Isn’t the term “scalping” politically incorrect?
According to the Pioneer Press yesterday:
The Minnesota House voted overwhelmingly today to repeal current ticket scalping laws in the state.The House voted 124-8 to join the Senate, which took a similar stance in February.
If Gov. Tim Pawlenty signs the legislation, individuals would no longer be arrested and charged for selling tickets above face value to sporting or other events. Minnesota is one of 9 states that don’t allow such sales. The misdemeanor is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The chief sponsor of the bill, Rep. Chris DeLaForest, R-Andover, called ticket scalping an unenforceable law in the age of the Internet.
“The Internet has made this commerce legal, and that is as it should be,” he said.
IMHO, this is actually good. It gets the scalpers off the internet and onto the street where prices will come down.
We will never be able to legislate “fairness” when it comes to buying tickets, and I’d like to believe in a free market exorbitant ticket prices will take care of themselves. If nobody pays $200 over face value, people can’t sell them for $200 over face value.
An article from today gives this example…”$375 seats for the Police’s sold-out July 3 show at the Xcel Energy Center are going for $1,050, $1,260 and $2,625 each from one Texas-based reseller.”
To me, if someone’s willing to pay $2600 for a ticket they could’ve waited in line for, they deserve it more than I. And I doubt a scalper standing in front of the X expects people walking up to have two grand in cash.
What do you think?
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A good move. These guys have been doing it basically unimpeded at the dome or target center anyway. Also, on ebay, craigslist, etc…
The principle is, government does not belong in an efficient marketplace.
$375 for Police is messed up enough. $2625 is inconceivable, although I don’t think that word means what I think it means.