Ticket Scalpers at Verizon Center

I'm trying to find out if I can get 3 tix to
Sat night Cap game.

racist racist racist!

#17 - I don't wear my VIP tickets around my neck I wear my 400 level tickets. I not saying it's a big deal, it's kind of annoying if you have tickets, that's all I said.

If you feel harassed by scalpers you are one or more of the following:

a. a pussy. just look straight and keep walking. believe me, they won't hound you if you don't make eye contact or acknowledge them. homeless people 101.
b. a retard. don't wear your vip tickets around your neck.
c. a loser. you love to complain, don't you?
d. insecure. the kind of person that perceives the slightest indignities toward them as personal, and think that these scalpers are somehow taking advantage of you. grow up.

like other posters have said: many people use them. they provide a service and don't seem to be breaking the law. what's the issue here besides a few snotty people with their season tix too far up their own ass?

I don't find this....whatever...offensive or irritating or whatever this post is about. The idea that they create a traffic problem is ridiculous. I'll take the dozen or so scalpers over the hundreds of clueless tourists any day. They're the ones that create the traffic problems. I don't prefer to use them, meaning sell my season tickets to them because there are better deals out there but they don't bother me.

My friend actually got busted once, like 10 years ago. I received 4 lower bowl tickets the afternoon of the game, and had to scramble to find a couple of guys to go. We ended up heading downtown with only three of us, and decided we'd just sell the 4th ticket and use the cash to buy some food at the game. As soon as we got to the top of the escalator, my buddy offered up that he had one ticket to sell. All three of us were wearing jerseys, and we sold it to a fellow fan also wearing a jersey, for HALF of face value. The police immediately swept in and gave my buddy a ticket and a $50 fine (I believe). We didn't realize it was illegal, and what we did was relatively tame compared to what these dealers are doing every game. To me, the way the law is written and enforced seems much more likely to bust relatively innocent fans than dealers. The entire situation is flawed and should be fixed.

Providing a needed service isn't really a reason to allow it to continue. If its illegal, then it should be enforced. If they aren't going to enforce it, then it shouldn't be illegal. I totally think we need a scalp free zone like at Camden Yards. Let fans sell extra tickets to other fans in a designated area for at or below face value. Have an officer stationed there to police the activity, and chase off anyone who isn't using the area for its intended purpose.

Those who said they bought and sold tickets and don't feel harassed of course are going to feel that way. If you are using the "service" than you don't consider it harassment. If you are a season ticket holder who has to walk through a wall of people pestering you to BOTH buy and sell tickets 40+ times per season, then you might consider it harassment.

I'm shocked at how many people are defending scalpers ability to break the law in defense of free market. I know its not the same thing, but are Drug and Arms dealers providing a needed service and a good example of the free market as well?

Lay off the poster. I'm in my teens, I often go to games with tickets around my neck and I have to wade though 10-15 guys asking me about tickets. I not a huge deal but annoying.

I actually think the scalpers around VC are more professional than in other places. Well, more like, than Pittsburgh. I went to a game there and was walking up and down the streets around the arena for a walk and to a bar, and I ignored them, but that wasn't enough. Apparently, they want to be acknowledged. If I didn't shrug my head, they kept harassing me and one guy got upset and asked "What! You don't speak any English?!" Dude, layoff. Yet, when I just shook my head, when another asked later on, they stopped and were fine and moved onto the next passerby. At VC, if you ignore them, they've seem to be OK to me.

This kind of article is what makes your website not legit. Who cares if they are selling tickets. They provide non season ticket holders a service. Is it that hard for you to walk around them?? Honestly get a life.

I always scalp tickets and the best idea is to have a price in mind and not go over that. That being said, my only problem with them is that they try to intimidate people into paying higher prices and that once I bought two tickets and they were in different sections.

It would be nice if fans could just sell to other fans...

uh - did you check with a lawyer before posting this? I'm pretty sure you could be sued for this post if one of the scalpers decides he doesn't enjoy his photo being published (I'm assuming you don't have written permission) on a website identifying him as a scalper. Might want to re-think this post.

What a mean spirit you must be. I am not a scalper. In fact I am a season ticket holder and, yes, one must walk by those seeking to buy or sell tickets while on the way to the phone booth, but, come on, is it really that invasive. Your pictures are much more invasive and certainly mean spirited.

Lay off the scalpers. They are (mostly) honest and represent free market economics in its purest form. If you are going to throw anyone under the bus, go after the owners of Ticketmaster/Ticket Exchange and the other online "services" whose anti-competitive practices and fee structures would make an airline official blush.

what i dont get, someone help me here- how do you know that the tix are legit, that when they offer a printed page, that the real tix arent being sold elsewhere or already been used?

I don't quite understand how this is a major issue for those of you with tickets. Simply ignore them and go about your business. I happen to buy tickets from scalpers quite regularly and I'm far from the only one. I like to negotiate and good deals can be had after the puck drops. I can sit in seats that I otherwise couldn't afford to purchase if I only had the online brokers to choose from. So please keep fans like me in mind, I see how they can be annoying but I have introduced many new fans to caps games from tickets purchased from scalpers.

I think the scalpers provide a valuable service, especially to us non-season ticket holder fans, that are in need of ticket(s), especially at last minute. I have purchased tickets on several occasions, and have found the scalpers to be respectful and courteous and honest. Sure they are out to make a buck, and are hawking, which might offend some with thin skin. But again this provides a service and I have not observed any problems, certainly no harassment.

I would find out the exact details, because I am sure the ones next to Bang Salon are too close to the entrance or the building. They have also gotten extremely territorial, literally pushing me out of the way once when I once tried to buy a single ticket from a fan with an extra so they could mark up the price. I wouldn't be surprised if the Cops got a cut or something because I highly doubt they are operating inside the law. I think the officers were just BS you.

I've had this problem, too. It's getting to the point where they're blocking the sidewalk around F Street and really causing serious traffic problems with the flow of fans into the arena. They're even starting to harass people in the Metro station. And of course, they're in-your-face and a little rude sometimes.

I think that we as fans are going to have to start complaining to DC police, not on the grounds that they are scalping, but because there are so many of them that they have become a public nuisance at games.