Ticket resale through Ticketmaster is an option that allows ticket holders to resell event tickets they can no longer use. This provides a safe and legitimate way for fans to recoup costs on unused tickets and for other fans to obtain tickets to sold out events. Here is an overview of how ticket resale works on Ticketmaster and the benefits it provides.
How Ticket Resale Works on Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster facilitates ticket resale through its Ticketmaster Resale platform. This is an online marketplace where fans can resell event tickets they can no longer use. It provides a secure way for sellers to resell tickets at fair market value and for buyers to obtain authentic event tickets.
For popular and high-demand events, Ticketmaster will often release an initial block of tickets. Once those tickets sell out, the company will then release more tickets at a later date through its Verified Resale program. This helps ensure fans have access to authentic resale tickets for in-demand events.
Here is an overview of how the Ticketmaster resale process works:
- Sellers can list event tickets they wish to resell through their Ticketmaster account. All they need to do is select the event and tickets they want to relist.
- Ticketmaster adds the tickets to its Resale Marketplace where buyers can search and purchase them.
- Buyers purchase resale tickets just like normal tickets through Ticketmaster’s website or mobile app.
- Once purchased, the original tickets are invalidated and new tickets are generated for the buyer.
- Sellers receive payment (minus a commission) after the event passes and tickets are verified as unused.
This provides a protected purchase process for both buyers and sellers. Tickets must be verified as authentic before purchase. Buyers are guaranteed valid tickets. Sellers are guaranteed payment once tickets go unused.
Seller Benefits
For sellers, Ticketmaster Resale provides these main benefits:
- Easy resale platform – Sellers can conveniently relist tickets through their Ticketmaster account.
- Fair value – Ticketmaster allows fair market pricing based on demand. No more undervalued tickets.
- Large buyer network – Tickets get maximum exposure on Ticketmaster’s high traffic marketplace.
- Secure transactions – Payments are held until after the event when tickets are verified unused.
Buyer Benefits
For buyers, the key benefits of Ticketmaster Resale are:
- Access to more tickets – Fans gain access to tickets for sold out events.
- Authentic tickets – All resale tickets are 100% guaranteed by Ticketmaster.
- Fair prices – Market-based pricing means tickets reflect true demand.
- Secure delivery – New tickets are generated and delivered electronically to fans.
Types of Events with Ticket Resale
Ticketmaster Resale can offer tickets to any event created through Ticketmaster. This includes all major event categories such as:
- Concerts – All types from major rock concerts to indie shows.
- Theater – Broadway and other popular stage productions.
- Sports – Major league games including NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS.
- Vegas shows – Popular Las Vegas concerts, comedy acts, and residency shows.
- Festivals – Major annual festivals for jazz, food, and more.
The key is that the original tickets must have been issued via Ticketmaster. As long as that’s the case, fans can resell tickets to any event they can no longer attend.
Most Commonly Resold Events
While all Ticketmaster events are eligible, here are some of the most commonly resold event tickets on Ticketmaster Resale:
- NFL games
- NBA games
- Concerts by major pop/rock artists like Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and The Weeknd
- Music festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits
- Broadway blockbusters like Hamilton, Wicked, Lion King
High demand events with scarcity of tickets tend to see the most resale activity. Fans unable to attend resell, while others eagerly buy the tickets.
How Much Does it Cost to Resell Tickets?
Ticketmaster does charge a fee to sellers who resell event tickets on their platform. This covers the costs of operating the marketplace and providing buyer and seller protections.
The exact resale fee depends on a couple factors:
- Event type – Fees vary based on the event category such as NFL, concert, or theater.
- Ticket price – Higher cost tickets incur a higher total fee, but fee is capped at $50 max.
On average, sellers pay a fee in the range of about 10-20% of the resale price. So a $100 ticket would incur about a $10 – $20 fee. Sports events tend to have higher fees while theater and festival fees are lower.
While the fees do add up, sellers can view the expected payout before listing their tickets. This allows them to price tickets at a level that covers the fees and supplies their desired profit.
Seller Fee Examples
| Event Type | Ticket Price | Estimated Fee |
|---|---|---|
| NFL Football | $250 | $25 (10%) |
| NBA Basketball | $100 | $15 (15%) |
| Broadway Show | $75 | $10 (13%) |
Sellers will want to factor these estimated fees into their pricing decisions. Naturally, very high demand events allow for higher resale prices to offset the fees.
How Do Sellers Get Paid?
One key part of Ticketmaster’s resale process is that sellers do not get paid right away when tickets resell. Instead, the ticket sales are placed into a holding account.
Payment is not released to the seller until after the event date when Ticketmaster verifies the tickets went unused. This important protection ensures tickets being resold are valid.
