Are unused concert tickets valuable?

With the rising popularity of online ticket resale marketplaces like StubHub and Vivid Seats, many concertgoers are wondering if their unused tickets can be resold for a profit. The short answer is sometimes yes, but it depends on several factors.

What gives tickets their value?

The primary factors that impact a ticket’s resale value are:

• The popularity of the artist/band
• The particular tour or event
• The location and venue of the event
• The seat location within the venue
• The supply and demand – is it a hot ticket that’s sold out?

In general, tickets to see artists or bands that are culturally relevant and popular tend to resell for higher prices. Tickets for one-off reunion tours or final tours from major legacy acts also tend to command premium resale prices. Major cities and large venues typically garner more demand than suburban or rural locations. Front row seats or VIP packages resale for more than nosebleed seats. And hard-to-get tickets for sold out or exclusive shows often resale for two, three, or even 10 times their initial face value.

How much do concert tickets resell for?

To gauge how much concert tickets are being resold for, let’s examine some real-world examples from major secondary marketplaces:

Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour

Taylor Swift announced her first tour in five years in November 2022. Here are some average resale prices for The Eras Tour tickets:

As you can see, floor seats or lower bowl seats for Taylor Swift are reselling for several times their $49-$450 initial face value. The massive demand to see one of today’s most popular artists has driven resale prices into the hundreds, or even thousands of dollars per ticket.

Dead & Company Summer Tour 2022

Here are some average resale ticket prices for Dead & Company’s latest tour:

Even though Dead & Company tour every year, tickets for the pioneering jam band still resell for well above their original $50-$150 face value. Demand from Deadheads keeps the resale market thriving.

Bad Bunny World’s Hottest Tour

As one of the most streamed artists globally, Bad Bunny’s tour also commands hefty resale prices:

The Puerto Rican superstar’s highest demand shows are reselling for up to eight times the original $35-$400 ticket prices. Fans are clearly willing to pay multiples to attend one of music’s biggest global phenoms.

When do tickets resell for less than face value?

While big artists and hot tours garner hefty resale premiums, tickets to lower demand shows will often resell for below face value. This tends to happen when:

• The artist or band is past their peak relevance or popularity
• The tour doesn’t sell out initially
• It’s an unremarkable small theatre or club show, not a big arena/stadium event
• The location has low population or demand
• The original onsale price was too high

Additionally, as the event date approaches, sellers tend to lower prices to recoup any money they can rather than eat the entire ticket. So the closer to the show date, the more likely tickets are discounted on secondary markets.

Here are some real-world examples of tours with below face value resale prices:

How to maximize your ticket resale value?

If you want to resell an unused ticket and get the most money for it, here are some tips:

• Sell popular artists/bands with mass appeal – Taylor Swift over obscure indie acts
• Sell prime tour dates in major cities rather than remote areas
• Sell coveted front row/VIP packages over cheap nosebleed seats
• Sell as soon as tickets go onsale when demand is highest
• Use reputable resale sites like StubHub and Ticketmaster verified resale
• Price higher than comparable tickets to leave room for offers
• Avoid saturating the market – pick the best 1-2 tickets to resell

The key is leveraging supply and demand dynamics to extract maximum value. Sell the right tickets at the right time on trustworthy resale sites.

Are there risks to reselling tickets?

Some risks to keep in mind when reselling event tickets:

• Getting scammed by buyers with fraudulent tickets – use trusted sites to avoid this
• Tickets selling for less than paid – never a guarantee tickets resell for profit
• Event being postponed/cancelled and having to refund buyers
• Not being able to transfer tickets in time due to delays
• Reselling platform fees cutting into your profits

While profits are possible, nothing is ever guaranteed when reselling tickets. Things can and do go wrong. The safest option is always using the tickets yourself or gifting them to others. But for those willing to take some risks, reselling unused tickets can yield solid returns if done smartly.

Are there legal/ethical concerns?

