There are a few reasons why you may not be able to sell your Padres tickets on Ticketmaster. The main reasons are:
Ticket Transfer Restrictions
Many teams, including the Padres, have started putting more restrictions on ticket transfers and resale through Ticketmaster. This is an effort to crack down on scalpers and brokers buying up tickets and reselling them at inflated prices. Some common ticket transfer restrictions include:
- Requiring season ticket holders to use Ticketmaster’s SafeTix system which ties each ticket to the original buyer’s name and credit card.
- Not allowing print-at-home ticket transfers through Ticketmaster at all.
- Limiting the number of times a single ticket can be transferred.
- Requiring the original ticket purchaser to be present with ID for entry.
These types of restrictions can make it very difficult or impossible to resell your Padres tickets through Ticketmaster. The tickets are basically locked to your account. This is frustrating for fans who have legitimate reasons for needing to resell like schedule changes or illness. But from the Padres’ perspective, it helps cut down on scalping activities.
Padres Reselling Restrictions
In addition to Ticketmaster’s policies, the Padres themselves have placed extra restrictions on reselling tickets through the 2022 season. Some of these restrictions include:
- Completely turning off the transfer/resale function in Ticketmaster for certain high demand games like Dodgers vs Padres.
- Limiting season ticket holders to only being able to post a certain number of their seats for resale through Ticketmaster per game.
- Only allowing resale at face value prices.
Again, these are anti-scalping measures intended to help more “real” fans get access to Padres tickets. But it also blocks genuine ticket holders from reselling easily. The Padres essentially want full control over all transfers and resales.
Using Other Resale Sites
Because of the Ticketmaster restrictions, many Padres ticket holders have resorted to using third-party resale sites like StubHub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, etc. These sites don’t have the same restrictions and allow buyers and sellers more freedom.
However, there are some downsides to avoiding Ticketmaster altogether:
- Season ticket holders often get prohibited from renewing their tickets if the team sees they’ve used third party sites.
- Tickets sold on third party sites run the risk of being invalid if they go against the transfer policies.
- You’ll pay higher seller fees on third party sites.
Tips for Selling Padres Tickets
If you’re a Padres ticket holder trying to resell your seats, here are some tips to follow:
- Understand all of the Padres and Ticketmaster resale restrictions in advance. Check the fine print before listing.
- List your tickets as early as possible. Demand dies down right before game time.
- Consider using Platinum seating or rivalry series against popular opponents like the Dodgers to get higher resale value.
- Price your tickets below market value to attract buyers quickly.
- Responsibly transfer tickets to buyers you know rather than anonymously reselling.
- Sell in proper designated resale zones outside Petco Park right before first pitch if needed.
While Ticketmaster resale can be restrictive, there are still ways to safely and legally transfer Padres tickets when needed. The key is understanding the limitations in place and working strategically within them.
Alternatives to Reselling Padres Tickets
If reselling Padres tickets through Ticketmaster or third party sites seems too difficult, here are some alternative options to consider instead of letting the seats go unused:
Gift Tickets to Friends and Family
Transferring extra Padres tickets to friends and family members for free is usually unlimited. Most transfer restrictions only apply to for-profit resales. So consider giving unused tickets as gifts if you can’t resell.
Donate Tickets
The Padres work with charities like Military Ticket Foundation that accept donated tickets and distribute them to veterans and military families. Donating gives you a tax deduction and helps a good cause.
Advertise Tickets Locally
Posting about extra tickets in local community Facebook groups, NextDoor, Craigslist, etc can help connect you to interested fans in the San Diego area looking for last minute seats.
Eat the Cost
If your extra tickets are occasional and lower value games, just eating the cost and not going can be easier than trying to resell within the tight restrictions.
Find Ticket Trading Groups
Some season ticket holders create private ticket trading groups to swap tickets between themselves for different games. This allows more flexibility without having to use public resale sites.
While eating unused tickets is frustrating, there are still creative ways to find alternatives when you can’t resell Padres seats easily. With some effort, nothing should go to waste.
Conclusion
Selling Padres tickets on Ticketmaster has become extremely challenging due to stringent transfer and resale policies meant to deter scalpers. Season ticket holders are most impacted, often prevented from recouping investments on unused games. Still, fans have options like using third party resellers, giving or donating tickets, or trading within private groups. While not always easy, Padres fans in good faith can usually find ways to safely pass along extra tickets when needed.