OT: Ticket Thread - 2018/19 (Make sure to read rules on post 1 before posting tix!)

[talkinaway]

I'm assuming this info regarding PDF removal is legit; I haven't been able to verify it. It's certainly reasonable: the Red Sox recently made their own secondary market, and have eliminated most PDF tickets, I think. (Can you get PDFs via Replay? I couldn't figure out how, the last time I went.)

I'm not really surprised that the Bs are making it more difficult to sell on SH. This war started around early 2014, when they wouldn't allow pdfs to be scanned on the phone.

It's kabuki theater/PR stuff that makes them say it's to "prevent fraud for buyers". In fact, my guess is the most common ticket fraud is actually someone online buying a valid secondary market ticket from an unofficial source (ie StubHub/Ace), and then claiming it was bad when it really wasn't to take advantage of any "money back guarantees". (NB: If you do this, you're scum. Just as scummy as people who knowingly put duplicate/fake tickets online.)

It's quite possible that the Bruins ticket staff is getting overwhelmed with calls from angry primary buyers. When this "buyer fraud" happens, StubHub will claw back the buyer's payment from the seller back to the buyer in order to refund the buyer, and can slap on a hefty fine. So, the fraudster buyer gets the ticket for free (and possibly a discount/coupon from StubHub as an apology), while the honest seller is out both the ticket, the cash, AND has to pay a fine to StubHub. This honest seller then calls the Bs ticket office, livid that their buyer (supposedly) couldn't get in, and that they didn't get cash for their transaction. The Bs have no interest in spending time/effort on support to proving you or StubHub with proof that your fraudster seller was at the Garden. They'd prefer you to sell your ticket as a "red" ticket on TicketExchange, the official site.

Their solution is to eliminate PDFs, so that only QR codes and hard tickets work. Hard tickets can be physically examined for fraud, although I somehow doubt the crack team who check in about 200 people per minute (I'm assuming 2/3 people pass through the Garden gates in their busiest hour) would be able to crack down on a well-done fake hard ticket.

QR codes do make sense in theory, since they can make new numbers each time the ticket is transferred, and they can keep a log of where your ticket is going. However, I wonder how late you can transfer a ticket to a friend - they have to have a cutoff at some point, because those scanners have to be programmed with the proper barcodes for that night's game. I know TicketExchange stops fairly early - 2-4 hours before the game, IIRC.

 

[Kate08]

We have a 10 game pack for the Red Sox and our tickets are PDF.

 

[Seidenbergy]

We have a 10 game pack for the Red Sox and our tickets are PDF.

Every Sox game for me this year has been with pdf tix from either stubhub or ace.

 

[sisu]

in the previous ticket thread this was discussed, and at least at that time the understanding from multiple reps was that if you opted for the $20 option that has hard tickets, you also got access to PDFs.

if you chose the free option, you only got mobile tickets.

 

[Bruins781]

in the previous ticket thread this was discussed, and at least at that time the understanding from multiple reps was that if you opted for the $20 option that has hard tickets, you also got access to PDFs.

if you chose the free option, you only got mobile tickets.

This is what I was told as a new season ticket holder.

 

[SpeedyLazaro]

in the previous ticket thread this was discussed, and at least at that time the understanding from multiple reps was that if you opted for the $20 option that has hard tickets, you also got access to PDFs.

if you chose the free option, you only got mobile tickets.

This is correct.

 

[Looch]

I'm assuming this info regarding PDF removal is legit; I haven't been able to verify it. It's certainly reasonable: the Red Sox recently made their own secondary market, and have eliminated most PDF tickets, I think. (Can you get PDFs via Replay? I couldn't figure out how, the last time I went.)

I'm not really surprised that the Bs are making it more difficult to sell on SH. This war started around early 2014, when they wouldn't allow pdfs to be scanned on the phone.

