Ticketmaster’s face value exchange is a way for fans to resell tickets they can no longer use at the price listed on the original ticket. This allows ticketholders who can no longer attend an event to recoup the money they spent on tickets by reselling them at face value to other fans.
How does Ticketmaster’s face value exchange work?
The face value exchange works through Ticketmaster’s ticket resale platform. When events go on sale on Ticketmaster, season ticket holders or anyone who purchases tickets can opt to relist their tickets later if they can’t attend the event.
If a fan decides to resell their tickets, they can list them at face value – which is the original price paid – on Ticketmaster’s verified resale exchange. This allows other fans to purchase those tickets at face value, rather than having to pay higher marked up prices that often occur on secondary marketplaces.
The face value exchange provides a safe, convenient way for ticketholders to recoup the money they spent on tickets and for other fans to get tickets without having to pay more than face value. It cuts out predatory ticket brokers and touts who often snap up tickets only to resell them at huge markups.
What are the benefits of Ticketmaster’s face value exchange?
There are several benefits to Ticketmaster’s face value exchange for both ticket buyers and sellers:
- It allows ticketholders to recoup the full amount they paid for tickets if they can no longer attend an event.
- Fans can buy tickets at original face value prices instead of marked up prices on secondary sites.
- It eliminates the risk of buying fake or scam tickets since all resale happens through Ticketmaster’s verified platform.
- There are no extra fees when reselling at face value. Ticketmaster waives the fees they would normally charge.
- Tickets are guaranteed valid and authentic when purchased through the official resale exchange.
Overall, the face value exchange provides a more fair, transparent, and safe way for ticketholders to resell and buy tickets. Both buyers and sellers avoid getting gouged by predatory third-party brokers.
What types of tickets are eligible for face value exchange?
Most tickets sold through Ticketmaster have the option to be resold through the face value exchange, however there are some exceptions:
- Non-transferable tickets that have the ticket holders name printed on them cannot be resold.
- Some event organizers opt out of having their tickets on the face value exchange.
- Free tickets and complimentary tickets are generally not eligible.
- If a ticket seller lowered the price below face value when posting the resale, the ticket will appear at the lower resale price instead.
So unless otherwise noted, most paid event tickets sold on Ticketmaster have the face value exchange option enabled. Sellers will see the “Sell at Face Value” button when listing their tickets.
How is Ticketmaster’s face value exchange different from their regular resale platform?
Ticketmaster has two separate ticket resale options:
- Face Value Exchange – Described above, this allows reselling tickets at the original face value price printed on the tickets.
- Ticketmaster Resale Marketplace – This is Ticketmaster’s general secondary resale marketplace where tickets can be resold at any price set by the seller, similar to sites like StubHub.
On the standard resale platform, Ticketmaster charges service fees to both the sellers and buyers. But on the Face Value Exchange, they waive their fees since the tickets are being resold at face value.
The Face Value Exchange is specifically intended to discourage sellers from reselling tickets at higher marked up prices. It incentivizes reselling tickets at more fair and predictable face value prices.
What events use Ticketmaster’s face value exchange?
Hundreds of major concerts, sporting events, theater shows, and other live events use the face value exchange on Ticketmaster. Some examples include:
- NBA games
- NFL games
- MLB games
- Broadway shows in NYC
- Popular concert tours like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Elton John, etc.
- Music festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits
- WWE Wrestling events
- Theater shows like Hamilton, Wicked, Lion King, etc.
The full list depends on the venues and event organizers that partner with Ticketmaster. But most major live entertainment events that sell tickets through Ticketmaster will have the face value exchange enabled.
How do I resell tickets on Ticketmaster’s face value exchange?
Reselling tickets on the face value exchange is easy. Just follow these steps:
- Log into your Ticketmaster account and access your ticket listing.
- Click “Sell” next to the ticket listing you want to resell.
- Choose the option “Sell at Face Value” when listing the ticket.
- Double check the listed price matches the original price you paid.
- Ticketmaster will walk you through the rest of the steps to list the tickets.
Make sure to double check the Face Value option is selected, otherwise your tickets may be listed at higher prices on their standard resale marketplace.
How do I buy face value tickets on Ticketmaster?
Here is the process for finding and buying face value tickets on Ticketmaster’s exchange:
- Search for the event you want tickets for on Ticketmaster.
- Check the main ticket listing to see if standard tickets are still available from the box office.
- If the main tickets are sold out or too expensive, go to the “Resale Tickets” tab.
- Filter the listings to show “Face Value” tickets only.
- The face value tickets will be listed at the original prices paid.
- Select the tickets you want and purchase as normal.
Buying the face value resale tickets is the same as buying regular tickets from Ticketmaster. Just be sure to filter specifically for the face value option in order to see those tickets listed at their lower original prices.
What if face value tickets aren’t available?
If an event has sold out and there are no face value exchange tickets available, your options are:
- Buy standard resale tickets at market prices on Ticketmaster.
- Wait for additional batches of face value tickets if they become available later.
- Check other ticket sites like StubHub for ticket availability.
- Join the event on social media to find fans reselling extra tickets.
- Go to the box office on the day of the event to check for ticket releases.
Buying tickets from Ticketmaster’s general resale exchange or other secondary marketplaces is usually going to be your only option after face value tickets sell out. Just be prepared to pay higher prices above the original face value.
Does Ticketmaster charge fees for face value exchange tickets?
No, Ticketmaster waives all seller and buyer fees when tickets are resold on the face value exchange. The buyer pays exactly the original face value price with no extra fees added.
However, other normal fees still apply like:
- Facility fees or venue fees
- Order processing fees
- Taxes and other local fees
So the base price for the tickets will be face value. There just may be some nominal additional fees that the ticket buyer has to pay on top.
Is Ticketmaster’s face value exchange available for all events?
No, the face value exchange is an optional feature that venues or event organizers have to opt into when partnering with Ticketmaster. It is not enabled universally for all tickets.
Typically major professional sports leagues, prime concert tours, and big theater shows will have the face value exchange enabled. Smaller local events may not.
Fans can check if the exchange is available when purchasing tickets. There will be a “Sell at Face Value” option visible when reselling tickets if the face value exchange is turned on.
Does Ticketmaster have an API for face value exchange?
Yes, Ticketmaster provides API access to their Face Value Exchange platform for approved partners and developers. The Face Value Exchange API allows applications to:
- List face value tickets for resale
- Search for face value ticket listings
- Purchase face value tickets
- Get order and listing status
Developers can leverage the API to build custom ticket resale applications and experiences integrated with Ticketmaster’s exchange. Access requires approval and onboarding with Ticketmaster.
Conclusion
Ticketmaster’s Face Value Exchange provides a much fairer, more transparent way for fans to resell and buy tickets to live events. By cutting out predatory resellers, it makes ticket buying a better experience for everyone. Fans save money and avoid getting ripped off by inflated secondary market prices.
The program is being adopted at more and more major concerts, sporting events, and theater shows. While availability of face value tickets isn’t guaranteed, fans should always check Ticketmaster first for the chance at face value pricing before paying higher prices elsewhere.
