The World Champion Texas Rangers are hosting the Chicago Cubs for the Rangers' home opener on March 28. At last check on Wednesday, tickets were no longer available on the Ranger’s website for Thursday’s game – though there are seats available on ticket resale sites.
Between the return of baseball, March Madness, and upcoming summer concerts, keep reading for how consumers can avoid ticket trouble.
SET UP A WIN
“Whenever possible, try and purchase from the venue,” said Monica Horton with the BBB. “That's going to be your best option.”
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If it’s not possible to buy from a team, the venue, or their chosen platform, Horton said consumers should vet web search results. Don’t just click on the first ad or site that may pop up.
Horton said, “We have seen actual ticketing websites being mimicked and impersonated. You need to be very careful and proceed with caution.”
FIND A REPUTABLE RESELLER
The BBB said consumers can search the National Association of Ticket Brokers, a trade group with 230 members. NATB Executive Director and General Counsel Gary Adler said members agree to a code of ethics and a 200% refund if guaranteed tickets aren’t delivered.
“Know who you're buying from and know what you're buying,” Adler advises.
Adler said sellers should provide information about seat locations. The consumer can check it against the venue seating chart.
Ticket delivery terms should be clear too. Confirm how the seller will deliver the tickets. Is it a digital delivery or an in-person pickup? Find out when tickets will be delivered. Tickets for events may not be available immediately. Ask for the timeline and decide if you’re comfortable with it.
“It's not uncommon there is a delivery method, especially for large events, that is not instant,” Adler said. “That's why it's so important to make sure you know who you're dealing with. Anyone who is a legitimate reseller will give you that information.”
Adler said to shop around and understand the going price for tickets. He noted consumers may find the same tickets offered at different prices on different websites.
“People should do their homework and not just jump at the first opportunity to buy a ticket,” said Adler.
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?
For fans who may turn to online marketplaces or social media to buy from an individual, Teresa Murray, Consumer Watchdog director for the nonprofit U.S. Public Interest Research Group, said consumers may not know there’s a problem with a ticket they bought from a stranger until they get to the venue.
“We've heard of cases where the same person will sell the same tickets to multiple people. So, I can take a screenshot with the UPC code or the QR code and send it to you and it looks real until the time that you try to use it,” Murray explained.
“The only way I would buy a ticket from an individual person is if it's somebody that I know,” Murray added. “Somebody I work with, somebody I go to church with. Other than that, you have got to stick to the platforms. Whether you like the fees or if you don't, at least you have a much better chance of getting a real ticket.”
Some social media platforms also restrict concert and sporting event ticket resale in their terms and conditions. If you get an offer from a connection on social media, make sure you’re communicating with your acquaintance and not a hacker who has control of the account.
Once again, pay attention to the price. Look at comparable tickets on other sites. Is the deal a stranger offered too good to be true? If the tickets are sold out everywhere else, apply extra skepticism. Read additional tips from US PIRG here.
CONSIDER THE WAY YOU PAY
The BBB, NATB, and U.S. PIRG recommend consumers use a credit card to pay instead of a debit card or peer-to-peer payment app. A credit card would offer more protection and limit a consumer’s liability. If there’s a problem, you won’t have to pay the disputed amount while the credit card issuer is investigating your dispute. Read up on prepaid card protections if the cards are pre-registered here.
Check out these additional event ticket-buying tips from the NATB.
Read additional tips from the BBB here.
FOR BASEBALL FANS
The Texas Rangers provided some general tips for consumers. It explained Globe Life Field exclusively uses a digital ticketing system. There are no paper tickets printed. The Texas Rangers said it only accepts digital tickets so screenshots of QR ticket codes would not get you in.
If fans need to transfer tickets to someone in their party, they can use the MLB ballpark app. Active QR codes displayed in the MLB Ballpark App have an animation that verifies the code is active and not a screenshot.
For resale tickets, the Rangers said SeatGeek is the official ticket marketplace of the Texas Rangers and Major League Baseball.
There were still tickets available for the remaining games in the opening series on www.rangers.com. Fans can also call 972-RANGERS or buy tickets in person at the Globe Life Field box office, located adjacent to the Southeast entrance.
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