With the Internet becoming a primary source of ticket purchases during the past decade, online ticket brokers have made it almost impossible to find good concert seats at a decent price. Often, the online brokers will buy out all of the best seats within minutes of the tickets going on sale. They then will wait until the buyer has no other options for tickets and then post their "sold-out" tickets for sometimes three to four times the amount of the original ticket price. Being online or at a ticket sales location the very second tickets go on sale can help, but this may not always do the trick. These brokers often make it close to impossible for concert goers to have great seats without spending a fortune. Fortunately, there are ways to get around it.
Instructions
Online Methods
1. Join a fan club. If you're interested in seeing a particular person or group in concert, search the Internet for their official fan club. Many times, the fan club will have discounted tickets or presales for their members. While the cost of fan club membership may be up to $30 for more popular artists, you could end up saving hundreds of dollars if you are able to avoid the markups of the second-hand brokers. Check out fan clubs for not only the main act but their smaller opening acts as well. These fan clubs will also have presales and usually have a lower membership fee to join.
2. Learn advanced presale codes through radio stations or street teams. Radio stations will often have email sign-ups listed on their website and send out concert events and presale codes to people on their contact list.
3. Open an account through Ticketmaster, which is oftentimes the main ticket broker for concert events. By signing up for an account (which is free), you can sometimes gain access to Ticketmaster presales. Keep in mind that many online ticket brokers will also have accounts through Ticketmaster, so this is just one way in which you can try to snag a good deal without having to go through the brokers.
4. Check eBay or Craigslist. Most of the postings on these public sites will probably lead you to online ticket brokers looking to make a profit. However, somewhere in the mix of things is often a seller with honest intentions, just looking to make the money back that he spent on the tickets. Many times, something will come up that will prevent people from attending a concert, and because ticket sales are nonrefundable, the original buyers will post tickets for sale online. Rather than looking to make a profit, they may be simply looking to get back what they paid for in the first place and may offer a Pay Now option.
Other Ways to Save
5. Call your local radio station. Many times, radio stations will release presale codes to be used through Ticketmaster 3 or 4 days before tickets go on sale to the general public. If you are interested in a specific concert presale, call the radio station directly and ask whoever answers the phone (whether it be the DJ or another staff member) if there are any presale codes available.
6. Enter contests. While this isn't the most practical way to get those coveted front row tickets, it's worth a shot. For larger shows, radio stations may give away dozens of tickets in the weeks leading up to the event. Contact the promotions team at the radio station if you do not hear any announcements about ticket giveaways. Look online at the artist's official websites and myspaces for opportunities to win.
7. Use online message boards (either through official fan clubs, artists sites, or other fan sites) and let people know that you're interested in buying tickets. Many times, people will be willing to sell extra tickets directly rather than going through a third-party site such as eBay or Craigslist.
