“There are certainly clues,’’ said Lisa McCullough, audience services director for Boston Ballet. “Somebody comes up with a wad of cash looking for 16 seats for a Saturday. Of course, we don’t want to insult somebody who wants to bring 16 members of their family and happens to want to pay in cash.’’
Boston Ballet has also tried to help people who, without realizing it, bought tickets from brokers when they thought they were buying them from the company.
Bethany Gerry, a Maine woman who wanted to buy tickets as a holiday gift, was particularly concerned that the seats be good enough so a 9-year-old could see the stage. Gerry said she looked for seats on Boston Ballet’s website and found some for $110, but, during her research, mistakenly clicked out of the company’s site. She bought two $110 tickets. When they arrived, they had a face value of $35 each.
Gerry was upset and called Boston Ballet. That’s how she discovered she had, in fact, purchased the tickets from FanTickets in Greenville, R.I. In the end, Gerry bought two more tickets from Boston Ballet at face value.
“What I learned from it is . . . be cautious of the jump sites that are out there. I think they’re predatory.’’
Ticket brokers say they’re not doing anything wrong, and often just acting as a conduit for people selling tickets and people looking to buy them.
“We’re a tax-paying business . . . doing everything we’re supposed to do,’’ said Russ Junier, the owner of FanTickets. “I don’t know what else I can do but stop taking orders for this event when I realize many of the people buying tickets don’t know what they’re doing. We have no interest in doing deals with people who aren’t going to be happy when they’re done.’’
As for “The Nutcracker,’’ Junier said he has never seen this volume of sales. “The ballet must be doing a spectacular job.’’
Geoff Edgers can be reached at gedgers@globe.com
© Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
‘Nutcracker’ boom means crunch time for patrons
Rampant ticket scalping has fans angry, confused
By Geoff Edgers, Globe Staff | December 19, 2009
On a recent weekday, a man standing outside the Boston Opera House offered a woman leaving the hall $25 if she would go back in and buy him some tickets to “The Nutcracker.’’ Boston Ballet wouldn’t sell him any, he told her. That’s because it suspected he was a ticket broker.
The woman, a staffer at the Ballet, declined and told her manager, who just shrugged. It was simply the latest attempt by scalpers looking to capitalize on the rousing popularity of the company’s signature production.
Boston Ballet has seen a boom in “Nutcracker’’ sales this season. It has sold 64,821 tickets so far for the production, which runs through Dec. 27. That’s 10,000 more than last year at this time. The company has grossed $4.7 million in “Nutcracker’’ sales, $1 million ahead of last year’s pace. At this rate, it will be the company’s highest-grossing “Nutcracker’’ in five years - a hit that Boston Ballet chalks up in part to its new website and branding campaign, as well as targeted advertising.
But success has come at a cost. Online ticket brokers have been snapping up Opera House seats, leaving patrons with little choice but to pay as much as three times face value for a ticket.
Boston Ballet sells “Nutcracker’’ tickets for $35 to $175. But a survey of half a dozen web brokerages yesterday showed some tickets selling for as much as $374, more than twice face value. And dance lovers looking for the least expensive tickets are often out of luck. For many shows, such seats are no longer available through Boston Ballet. They can only be found at inflated prices through brokers.
“The entry-level ticket price allows the kind of accessibility that we want people in this community to have,’’ said marketing director Leslie Cargill. “If those tickets are being scooped up by others who are re-pricing them at double, triple, quadruple the price, we’re losing that.’’
Ticket scalping is much more common for sporting events and big pop-music concerts. But the practice has caught Boston Ballet off guard, in part because this is the first year the company has run its own box office. In the past, ticket sales have been handled by Telecharge.
Boston Ballet’s box-office workers have had to become investigators as they work to cut off brokers. They can turn down sales for any reason, and they have a rule restricting anyone from buying more than 40 tickets during the “Nutcracker’’ run. Still, that didn’t stop a woman from approaching the box office under a fake last name, Doe. A worker recognized her from a previous bulk sale and refused her tickets.
One man pleaded by phone for a chance to buy more tickets, which he said he planned to donate to the military. Doing a Google search, a Boston Ballet staffer discovered he was based in Nebraska and runs a Web ticket brokerage.
The online scalping has left some dance patrons angry and confused.
“I think of ticket scalpers as the guys standing outside selling their tickets,’’ said Lisa Schmidt, a preschool teacher from Ludlow, Vt., who said she was cheated by a website that promised her five tickets for $575 but never produced them. As of this week, she was still waiting for her refund.
“I had a 4-year-old I wanted to have a great experience, and I didn’t know this could happen,’’ said Schmidt.
Massachusetts has an anti-scalping law, which prohibits the resale of tickets for more than $2 above face value. But it goes virtually unenforced, said Terrel Harris, communications director for the state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, which licenses ticket resellers under the law. For one thing, online brokers are allowed to include the cost of acquiring seats in their prices.
“We don’t know what the holder of that ticket who is selling it went through or paid to get it,’’ said Harris. “We don’t know what kinds of fees may have been imposed. So it’s really tough. It’s not as simple as you think it is.’’
His advice: “It just may be best to go to the ticket window at the venue.’’
That’s exactly what some scalpers have been doing.
“There are certainly clues,’’ said Lisa McCullough, audience services director for Boston Ballet. “Somebody comes up with a wad of cash looking for 16 seats for a Saturday. Of course, we don’t want to insult somebody who wants to bring 16 members of their family and happens to want to pay in cash.’’
Boston Ballet has also tried to help people who, without realizing it, bought tickets from brokers when they thought they were buying them from the company.
Bethany Gerry, a Maine woman who wanted to buy tickets as a holiday gift, was particularly concerned that the seats be good enough so a 9-year-old could see the stage. Gerry said she looked for seats on Boston Ballet’s website and found some for $110, but, during her research, mistakenly clicked out of the company’s site. She bought two $110 tickets. When they arrived, they had a face value of $35 each.
Gerry was upset and called Boston Ballet. That’s how she discovered she had, in fact, purchased the tickets from FanTickets in Greenville, R.I. In the end, Gerry bought two more tickets from Boston Ballet at face value.
“What I learned from it is . . . be cautious of the jump sites that are out there. I think they’re predatory.’’
Ticket brokers say they’re not doing anything wrong, and often just acting as a conduit for people selling tickets and people looking to buy them.
“We’re a tax-paying business . . . doing everything we’re supposed to do,’’ said Russ Junier, the owner of FanTickets. “I don’t know what else I can do but stop taking orders for this event when I realize many of the people buying tickets don’t know what they’re doing. We have no interest in doing deals with people who aren’t going to be happy when they’re done.’’
As for “The Nutcracker,’’ Junier said he has never seen this volume of sales. “The ballet must be doing a spectacular job.’’
Geoff Edgers can be reached at gedgers@globe.com
© Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
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