How can you avoid getting scammed out of counterfeit tickets for live sports and events? Here are some tips.
- Source: Buy from a trusted retailer with a money back guarantee
- Payment: Use a credit card if possible
- Background: Get to know your seller, ask for ID and any social media links to verify identity
- Location: Ask to meet the seller in a busy public location. If they refuse to meet you there, it's likely a scam.
- Longevity: Buy from a season ticket holder
- Type: Never buy print at home tickets - always get a hard copy original ticket
Why are sports teams phasing out paper tickets?
It saves money. Printing hard copy tickets on paper is more expensive, both for printing an shipping. Many sports teams have started pushing fans to electronic tickets. The Chicago White Sox, for instance, will only offer paper tickets to season-ticket holders this season who pay a $20 premium.
MLB Advanced Media, the league's media unit, owns Tickets.com, which manages ticket services for the league's 30 teams. In 2014, 80 per cent of single-game tickets were purchased digitally, up from 50 per cent in 2011.
The move away from paper tickets will hurt the memorabilia business. Paper tickets have a long-term cash value. For instance, last year, a ticket to the 1927 World Series sold for $41,815 in an online auction.
Teams want customers to buy tickets online because when teams and ticket brokers require registration information, it can be used for email and text message campaigns about products and events, and can even be resold.
