NATB Statement on Steve Wynn’s Attempts to Block Transfer of Concert Tickets

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 | 1:45 p.m.

The following is the full text of a statement from the National Association of Ticket Brokers

WASHINGTON: The National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB), the non-profit trade association dedicated to protecting consumers and the secondary ticket market, today released the following statement from Gary Adler, General Counsel to NATB, regarding recent actions taken by resort proprietor Steve Wynn to block fans from transferring tickets to the Garth Brooks concerts.

“As a top travel destination, Las Vegas is one of the largest markets for secondary ticket sales. The average visitor can’t always plan their trips around the most popular shows, or track down the best seats as soon as they go on sale.

“Fans hire brokers to help them find the tickets they want, for the price they can pay, or to resell the tickets they can’t use. Wynn has no right to tell these fans ‘hey, tough luck - unless you bought them at our box office within two hours of going on sale then you can’t go to the show.’

“Fans should have the right to buy and sell the tickets they want without having to RSVP their guests or risk cancellation based on new, arbitrary rules. They’re changing the rules in the middle of the game, and it’s only going to hurt the fans who can’t find tickets, or are stuck with ones they can’t use.

“These actions aren’t meant to address any problems with brokers or the reselling of tickets. They are meant to restrict the open market and eliminate any competition for tickets.

“NATB brings hundreds of brokers each year to the Wynn at our annual ticket broker conference, but now they’ve lost our business. These actions are hypocritical and disrespectful to the very industry that supports their acts and their customers.”

For more information on NATB and consumer protection efforts, please visit www.NATB.org .

Discussion: 4 comments so far…

By vegasbike

10/27/09 at 4:07 p.m.

Suggest removal

Thank you for the self-serving statement from the Ticket Brokers attorney. If the brokers would not insert themselves into these transactions, Garth's fans might actually get a change to see him and have money left over for dinner and a little gambling.
By denro

10/27/09 at 5:44 p.m.

Suggest removal

Who and what gets served by tickets being offered on eBay by Ticket Brokers for a thousand dollars apiece, except for the potential profits being made by the Brokers?
By LVBear

10/27/09 at 10:31 p.m.

Suggest removal

What is Mr. Wynn's problem with legitimate ticket brokers? In cities where I have attended events to which casinos did not give me free tickets, I have several times used the services of ticket brokers. I have always gotten better tickets than I could have obtained directly from the venue, with little or no hassle. I am happy to pay extra to get excellent tickets without standing in line or other waste of time.

I find it ironic that a cretin like Steve Wynn, who has done and directed/encouraged/tolerated so many bad things to so many people, claims to suddenly care about saving the average person some money. There is undoubtedly more to this phony burst of "kindness" by Mr. Wynn than we know. I would say shame on Mr. Wynn, but the man appears to absolutely shameless.

More at www.TheBearGrowls.com
By denro

10/28/09 at 10:45 a.m.

Suggest removal

I believe the issue is more about the $700.00 to $1000.00 per ticket offers.

Look at eBay: http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...

There's a lot of heavy duty scalping going on.

I think it is reasonable for the venue to attempt to limit this kind of activity.