It's kabuki theater/PR stuff that makes them say it's to "prevent fraud for buyers". In fact, my guess is the most common ticket fraud is actually someone online buying a valid secondary market ticket from an unofficial source (ie StubHub/Ace), and then claiming it was bad when it really wasn't to take advantage of any "money back guarantees". (NB: If you do this, you're scum. Just as scummy as people who knowingly put duplicate/fake tickets online.)

It's quite possible that the Bruins ticket staff is getting overwhelmed with calls from angry primary buyers. When this "buyer fraud" happens, StubHub will claw back the buyer's payment from the seller back to the buyer in order to refund the buyer, and can slap on a hefty fine. So, the fraudster buyer gets the ticket for free (and possibly a discount/coupon from StubHub as an apology), while the honest seller is out both the ticket, the cash, AND has to pay a fine to StubHub. This honest seller then calls the Bs ticket office, livid that their buyer (supposedly) couldn't get in, and that they didn't get cash for their transaction. The Bs have no interest in spending time/effort on support to proving you or StubHub with proof that your fraudster seller was at the Garden. They'd prefer you to sell your ticket as a "red" ticket on TicketExchange, the official site.

Their solution is to eliminate PDFs, so that only QR codes and hard tickets work. Hard tickets can be physically examined for fraud, although I somehow doubt the crack team who check in about 200 people per minute (I'm assuming 2/3 people pass through the Garden gates in their busiest hour) would be able to crack down on a well-done fake hard ticket.

QR codes do make sense in theory, since they can make new numbers each time the ticket is transferred, and they can keep a log of where your ticket is going. However, I wonder how late you can transfer a ticket to a friend - they have to have a cutoff at some point, because those scanners have to be programmed with the proper barcodes for that night's game. I know TicketExchange stops fairly early - 2-4 hours before the game, IIRC.

The bold isn't accurate. If anything the Sox have made pdf'd even more available than they did int he past. In past years if you bought box office public sale tickets online as hard tickets and had them shipped to you you were stuck with hard tickets. Now even if you aren't a season ticket holder you have access to their system and can forward tickets to a friend or print them if they were purchased as hard public sale tickets. You can obviously post them to replay or stubhub electronically by uploading them as well on the day of the game if you need to.


In addition, I did receive confirmation via email around renewal time from at least one rep that pdf tickets would still be available through account manager. I do take this with a grain of salt though. As it would not be the first time an account manager has simply told you what they thought you wanted to hear at renewal time.

 

[slim04]

in the previous ticket thread this was discussed, and at least at that time the understanding from multiple reps was that if you opted for the $20 option that has hard tickets, you also got access to PDFs.

if you chose the free option, you only got mobile tickets.

This is not correct. I verified this earlier this year during the renewal process. The Bruins have done away with PDFs. Your choices are as follows:

A) All mobile. You either go in on your phone or you transfer them to someone and they go in on their phone.

B) Mobile/Hard Tickets. You get the above and you get the pretty booklet.

Unless there was a policy shift since earlier this year there will be no PDFs.

This is a bit of a problem for me as my brother will sometimes take my nephew when I can't go last minute and he doesn't have a smart phone. Actually he doesn't have any cell phone (I'm not exaggerating.) So he either needs to get a phone or I need to find a way to get him the hard tickets REALLY quick.

Why are they doing this? I haven't been given a good reason.

 

[slim04]

2016-17 Tickets For Sale

So this is what this board is for right?

