By Tracy F. Harris
When tickets went on sale for U of L’s Final Four game Thursday morning, a group of about 20 people lined the sidewalks across from Papa John’s stadium looking to buy them. Some were brokers, some were fans, but nearly all had signs. And none of them wanted to cough up their names.
“None of us want to spend the night in the clink,” said one man, who refused to give his name while down on Floyd Street.
One, the broker that doesn’t want to end up in jail, said he and his partner were trying to get tickets for their clients, who included, “American Express … ESPN … Sports Illustrated,” he said.
As brokers, their price range depended on the client, he said, but he wouldn’t nail down a number. When asked, even $2,000 sounded possible.
But that kind of budget wasn’t available to a couple of fans down the street: The duo’s spokesman, who was called “Bill” by his partner, said they’d pay $500 or $1,000 for lower-level seats.
Also, someone on http://www.thefacebook.com posted a message offering up to $2,000 for tickets, and sellers on Ebay were offering lower-level pairs of tickets along with a hotel suite for a little over $2,000.
As for going to the “clink,” Department of Public Safety Maj. Kenny Brown said that cannot legally happen.
Because of university policy, the group across from the stadium couldn’t be on campus property — which the broker bemoaned.
“Every year they push us farther and farther down,” he said.
One potential buyer offered the author of this piece $100 to walk him across the street to the ticket office so he could talk to the people over there. When his offer was refused, he became angry and said, “Why won’t anybody around here take my money?”
Brown said DPS made several passes down Floyd Street Thursday and ordered several people to move off campus property; to the other side of the street.
Selling or buying tickets isn’t illegal. Scalping, however, is. By technical definition, according to the Kentucky Revised Statutes, scalping is offering or selling tickets at a price greater than the face value or original sale price. Selling tickets for more than they’re worth is a legal violation, the lowest level of crime, and punishable only by a fine. Buyers, according to state statutes, cannot be punished at all. And, to fine a scalper, police must actually catch them in the act.
Most of the potential buyers didn’t seem very committed to their mission. At 9:30 a.m., there were about 25 people across from the stadium. At 10:45 a.m., there were no more than 20. At 2 p.m., the crowd had dwindled to less than 10. Bill and his partner were gone by 2 p.m., and they had said today was the only day they were coming out.
Tracy F. Harris is a sophomore majoring in Communication and is the Assistant Managing editor for The Louisville Cardinal. E-mail her at: tharris@louisvillecardinal.com
