THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 3, 1996 TAG: 9604030009
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
After trying unsuccessfully to purchase tickets for the Jimmy Buffett show, I was stunned to see ads in the newspaper offering tickets for sale.
I called these 800 numbers, and guess what? The tickets sell from $99 in the lawn area to $225 for a reserved seat! I believe legal tickets sold for $35.
I have conveyed my annoyance of the ticket scalpers to the Virginia Beach Amphitheater management. I was assured that this is illegal and that the general manager is looking into the situation. I hope this is true, and I also hope there will be some explanation in the newspaper as to how it happened and how it will be stopped.
Virginia Beach has done well by constructing the new Amphitheater. I hope it's not tarnished by ridiculously priced tickets from scalpers.
STEVEN FOREHAND
Portsmouth, March 26, 1996
I read with interest and anger the report regarding the scalping of Jimmy Buffett concert tickets. The article stated that it is hard to stop people from buying tickets and reselling them at a higher price.
I could understand that, if the scalpers were hanging around street corners, selling tickets for cash.
But these scalpers have gone high-tech. They advertise in your newspaper. They have 1-800 telephone numbers. They take all major credit cards. They use Federal Express. If their activities are illegal, why aren't these people tracked down and arrested?
Let's not just try to make it difficult for them to get tickets by limiting ticket sales and having lotteries; obviously that does not work. Let's it difficult for them to stay in business at all!
PENNY BULLINGTON
Norfolk, March 27, 1996 by CNB