Ok, here is the list of what I have right now. Here's what you need to know about the tickets:

Section - 314
Row - 9 (on the 315 side)
Face Value - $75

Here's what's available:

Preseason
Monday, September 26 @ 7:00pm – Columbus Blue Jackets - $25/ticket
Wednesday, September 28 @ 7:00pm – Detroit Red Wings - $30/ticket
Saturday, October 8 @ 5:00pm – Philadelphia Flyers - $35/ticket - ***SOLD***

Regular Season
Tuesday, October 25 @ 7:00pm – Minnesota Wild - $65/ticket
Monday, November 7 @ 7:00pm – Buffalo Sabres - $70/ticket
Thursday, November 10 @ 7:00pm – Columbus Blue Jackets - $70/ticket
Tuesday, November 22 @ 7:00pm – St Louis Blues - $75/ticket
Thursday, December 1 @ 7:00pm – Carolina Hurricanes - $65/ticket
Monday, December 5 @ 7:00pm – Florida Panthers - $75/ticket
Thursday, December 8 @ 7:00pm – Colorado Avalanche - $70/ticket
Thursday, February 9 @ 7:00pm – San Jose Sharks - $75/ticket
Tuesday, February 28 @ 7:00pm – Arizona Coyotes - $70/ticket
Tuesday, March 21 @ 7:00pm – Ottawa Senators - $70/ticket
Thursday, March 23 @ 7:00pm – Tampa Bay Lightning - $75/ticket
Tuesday, March 28 @ 7:00pm – Nashville Predators - $70/ticket
Thursday, March 30 @ 7:00pm – Dallas Stars - $75/ticket
Tuesday, April 4 @ 7:00pm – Tampa Bay Lightning - $75/ticket
Thursday, April 6 @ 7:00pm – Ottawa Senators - $75/ticket

 

[bossfan]

This is not correct. I verified this earlier this year during the renewal process. The Bruins have done away with PDFs. Your choices are as follows:

A) All mobile. You either go in on your phone or you transfer them to someone and they go in on their phone.

B) Mobile/Hard Tickets. You get the above and you get the pretty booklet.

Unless there was a policy shift since earlier this year there will be no PDFs.

This is a bit of a problem for me as my brother will sometimes take my nephew when I can't go last minute and he doesn't have a smart phone. Actually he doesn't have any cell phone (I'm not exaggerating.) So he either needs to get a phone or I need to find a way to get him the hard tickets REALLY quick.

Why are they doing this? I haven't been given a good reason.

I had an email exchange with my ticket rep today regarding another issue with my account. I asked about PDF's for this season and was told that there will be more information regarding Account Manager ticket access and PDFs in September. So I got no definitive answer.

If anyone is getting a jump start on Stubhub listings then you should list the tickets as UPS delivery and not PDF delivery until we are told what will be done for this season.

 

[talkinaway]

Wow. They just released the game plans with pricing, and...they're calling my bluff. I'd say it's about a 95% chance that I don't renew my 11-game weekend plan, and use my deposit for other tickets.

Last year, they charged $72 a ticket for the cheapest tickets. This year, they raised the price to $75. They claim upper row balcony end seats (the "worst" seats) will go for $120 as individual seats. Other than the Habs games, the Black Friday game, and a few other select games....no. Not even CLOSE. Even direct from the Bruins as a blue seat.

Additionally, somehow they've managed to water down the 11-game weekend plan while reducing the number of preseason tickets from 2 to 1. SIX matinees. I'm not kidding: the weekend plan has more games that start before 6 than after 6. No Habs games. No Black Friday game, no home opener (well, not a weekend game), no closer, no NYE game. A Monday "holiday" MLK game that'll probably be cheap. Two games in February, when the weather is terrible. Two games against...the Leafs? I mean, I suppose those would be expensive to buy, since Toronto fans travel very well...but...

And, as a personal affront, a game on my birthday is in the plan. I mean, I guess TBL and FLA should be good games, but those games usually are fairly cheap to buy anyway.

Not to mention that, frankly, tickets aren't going to be worth as much. They're blowing through their STH list. The team just isn't as good as it was in 2013-4 - I don't have that much confidence that we're a playoff team yet.

Admittedly, the game plans were HIGHLY imbalanced the past few years, and I used that to my advantage. I get why they're trying to even out the plans, putting "good" games in all 4 plans. But raise my plan by $33 this year while offering nothing new, and not having a Winter Classic as a crutch? Nope. I'll wait for my season tickets.

