What is Restrictive Paperless Ticketing?
Restrictive paperless ticketing is a way for sports teams, venues, concert promoters and ticket issuers like Ticketmaster to keep their hands in your pocket – limiting what you can do with the tickets you buy and squeezing you for more fees.
How does it work?
There are two ways restrictive paperless tickets work:
No More Ticket Transfers: When you buy a ticket, it is tied directly to your credit card and your photo ID. You’ll need that same credit card and photo ID to get inside the event, making it impossible to give away or sell tickets when you have to back out, or even to distribute tickets among friends in advance so each can arrive separately and meet at your seats.
Restricted Ticket Transfers: When you are allowed to transfer or resell tickets, there are strict conditions. Ticketmaster, for example, says that all exchanges of paperless tickets must be through its system, where you can be stuck selling at prices dictated by the team or event producer. And of course there are “convenience fees” and no options to choose a less expensive ticket exchange.
What if my credit card is cancelled, expired or stolen?
You may be able to gain entry to an event by having your credit card company verify your identity; however, some fans with lost or stolen credit cards have encountered lengthy delays and hassles at the gate.
What if I purchased tickets as a gift? Will the recipient be able to get in?
Ticketmaster’s website (www.ticketmaster.com/paperless) suggests that if you want to purchase tickets as a gift you use the recipient’s credit card to ensure they can get in. Now that’s a great way to give someone a gift.
What happens if my party arrives separately?
If you bought tickets for a group of friends it can be very difficult to get into the venue because you cannot distribute tickets ahead of time. Your entire party must be present at the gate when you present your credit card and ID. (Some teams have offered an exception, but they require you to register each friend – including with a credit card number – on the team’s website.)
If I can’t make it to the game or concert, can I sell my ticket?
You might be able to sell your ticket, but only through a service that the ticker issuer approves. For example, if you bought a paperless ticket through Ticketmaster, you can only sell that ticket through its Ticket Exchange subsidiary and Ticketmaster may charge additional fees.
Can I give a paperless ticket as a gift?
Not easily. Because paperless tickets are tied to your credit card and photo ID, you must show up at the venue, along with the fan you are giving the ticket to, so that she can get into the event.
Who is using paperless tickets?
A growing number of sports teams and artists have used paperless tickets, including:
Sports Teams
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- San Francisco 49ers
- Atlanta Braves
- Boston Red Sox
- Houston Astros
- Cleveland Indians
- Seattle Mariners
Artists
- AC/DC
- Arcade Fire
- The Black Keys
- Bruce Springsteen
- Death Cab for Cutie
- Dropkick Murphys
- Iron Maiden
- Jack Johnson
- Jason Mraz
- John Mayer
- Justin Bieber
- Kid Rock
- Kings of Leon
- Metallica
- Michael Bublé
- Miley Cyrus
- Mumford & Sons
- Nine Inch Nails
- Paul Simon
- Radiohead
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Soundgarden
- Thom Yorke
- Tom Waits
- Widespread Panic