Once Ticketmaster completes its verification, the resale earnings, minus fees, are released to the seller. Payments are typically issued 1-2 weeks after the event’s conclusion using the original payment method.
Resale Payment Process
- Tickets are listed for resale by seller
- Buyer purchases tickets through Ticketmaster Resale
- Payment is held by Ticketmaster until after event date
- Ticketmaster verifies tickets were unused
- Seller is paid resale price minus fees
This sequence guarantees tickets are valid before the seller gets paid. It provides protection against fraud for buyers.
Top Payment Methods
Ticketmaster allows several payment methods to collect resale earnings. The most commonly used options include:
- Direct bank transfer – Funds deposited into the seller’s bank account on file.
- PayPal – Transfers made to linked PayPal account.
- Ticketmaster gift card – Card is loaded with resale balance.
- Mailed check – For sellers wanting payment by physical check.
Sellers specify their preferred payout method when first listing tickets for resale on the platform.
Are There Limits on Resale Ticketing?
To protect fair access to tickets, Ticketmaster does implement some limits on how reselling can be done on their platform.
First, sellers are limited to posting no more than 200 tickets for resale across all events in any given month. This prevents mass resellers from monopolizing too many tickets.
Ticketmaster also prohibits the resale of tickets acquired via special discount or allotment programs. These ticket blocks are reserved for specific groups like fan club members or corporate sponsors.
Beyond those rules, any properly acquired Ticketmaster tickets can be resold in accordance with the company’s policies.
Key Resale Limits
- 200 ticket per month maximum
- No resale of special discount tickets
- Must abide by all Ticketmaster terms
These restrictions aim to maintain fair ticket availability while permitting normal resale activity.
Can Tickets Transfer to a New Buyer?
For most events, tickets resold on Ticketmaster cannot be transferred again to another new buyer. The reason is that Ticketmaster voids the original tickets and generates new ones for the first buyer.
However, it is possible to transfer tickets in limited cases. The event must explicitly allow for “ticket forwarding” from the original buyer to someone else. In these cases only the new “forwarded” ticket holder will be allowed admission to the event, not the original buyer.
Below are the key criteria enabling ticket forwarding:
- The event must allow forwarding. This is uncommon.
- The tickets must be forwarded, not resold, to a recipient.
- Tickets can only be forwarded once. Recipient cannot transfer again.
- Original buyer loses ticket rights upon forwarding.
Given the restrictions, ticket transfers or forwarding with Ticketmaster resales is extremely limited. Buyers should not plan on being able to resend tickets.
Can You Resell Tickets at Any Time?
Ticketmaster does limit when tickets can be posted for resale on their marketplace. Sellers cannot list tickets for resale until a defined time period before the event.
The specific resale start date depends on the event type and ticket demand. For very high demand events, resale may open up months in advance. For lower demand events, it may open closer to the event date.
Similarly, there is a cutoff for resale listings a few days before an event starts. No new tickets can be listed or sold within 72 hours of the event’s start time.
Here are some examples of when resale listings may open up and close for different event categories:
| Event Type | Resale Start | Resale End |
|---|---|---|
| Major NFL game | 2 months before | 72 hours before |
| NBA playoff game | 1 month before | 72 hours before |
| Broadway show | 1 week before | 72 hours before |
Sellers should be aware of these start and end windows when utilizing Ticketmaster’s resale platform.
Can Tickets be Transferred to a New Owner?
With Ticketmaster’s verified resale process, once a ticket resells to a new buyer the original ticket held by the seller is invalidated and void. The old ticket cannot be transferred or used to gain entry anymore.
Instead, the buyer receives a wholly new ticket issued directly by Ticketmaster. This new ticket is registered to the buyer and directly linked to their Ticketmaster account.
The new tickets have a new barcode and ticket ID. The old ticket and its barcode become useless. Only the newly issued ticket works for admission.
This process protects both sellers and buyers:
- Sellers are guaranteed old tickets cannot be used once resold.
- Buyers are assured newly purchased tickets are valid.
In summary, Ticketmaster resale involves issuing new tickets to buyers that fully replace old seller tickets.
Ticket Transfer Process
- Original ticket holder posts ticket for resale
- Interested buyer purchases the resale ticket
- Original ticket is invalidated by Ticketmaster
- Ticketmaster generates new ticket for the buyer
- Only new ticket is valid for admission
Conclusion
In summary, Ticketmaster Resale offers a legitimate, protected marketplace for fans to resell and buy tickets. Sellers recoup costs on unused tickets while buyers gain access to in-demand events.
The process involves sellers listing tickets, buyers purchasing, and Ticketmaster verifying before payment. New tickets are generated for buyers that void and replace old seller tickets.
While reseller fees, limits, and deadlines apply, the platform enables convenient and secure ticket exchange through its trusted brand.
