OT: Question on Last Second Ticket Buy for PNC Bank Center Lawn

[Source]

Sorry this is not Rutgers related but a friend and I are sitting on the lawn Wednesday night at PNC Bank Arts Center for the Steely Dan concert (yeah, yeah, I know. Who are they... old guy's band... blah, blah, blah.) He has his lawn seat tickets but I'm about to go online to find one.

Question: PNC wants $45 total for a lawn seat; I found a site for a $35 ticket. What are people's experiences with showing up and getting a scalper's ticket for the lawn at PNC Bank Arts Center. Tickets are more? Ticket prices lessen close to the start? Or I won't find a good price so I should buy one online right now? My friend got his over the weekend for $20/a piece.

Haven't been to a concert there in years (and that was Steely Dan too!). But my friend and I really liked the sound out on the lawn so we don't care we're not in a seat.

Any useful recommendations on which way to go would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[FanuSanu52]

I always prefer to have a ticket in hand over messing with scalpers. It makes the whole experience more enjoyable. Don't know what the market on Steely Dan tix is, but you're talking saving what, $20 bucks? Just buy the ticket.

 

[RBNY87]

Is doesnt seem worth the risk and effort to save $15 at the most.

 

[Terry_2426]

Call the box office tomorrow when they open up and see if they'll charge you fees if you buy a ticket in person at the window. A lot of places will only charge the face value price (in this case, $29-ish) and not add on the $12 ticket fee that you get online.

 

[AshSaturday]

Source-due to the lawsuit I think tickets will be easy for this show. Lots of people buying the vouchers to sell the ticket-that some are getting for free.. For physical ticket or tckets ahead of time, try Ebay sellers with a good reputation and see if they can enclose a copy of the confirmation slip (note many orders ordered with the lawsuit vouchers didn't come with confirmation slips. Also compare prices with Stubhub.

If you want below face (for the most part) tickets for the PNC or other east coast shows (via the vouchers) look up seller Beatthegators. You can even pick up the tix in the Somerville area for free to save on postage.

 

[Source]

Source-due to the lawsuit I think tickets will be easy for this show. Lots of people buying the vouchers to sell the ticket-that some are getting for free.. For physical ticket or tckets ahead of time, try Ebay sellers with a good reputation and see if they can enclose a copy of the confirmation slip (note many orders ordered with the lawsuit vouchers didn't come with confirmation slips. Also compare prices with Stubhub. If you want below face (for the most part) tickets for the PNC or other east coast shows (via the vouchers) look up seller Beatthegators. You can even pick up the tix in the Somerville area for free to save on postage.

Terry_2426 and AshSaturday thank you for the suggestions. Had to read up on the lawsuit and I'm still not quite sure what that is about with vouchers and all but thank you for the info. I'll figure it out in the morning.

 

[AshSaturday]

Source, Ticketmaster was sued in a class action (see website) for charging too much service charge. Case was a class action suit Schleshinger vs. Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster settled. As a result they agreed (depending on the amount of tickets a given person ordered) to issue customers as many as 1) 17 vouchers for free ticket pairs (Lawn only); 2) 17 $2 discounts for tickets and several vouchers for UPS shipping if a person uses UPS in a transaction.

Over the course of 4 years (2020) or so Ticketmaster is required to issue $40 million or so of vouchers-each for free tickets. Starting about 2 weeks ago TM made available a chunk of those vouchers (I think about 30%). ***Therefore a lot of individuals have as many as 17 free pairs of tickets they R selling for whatever they can get. These shows can be locally (i.e. PNC) or out of state. One poster on here said he sold his tickets already for $400.

This theoretically benefits buyers looking to save as those with vouchers didn't have to pay face value let alone massive service charges. Many only intend to sell their tickets obtained via vouchers (some such as beatthegators are indigent and need the proceeds for basics such as food). Thus you have an increase in the supply of tickets with demand remaining the same at best. Economics Day 1 that results in lower prices for the buyer (consumer=source).

Though some shows affected are still selling well=prices not affected too much (i.e. Keth Urban PNC) other tickets seemed destined for the $10-$30 range-even for the pair. If you don't mind the lawn and some research or if you R willing to road trip you could save very nicely. Occasionally on site sellers might offer a free ticket to someone-try wearing your Rutgers Football gear tomorrow if u plan on buying on site (also some scalpers sell at RU games).

