What do you do with extra tickets?

Submitted by Jon06 on

After reading all the whinging on the UMass thread I started wondering what we all do with extra tickets. I couldn't use my SDSU ticket due to a work conflict, so I gave it away to somebody who had never been in Michigan Stadium before. This strikes me as a much better thing to do than wasting time trying to sell it.* It also strikes me as a much less petty thing to do than holding out for face value when I'm getting my money's worth out of the rest of the season anyway. I've occasionally seen other people giving away tickets on the board, but I'm curious how common that approach is. So what do you guys do?

*Well, I did offer it to my coworkers for $10 OBO first, since $10 is the street value of an unvalidated student ticket to a low-to-medium demand game. 

Yostbound and Down

September 27th, 2011 at 1:25 AM ^

I think Hoke has changed the tide on the rivalry. Hell people in Ohio are starting to believe him. Never in a million years I would have thought that. Selling Michigan jerseys is a good start.

Bando Calrissian

September 27th, 2011 at 1:29 AM ^

For the two non-conference games this year we've not been able to find takers for a couple extras?  

We used 'em for $140 double-wide seats.  Call it our own personal seat-widening program.  

Maize and Blue…

September 27th, 2011 at 8:38 AM ^

The four game packs made the university some extra money, but has really damaged the brand on the secondary market.  Tickets listed for 1/2 face value isn't a good marketing tool and if you don't mind watching the premium games on TV you can go to most of the games on the cheap.

Three sell outs yet we still have a huge waitlist for season tickets.  In other words, pay ten dollars to be on a meaningless list until you make a donation to athletics.

drewro02

September 27th, 2011 at 11:46 PM ^

I have never been to a game. I have been inside the Big House one time (My friend and I snuck in when I was in Ann Arbor for the Michigan MBB game vs. Miami-Ohio in December of 2005. I was deploying to Iraq two weeks after this, and there was no way I wasn't gonna see the Big House if God forbid, something had happened to me). I grew up my whole life in Ohio, but have been a die-hard Michigan fan since I was old enough to like sports. I am currently living in Omaha, Nebraska as I am in the Air Force, but would make the drive to Ann Arbor at any time. My family are all Ohio fans, but I have never considered liking them. When people ask me how I became a Michigan fan, I just tell them I was born this way (I really believe that). I have no direct connection to the university, but I am proud to root for a school with class, and an institution that is about more than just sports. Some may say differently, but just as Brady Hoke is a Michigan Man from Ohio, I also consider myself a Michigan Man.

Big Shot

September 27th, 2011 at 4:35 AM ^

I don't live in Michigan and had to buy a 4-game ticket pack to go to the ND game this year. I flew in for the ND game, and sold the other 3 games on StubHub for at or below face value. I thought that was a fair way to recoup some of my costs without gouging other Michigan fans. Stubhub charges a 15% commission, so I ended up losing a total of $50-$60 on the 3 tickets I sold.

I was actually surprised with how easy it was to sell on StubHub. All you have to do is enter the number below the barcode on the tickets, and then the buyer can immediately print the tickets upon purchase so you don't have to deal with shipping. 15% is a bit high for the commission, but I really wasn't too concerned about the money and felt like it was worth it for the convenience.

Mtruck

September 27th, 2011 at 2:55 PM ^

I did the same thing with my SDSU tickets that came with my ND tickets.  What I was wondering though, is since after selling them on Stub Hub I still had the SDSU tickets in my possession, what would stop me from being a complete tool and going to the stadium and selling them again?  or selling them on ebay, or whatever?  I realize the people probably could not get into the stadium with my tickets since the bar code probably transfers, but they wouldn't know that ahead of time.

Big Shot

September 27th, 2011 at 10:06 PM ^

You're right about the bar code transferring, which makes your original tickets useless. I know of two different people who have been burned buying deactivated tickets to sporting events. There are a lot of people that'll do anything to make a quick buck, and with the odds of getting caught being so low, there's really nothing to stop them.

