Brokers "Scalp" Hannah Montana Fans

[Mike Wooldridge]

Scalpers (http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/12/montana.tickets/index.html) Charge Up To $2,000 For $63 Concert Tickets

[Gina Stevenson]

Yeah, isn't that unbelievable!? Here in town it was sold out quickly, and scalpers are working it here, too. Yeah, Michigan is supposed to have a law, re $3 more than original price, or 10%, whatever is greater, but I've heard tickets are not exactly cheap here, either. Here's an example found on-line:"In response to the article on the Hannah Montana tickets. I was online ready to order tickets at 9:45 a.m. Saturday. My account was already created through Ticketmaster and at 10 (a.m.) I clicked submit to get my tickets, but there were no tickets available. I tried multiple times over the next hour each time with the same results. I then search the Internet for tickets and find multiple sites that have upwards of 100 tickets for sale at prices that went over $1,000 dollars. If you were only allowed to order 4 tickets, and you had to be a Michigan resident how did these scalpers get all of the tickets? I am hearing the same from parents all over the nation. Here is a link to a site I found. I think someone should look into Ticketmaster's methods of selling tickets." -- Kirby Knight

A copy of ticket lists, one in nearby GR [where they were supposed to be $60 tops]

http://www.ticketliquidator.com/tix/Tickets.aspx?evtid=664129

and then the Detroit area one, where we see nearly $1800 on some tickets]:

http://www.ticketliquidator.com/tix/Tickets.aspx?evtid=664128

And this, where there's "supposed to be a law," one of only a handful of states w/such laws. Well, there is a law, but it's being broken, and breaking the hearts of a bunch of young fans whose families cannot afford these ridiculous prices!

EDIT: OK, I just noticed that one thing that I'd clicked on but not read yet when googling said that there were about 150 in line who were able to get tickets, b/c the place was "allowed" to hold out from scalpers an approximate # of tickets as there were people in line. What!? If you didn't know better than to go down there and stand in line for hours, thinking you could get them on-line, there was really no chance!? Awww ... poor kids [tho' it's not the actually poor who could afford to go, anyway].

[Bruce Carriker]

Free enterprise at work! Is this a great country or what?

[Ian Gentles]

Its a racket that pays well. We call em ticket touts.

[Gina Stevenson]

Free enterprise at work! Is this a great country or what?

Yeah, we caught the sarcasm. The general population isn't in the income category to be able to withstand scalpers everytime something big happens.

[Bruce Carriker]

Yeah, we caught the sarcasm. The general population isn't in the income category to be able to withstand scalpers everytime something big happens.

Who cares? The rich can still afford those prices, and who else matters?