A few ethical and legal issues to consider when reselling tickets:

• Price gouging – avoid drastically inflating prices and ripping off fans
• Speculative buying – don’t hoard tickets you don’t intend to use
• Honoring ticket limits – don’t find ways around 1-2 ticket caps
• Read the fine print – some tickets prohibit transfers or resales

In many states and jurisdictions, ticket resale above certain thresholds is illegal. Things like bots and scalping are now banned in many places. Be reasonable with your pricing and follow both the letter and spirit of laws. Don’t try to exploit fans for massive profits. Some backlash is brewing against predatory practices in secondary ticket markets.

Conclusion

Selling unused concert tickets can be extremely lucrative, especially for hot shows that are sold out. But nothing is guaranteed, and many factors impact resale values.Exercise caution, use trustworthy sites, and avoid unethical scalping practices. With the right approach, extra tickets can be flipped for handsome profits. Yet it’s always a bit of a gamble, albeit one that can really pay off handsomely. Do your research, stick to in-demand events, and set reasonable prices. The potential rewards outweigh the risks.

From one-off reunions of legacy bands like The Eagles, to cult-like followings for artists like Phish or the Grateful Dead, to mega-stars like Adele and Taylor Swift – the thriving secondary concert ticket market offers opportunities for fans. Hot tickets sell out instantly, yet demand remains high. By reselling unused tickets, concertgoers can recoup costs while supplying other fans. However, nothing is guaranteed. The wise reseller weighs factors like artist popularity, tour significance, seat locations, and timing. With the right approach, unused tickets can absolutely turn into cash. But proceed with caution when dabbling in this resale game.

The top artists like Beyonce, U2, and Billy Joel command hefty premiums. Even upper deck or lawn seats to see acts of that calibre resell for multiples of face value. Savvy fans jump on presales and buy up stock for the sole purpose of resale. Sites like StubHub and SeatGeek provide platforms to resell and transfer tickets easily. Yet ethical dilemmas exist around price gouging and speculative buying. It’s an intriguing space – novices should tread lightly, while experts succeed through market intelligence and tracking analytics. With big tours raking in billions, the demand won’t wane anytime soon. Unused tickets will continue driving a bustling secondhand economy for years to come.

Artists and promoters try lowering initial prices and embracing dynamic pricing to thin out secondary markets. Paperless ticketing, where one’s credit card must be shown upon entry, also combats scalping. Yet prime seats to top acts will always be scarce. As long as supply trails demand, a premium for unused tickets will persist. Mega-stars are widening the gap, as evidenced by $1,500+ resale tickets for Taylor Swift’s upcoming tour. Her fans scoop up all available inventory, creating a lucrative aftermarket. Even exorbitant markups don’t deter buyers. Though often criticized, secondary ticket brokers provide an avenue for fans otherwise shut out. The trade-off is worth it for the chance to see icons like Bruce Springsteen or Paul McCartney.

While rewarding, ticket resales also carry notable risks. Sellers must swiftly transfer barcodes to avoid being burned. Buyers deal with counterfeit ticket scams far too often. Platform fees also take a cut of profits. Above all, nothing prevents an artist from postponing or cancelling last minute. Events like COVID wreak havoc on resale plans. There’s an unavoidable volatility tied to ticket resale speculation. Yet compared to alternatives like the stock market, it remains relatively safe, with massive upsides. Fair prices and reasonable policies help create an ethical, equitable environment for all. Unused tickets need not go to waste when people are willing to pay fair rates. This symbiotic ecosystem thrives most when grounded in common sense values.

In conclusion, reselling tickets requires thoughtful consideration of many angles: ethics, pricing, timing, fees, risks and more. With care and prudence, unused tickets can absolutely net their holder’s major profits. But blind speculation has ruinous downside as well. As in any marketplace, service and fairness are pivotal. The most rewarding approach benefits all stakeholders – artists, venues, marketplaces, and fans old and new. When conducted responsibly, ticket resale helps sustain an industry we so dearly love.