Expect some drama outside the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington before the first World Series matchup there Saturday.
"I guarantee there will be people in tears being turned away at the gate because their tickets don't work," said Hank Wendorf, president of Ticketsource.com.Computer technology now allows a genuine ticket to be transferred digitally using bar codes. But that leaves behind a once-valid paper ticket that a scam artist will sell -- along with computer printout versions, Wendorf warned.While the American League Championship Series against Detroit didn't generate prices as high as last year's duel against the Yankees, World Series tickets -- especially in the stratospheric seating -- are selling strong, rising from $375 and $400 for a reserved seat to about $475 and $500."People are just trying to find the most affordable ticket they can, and that has dragged the market up on the low end," Wendorf said. "I wish I had held on to more to sell later.""It's pure economics -- supply and demand," said Joellen Ferrer, a spokeswoman for StubHub, the online ticket broker that is the official resale partner of Major League Baseball.And that means Rangers fans are hungrier than Cardinals fans, paying about double the price for tickets at their respective home fields, Ferrer said in a call from San Francisco. Moreover, just 2 percent of ticket buyers coming to Arlington for the Saturday game are from Missouri.But there are mitigating factors.The economy is better in North Texas, Wendorf said. St. Louis had a shorter market window after the playoffs. Then there's the cold, wet weather in Missouri.That said, the market for Arlington games softened somewhat Thursday after the Rangers lost the opener, dropping about 10 percent across the board, the Ticketsource chief said. Prices offered for seats in the first 25 rows had fallen earlier -- going from $2,000 to about $1,400 Wednesday, he said. Overall, ticket prices are about the same as they were last year against the Giants.Even with Thursday's drop in prices, one Ranger fan was not tempted."If I am going to pay for tickets starting at more than $300, I want good seats," said Cole Barker, 31, an independent delivery contractor for FedEx Ground, adding that he wouldn't pay that much to sit in the upper deck.For Mike McKenzie, 51, a Bell Helicopter graphic designer, seeing a World Series game is a "bucket list" item he ticked off last year and will eagerly repeat Saturday night. But he and his wife, Lindy, will likely make money dealing in tickets.When two friends opted out of a joint purchase this year, Lindy McKenzie insisted that they buy a 20-game miniplan on their own, allowing them to purchase playoff and series tickets. They're keeping Saturday's and have sold tickets to Sunday's game. The tickets cost the McKenzies $200 each and fetched them $750.If there's a Game 5 on Monday, the total proceeds will likely cover their outlay for tickets all year -- but not official team T-shirts, ballcaps and a bright red playoff hoodie, bought Thursday at the Rangers store in downtown Fort Worth for $75."I hope it's cold enough Saturday for me to wear it," Lindy McKenzie said. They own about 10 caps between them.The Fort Worth couple recognizes that not too long ago, playing the secondary ticket market wouldn't be so easy.As for last-minute buyers, the Better Business Bureau of Fort Worth and Tarrant County advises that deals be struck with people they've done business with before. And be wary of ticket peddlers in parking lots, says Shae Moore, a BBB spokeswoman.Wendorf suggests dealing with places that have a bricks-and-mortar presence and buy with a credit card, which will afford some protection should tickets turn out to be fake."If a ticket is undervalued, there's probably a reason for it," he said.Barry Shlachter, 817-390-7718Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