</rant>

 

[bossfan]

Wow. They just released the game plans with pricing, and...they're calling my bluff. I'd say it's about a 95% chance that I don't renew my 11-game weekend plan, and use my deposit for other tickets.

Last year, they charged $72 a ticket for the cheapest tickets. This year, they raised the price to $75. They claim upper row balcony end seats (the "worst" seats) will go for $120 as individual seats. Other than the Habs games, the Black Friday game, and a few other select games....no. Not even CLOSE. Even direct from the Bruins as a blue seat.

Additionally, somehow they've managed to water down the 11-game weekend plan while reducing the number of preseason tickets from 2 to 1. SIX matinees. I'm not kidding: the weekend plan has more games that start before 6 than after 6. No Habs games. No Black Friday game, no home opener (well, not a weekend game), no closer, no NYE game. A Monday "holiday" MLK game that'll probably be cheap. Two games in February, when the weather is terrible. Two games against...the Leafs? I mean, I suppose those would be expensive to buy, since Toronto fans travel very well...but...

And, as a personal affront, a game on my birthday is in the plan. I mean, I guess TBL and FLA should be good games, but those games usually are fairly cheap to buy anyway.

Not to mention that, frankly, tickets aren't going to be worth as much. They're blowing through their STH list. The team just isn't as good as it was in 2013-4 - I don't have that much confidence that we're a playoff team yet.

Admittedly, the game plans were HIGHLY imbalanced the past few years, and I used that to my advantage. I get why they're trying to even out the plans, putting "good" games in all 4 plans. But raise my plan by $33 this year while offering nothing new? Nope. I'll wait for my season tickets.

</rant>

Wow.

Raising game plan prices after missing the playoffs 2 years in a row.
Raising prices on resellers.
Blowing through the wait list partly because the new STH prices are so high.

Depending on team performance this season the next few seasons will be an interesting time to see if they go back to getting 1/2 to 3/4 full capacity crowds at games.

 

[northeastern]

in the previous ticket thread this was discussed, and at least at that time the understanding from multiple reps was that if you opted for the $20 option that has hard tickets, you also got access to PDFs.

if you chose the free option, you only got mobile tickets.

Thank you. Sorry I missed that. Hurray!

 

[RaskIsABrickWall]

Wow.

Raising game plan prices after missing the playoffs 2 years in a row.
Raising prices on resellers.
Blowing through the wait list partly because the new STH prices are so high.

Depending on team performance this season the next few seasons will be an interesting time to see if they go back to getting 1/2 to 3/4 full capacity crowds at games.

Given how prices are going up..and the play is going down..i wouldn't be surprised...with traffic on a monday night ect..the place looks empty now the first 10-15 min in anyways

 

[RaskIsABrickWall]

My Rep told me there would be no PDF's. He used the excuse that people could print off multiple ones and sell them etc. I'm pretty sure it's just to cause trouble for Stubhub.

People do this for the NFL all the time..print multiple PDfs and sell the same ones over and over..i know pats playoff games it's happened before..any big game really

 

[talkinaway]

People do this for the NFL all the time..print multiple PDfs and sell the same ones over and over..i know pats playoff games it's happened before..any big game really

I know for sure this hasn't happened for any Bruins playoff games over the past two years.

I would think this is a bit risky. If I bought a PDF that wouldn't scan, I'd want to talk to someone at the Garden dealing with box office security issues. If it's truly a multiple PDF that would have been genuine had it been scanned earlier, I imagine it would be easy to track back who "owns" the seat as the primary buyer, and figure out why they sold it twice.

That's the one reason selling online via an unofficial secondary market makes me a little nervous: I'm honest, but the guy who buys my ticket may sell it three times. Now you've got two people who go to the Bruins box office, look up the name attached to the seat, and...it's me.