 

[The Original Rah]

I know that this does not fit your situation since you want lawn seats but before you seek out a scalper check the box office. A few years back I decided at the last minute to go down to PNC and see if I could get tickets to a band I like. I won't mention the bands name because the reaction would be worst than Steely Dan. Anyway, I tried the box office first and was lucky enough to get front row seats. This was when Ticketmaster was just starting their premium seating where you get to go backstage, get all kinds of memorabilia and get front row seats for like 5x what a normal ticket would be priced. I guess no one bought up my seat and I got it for normal price (without all the extras included) after the seat was released to the box office.

 

[brodo]

... A few years back I decided at the last minute to go down to PNC and see if I could get tickets to a band I like. I won't mention the bands name because the reaction would be worst than Steely Dan. ...

Congrats on scoring those Flock of Seagulls tickets!

 

[AshSaturday]

I know that this does not fit your situation since you want lawn seats but before you seek out a scalper check the box office. A few years back I decided at the last minute to go down to PNC and see if I could get tickets to a band I like. I won't mention the bands name because the reaction would be worst than Steely Dan. Anyway, I tried the box office first and was lucky enough to get front row seats. This was when Ticketmaster was just starting their premium seating where you get to go backstage, get all kinds of memorabilia and get front row seats for like 5x what a normal ticket would be priced. I guess no one bought up my seat and I got it for normal price (without all the extras included) after the seat was released to the box office.

I once had a front row single for James Taylor I couldn't sell at PNC (used and got to shake JT's hand). Ditto minimum 3rd and 5th rows for Meat Loaf. Not that long ago bagged a front row seat for OAR because I was too tired to go.

 

[AshSaturday]

Source, how did you make out?

DATA from eBay seller Beatthegators with ticket sales via the vouchers:

1) PNC Keith Urban sold $80 TM total cost with service charges $91.20

2) ***Note same date and buyer-possibly a broker buy
Keith Urban Virginia Beach 8/20 Sold $20 TM Total Cost $84.50

3) Brantley Gilbert Burgettstown, PA 8/20- Sold $35 Total TM Cost $84

Don't know how much of this is soft markets to begin with vs vouchered ticket supply but outsde of NJ here youre talking sales of 25 cents to 35 cents on the dollar! Not statistically significant sample but if it holds some NICE discounts to be had!

 

[Source]

Thanks AshSaturday and everyone else for the help. I took a chance and headed to the ticket office at PNC Bank Arts Center an hour before the concert. As I approached the office, a scalper sold me a $30 lawn seat. The place was just about packed from what I could tell.

Just got back and the concert was great... again (saw them several years back). Steve Winwood opened for an hour and Steely Dan played about 2+1/2 hours. I know most posters here weren't even born when these guys were at their height - or care about their music - but I am amazed that Steve Winwood (68 years old) and Steely Dan's Donald Fagen (also 68) and Walter Becker (66) still bring it at such a high level. And that's not embellishing anything. Sound on the lawn was wonderful and laying back looking at the stars while Deacon Blues was playing can't be beat.

Three women back-up singers and one was from Englewood, NJ (Cindy Mizelle) who proudly announced her son, Devin Fuller, was taken in the draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Mizelle has also backed up in the past: Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross and Alicia Keys.

Nothing like sitting pool side on a great tanning day with a drink in hand and "Aja" playing on the speakers. Life good. Concert good. Source happy. Must go back Jack, do it again.

And again, thanks for the suggestions and help.

 

[AshSaturday]

Source, did you see a lot of people selling? Looks like you purchased pretty quickly without Running around. one thing witjh vouchered tickets here is that ths show was fairly close to the date of the settlement. I know I avoided buying these as I wasn't sure about going if I didn't sell them.

 

[RUBigFrank]

PNC is an easy place to scalp a ticket
done it several times - a c note for a seat in the first or second row for zac brown or black crows

just an observation - seems the venue holds back tickets as the scalper I bought from wad told by his handler to get tic at the box office. ( I tried the box office and was told sold out).

 

[Source]

That first scalper was the only one I noticed when walking from the overflow lot to the venue entrance. Definitely not many folks overtly hawking tickets. I'm not sure what a voucher ticket would look like, but my entry pass was printed on 8"x11" paper with Ticketmaster on the header.... if that means anything.

 

[AshSaturday]

Source, no-clients such as myself redeemed voucher codes and used to purchase regular lawn tickets. Pretty much at zero cost