Scalping tickets for Obama's University of Michigan speech? Don't even think about it, U-M says
The University of Michigan wants to block scalpers from profiting off President Barack Obama's May 1 commencement speech at Michigan Stadium.
The university today released information on how it plans to distribute tickets for Obama's speech and emphasized "selling tickets is considered scalping and is punishable by law."
President Barack Obama plans to speak May 1 at the University of Michigan's commencement ceremony. Ticket scalpers are already trying to profit of his speech. AP Photo | Charles Charapak
AP Photo | Charles Charapak
But with the university limiting tickets to eight per undergraduate and four per grad student, some students are already seeking to capitalize on demand for tickets among the general public.
Several unidentified sellers have posted advertisements on craigslist with hopes of making a quick buck.
One person is offering to sell four tickets at $80 apiece - or all four for $300. Another is offering to sell four tickets for $50 each. Still another posted a price of $65 but is willing to consider offers.
"HEAR PRESIDENT OBAMA SPEAK!!" one craigslist seller writes. "He's coming to the University of Michigan's 2010 Commencement Ceremony and speaking at Michigan Stadium! Don't miss this opportunity-I have 4 EXTRA TICKETS! They are $50 a piece!!"
The university is not amused.
Tickets are free, and under state law, selling them for a profit is illegal.
"It is expected that students only will take the tickets needed for family and friends, and that they will not sell them. These tickets are considered the property of U-M, and therefore, are not to be sold. University policy states: 'Any attempt to sell, resell, donate or otherwise exchange commencement tickets for anything of value will result in your ticket(s) being revoked,'" the university said in its press release.
An informal market for commencement tickets is hardly unusual. Students with large families often find themselves pleading with their friends for additional tickets.
This is a bad year to have a big family.
But that isn't stopping some people from trying to land tickets on craigslist.
One craigslist poster writes: "Former UM student looking for 2 tickets to the commencement speech at
the Big House, May 1 Obama speaking. My cousin and another friend are
graduating from Rackham this year -- they only get 4 tickets each, but
my wife and I would still really like to go.
"Let me know if you have a couple extra and we can work out fair compensation for your troubles."
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Comments
Snarf Oscar Boondoggle
Wed, Apr 7, 2010 : 11:05 a.m.
wellllllllll, "theatre, circus, athletic grounds, or place of public entertainment or amusement" certainly covers all of dear leader's tickets. i wonder which will predominate this time? no wonder they can't be sold.
Blue79
Tue, Apr 6, 2010 : 11:32 a.m.
You have to love the irony of capitalism at work to listen to a socialist!
MjC
Tue, Apr 6, 2010 : 11:06 a.m.
I'd prefer Obama use a teleprompter as opposed to having it scrawled out on the palm of his hand. But back to the story at hand - can't one sell a UM t-shirt that just happens to come with a free ticket to this event? Is that legal?
FreedomLover
Mon, Apr 5, 2010 : 11:42 p.m.
Maybe the university could turn this into an Obama fund raiser and sell any extra tickets to rich Democrats. Would that be illegal?
genericreg
Mon, Apr 5, 2010 : 10:06 p.m.
Easy way around this: offer a piece of your 'art' for sale. Included in every sale is a FREE ticket.
81wolverine
Mon, Apr 5, 2010 : 6:32 p.m.
The article headline shouts "don't even think about it!". But really, what will U-M do to enforce the rule? Football tickets are scalped by professionals on all the roads leading up to the stadium and no one seems to care. Not to mention stubhub.com. Unless Michigan is willing to pay the piper and enforce the rules, talk is cheap.
treetowncartel
Mon, Apr 5, 2010 : 3:16 p.m.
Oh, and i forgot to add if they treated these like student fotball tickets then they couldn't be sclaped and the feds could do some background checks. That might eliminate the need for a few of the snipers watching the crowd too.
treetowncartel
Mon, Apr 5, 2010 : 2:37 p.m.
Now is anyone wondering why the FBI rounded up the Hutaree? I wonder how many snipers will be trying out those new luxury suites.
Lokalisierung
Mon, Apr 5, 2010 : 2:09 p.m.
Very interesting. Thanks for the update.
Nathan Bomey
Mon, Apr 5, 2010 : 1:52 p.m.
@Lokalisierung, Great question. Here's a link to Michigan's statute. I'll also paste the text of the relevant passage below. To summarize, the law states that selling tickets for a price greater than the original box office price is illegal -- unless, as you suggest, an off-site broker is licensed by the original seller to resell the tickets at a markup. In this instance, however, the university is not authorizing outside brokers to sell tickets. Therefore, since the university is distributing the tickets for free, selling them at any price would be illegal. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(r2vnbkf4caag3yrcc5ggn0in))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=mcl-750-465&query=on&highlight=tickets >>>(2) A person owning, occupying, managing, or controlling a building, room, park or enclosure for the sale of tickets for a theatre, circus, athletic game, or place of public entertainment or amusement, who asks, demands, or receives from a person for the sale of the ticket to a theatre, circus, athletic grounds, or place of public entertainment or amusement, a price in excess of the general admission advertised or charged for the same privilege, or a person, who by himself or herself or his or her agent or employee, offers for sale upon a public place or thoroughfare, a ticket to a theatre, circus, athletic grounds, or place of public entertainment or amusement, for admission to, or for a seat or other privilege in a theatre, circus, athletic grounds, or place of public entertainment or amusement, at a price in excess of that demanded or received from the general public for the same privilege, or in excess of the advertised or printed rate, shall be punished as provided in subsection (6), except if the request, demand, or receipt is with the written permission of the owner, lessee, operator, or manager of the theatre, circus, athletic grounds, or place of public entertainment or amusement where the event occurs. If the owner, lessee, operator, or manager permits, in writing, a charge in excess of the box office price, the permission shall be limited to the sales of tickets at locations other than the box office where the event occurs.
Lokalisierung
Mon, Apr 5, 2010 : 1:37 p.m.
"Tickets are free, and under state law, selling them for a profit is illegal." Hmmm....I don't know if that's true. I wonder if going through a ticket broker who can legally sell above listed price would make it ok?