Everytime I buy tickets from a scalper, I make them come to the gate with me and make sure that the ticket scans before I pay them. If they're not willing to do that, then I find another scalper who is.

readyourguard

September 27th, 2011 at 7:50 AM ^

I'm not sure I'd categorize myself as petty by trying to recoup about half the actual price of the tickets by asking for face value.  The PSD is $62.50 per ticket per game for my seats.  I have a pair for the Minne game I probably won't use, but I'll still try to get the face value of the ticket while eating the PSD.

That said, who needs 2?

Mabel Pines

September 27th, 2011 at 8:06 AM ^

we do that, too.  My sister, husband and I have 6 tix in row 7, 45 yd line.  Husband sells them at work for face (every game!).  We pay $500 a seat donation.  Only requirement is to root for the good guys.  We can't attend all because oldest is in football and husband works a lot of weekends. 

profitgoblue

September 27th, 2011 at 10:57 AM ^

Have you considered using the Ticket Spreadsheet?  Its awesome that you only sell for face value but I know there are some MGoMembers that are desperate to get to certain games that would pay a little more and maybe even be a little more appreciative than co-workers especially those of us that are out-of-towners (no offense to your husband's co-workers).

http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/buying-selling-um-tickets-thread-spreadsheet

 

Mabel Pines

September 27th, 2011 at 12:09 PM ^

on the spreadsheet?  I'm always nervous that an imposter will buy my tix, and since we know all the people that sit around us (and recruits), we don't want to put a creepy Buckeye in our seats who would scare people.  Husband works at a hospital, so a lot of the people have never been to a game.  I like to create new fans and brainwash little children, too.  But I'll check into the spreadsheet.  thx.

profitgoblue

September 27th, 2011 at 12:35 PM ^

I think its always good to be nervous about that kind of thing but I personally had great success.  I think its very reasonable to inquire as to the credentials of the seller.  I actually asked my seller to provide some personal information to be sure he was legit and he gave me his work phone number and we spoke directly. 

But if you've already found a great outlet for the extras, definitely use it!

FieldingBLUE

September 27th, 2011 at 8:24 AM ^

to friends or relatives. This year was tough because I bought extra tickets (beyond my seasons) to get more ND tickets. I've had great success with selling to the same people (and buying extras too) through a Chicago alum Yahoo group, eBay (better than StubHub imho because of lower commissions), or the mgoblog spreadsheet. 

I've given tickets away in the past, too.

Steve Levy Sucks

September 27th, 2011 at 9:17 AM ^

but as a life long Michigan fan who lives less than an hour away from the Stadium, I finally made my first game this past Saturday.  A season ticket holder had extra tickets at $70, one of which I purchased.  He ended up giving me the ticket for the seat next to me at no charge.  I was more than happy to pay $70 for two tickets to see Michigan play.  I did notice though when we were first walking into the stadium that there were plenty of people trying to sell tickets, one here, two there etc.  They were asking a lot less than the $70 I paid.  I have to imagine this happens all of the time.  Someone with a ticket can't go so they try and sell the ticket before the game and will take whatever they can get out of it. 

That's how I've been going to NASCAR races at MIS the last 15 years. Never buy a ticket from the box office, just wait until race day and find someone who is willing to get something, anything for an extra ticket rather than eat the entire cost. 

I think this is how I will approach my next Michigan game, just show up on game day and find someone who needs to sell a ticket.

wolverhorn

September 27th, 2011 at 9:29 AM ^

I was in a similar situation as OP and offered them to a lot of friends/family who might not make it to games.  Eventually I found two people who could go and gave the tickets to them.

In the process, I found out Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County is happy to accept ticket donations.  Their website has email addresses of people to contact.  You just mail them your tickets and they'll send you a tax deduction form at the end of the year.  

I totally understand wanting to get money back, especially for season ticket holders.  But for people who may not have the time to hunt around for buyers for single game tickets, BBBS is a good way to help kids who might not otherwise be able to go to a game. 

reggie99

September 27th, 2011 at 9:38 AM ^

They can be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County.  This is tax-deductible, but more importantly, it can provide a great experience to some youngsters, and the volunteers that are mentoring them.  We've done this in the past, and is a much better alternative to getting a few bucks for one of the lesser games.