New city plan will help fans, hurt scalpers

Tonight, coinciding with the Pirates’ home opener, the city of Pittsburgh will unveil its… Tonight, coinciding with the Pirates’ home opener, the city of Pittsburgh will unveil its newest weapon in the war on ticket scalping. The “no scalping zone,” a rectangular space between PNC Park and Heinz Field, will now be available for fans to buy and sell tickets at face value or less. City councilman William Peduto presented the idea after seeing a similar zone near Camden Yards in Baltimore. It’s an interesting idea that may do some good, but it can’t be counted on to solve the whole problem.

Peduto stresses that the zone is designed for fans, not scalpers. People who show up on game day with a few extra tickets can meet up with those who are a few tickets short, and the two groups can do business legally without anyone getting ripped off. The zone makes it possible for fans to work out their ticket problems together without consulting – or being hassled by – scalpers.

The “no scalping zone” has potential for success when cracking down on scalpers because it takes them out of the equation. This tactic is certainly a step up from the city’s last attempt, a two-year experiment in scalper licenses. The city provided scalpers with badges so they could sell tickets openly, but also assumed they would adhere to state laws by reselling tickets for face value or less. The scalpers didn’t seem to understand the fine print, and sports fans continued to get shafted.

By creating a space for fans to buy and sell tickets – with some police supervision – the city will be doing them a service. This will be an area where fans can feel comfortable and less at risk of losing money. In theory, scalpers could still sell tickets in the zone for high prices, but odds are good that they would be caught, because fans are no longer resigned to paying high prices.

No matter how effective the project proves to be, scalpers will still be selling. The “no-scalping zone” assumes that its supply will meet demand for every game, and this won’t always be the case. If the Steelers continue to consistently sell out Heinz Field and the Pirates play well someday, there will be games when tickets are scalped – not just by professional scalpers, but by ticket holders hoping to make a profit outside the zone.

Ticket scalping may not be Pittsburgh’s biggest problem, but the city has proven its dedication to fighting it. While scalping may never be dismissed completely, the “no scalping zone” will help to offset it.