Get ready to pay up, New Yorkers. As if the face value on tickets to see The Police wasn’t enough, New York Governor, Elliot Spitzer, has just thrown in the towel on fighting scalpers by dropping all but the most innocuous limits on ticket brokers and how much they can mark up a ticket price.
Before today, New York limited mark-ups to 45% over face value. That limit has been removed, which means scalpers (or “brokers” as they’re known today) can charge whatever you suckers are willing to shill out to see reformed rock and roll has-beens or overpaid and under performing sports teams.
A few of the original limits remain, including the ban on scalpers selling tickets within 1,500 feet of the larger arenas and within 500 feet of smaller venues. Large-volume brokers must also register with the state. Big fucking deal.
Free marketers think this is great, but they also see no problem with gouging during disasters or jacking consumers who are too dumb to buy warrantees that cover what use to be standard product lifespans.
Once again, the customer eats it.
sure, i suppose allowing for free market makes some happy. less government regulation/inerference is always a good thing. of course, more money changing hands just means more taxes on revenue for the state of new york with less expense for policing. sort of like mob numbers racket.
ah well, the little guy loses out in the end.
Spitzer’s radio payola investigation was a ridiculous witch hunt.
Now he does the polar opposite with the “legal scalpers.”
No integrity or consistency.
Whatever brings in the bucks.