Of course, I could go to StubHub and they could track the buyer, etc. But at some point, the "chain of custody" could break down. Plus, there IS the issue of completely fake PDFs - use an old barcode from 2013, and editing the seat number to whatever you want it to be. There's really no way that could be tracked. And, again, these people are SCUM.

Granted, PDFs are convenient. I can't send my dad to Sox games with Red Sox Replay tickets, because while he has a smartphone, if I were to train him to use the app to show a ticket, I'd have to go through the concussion protocol after hitting my head on the table repeatedly. The system the Bs use is marginally easier, but I always feel better sending him with a sheet of paper.

 

[Sec311Row6]

Wednesday, September 28 @ 7:00pm – Detroit Red Wings
Opening Night October 20t @ 7:00pm - NJ Devils

$189 total for 2 tickets to each game

Sec 310 row 7 aisle

 

[Le Tricolore]

Hey guys, has their been any announcement of when the single game tickets go on sale?

 

[talkinaway]

Hey guys, has their been any announcement of when the single game tickets go on sale?

Single tickets directly from the Bruins usually go on sale relatively late compared to other teams. Looking in my last year's email, the general sale was on 9/4/15, I believe - the first Friday of September. They have to do it after their game plan sale, I imagine, and I'm pretty sure the first four days of the week are presales for the premium club, STHs, and game plan holders.

 

[Seidenbergy]

Buying tix directly from the team through ticketmaster is almost always a horrible idea. Stubhub and even Aceticket are cheaper and typically have far better seats.

 

[Son of Donegal]

Hi there.

I am interested in buying 8 tickets (seats side by side) to any Thursday or weekend game. Game has to be after November 4th, however. This will be my gift to the groomsmen in my wedding. Budget is $100 per ticket.

Any good leads out there?

 

[talkinaway]

Buying tix directly from the team through ticketmaster is almost always a horrible idea. Stubhub and even Aceticket are cheaper and typically have far better seats.

I was only answering what was asked. But, yeah, tickets via SH are probably the way to go. You can get some decent deals on TM when the red circle re-sales come. And if you're going solo, sooooometimes the Bruins do blue circle single seat sales. But even then, it's not that great - balcony for $70 (even for a weekend premium), high corner loge for $100, and club seats for $170 were the prices last year IIRC...not including fees, and they are "stranded" seats. If you can wait until at least week before the game, it usually gets better in terms of pricing.

 

[bruins309]

Given how prices are going up..and the play is going down..i wouldn't be surprised...with traffic on a monday night ect..the place looks empty now the first 10-15 min in anyways

That probably has more to do with the Security Theater going on at the entrance, you know, to "protect" the public. Even though it is way more likely that someone would pull something outside the gates with the large mass of people there. Have to make sure no one is sneaking in water, right?

 

[Le Tricolore]

Single tickets directly from the Bruins usually go on sale relatively late compared to other teams. Looking in my last year's email, the general sale was on 9/4/15, I believe - the first Friday of September. They have to do it after their game plan sale, I imagine, and I'm pretty sure the first four days of the week are presales for the premium club, STHs, and game plan holders.

So about the same as the Habs'. Good stuff. Thanks.

Buying tix directly from the team through ticketmaster is almost always a horrible idea. Stubhub and even Aceticket are cheaper and typically have far better seats.

Really? StubHub cheaper than the actual "face value"? That's weird. I'll keep an eye out, though.

Thanks, guys! With the cost of the tickets at the Bell Centre, I'd rather just pay a little more and make a weekend trip to Boston out of it. I love your city. Some amazing bars!

 

[Seidenbergy]

Really? StubHub cheaper than the actual "face value"? That's weird. I'll keep an eye out, though.

Because the ticketmaster "public sale" prices aren't true "face value". They are 2-3 times what season ticket holders pay for the same seats, so season ticket holders can sell for a lot less on stubhub and still make a profit.