THOUGH they have claimed the mantle of respectability ever since they jumped online in the late 1990's, ticket scalpers have not been able to shake their reputation as hustlers out to make a quick buck on sold-out shows. But with America Online, the tamest player on the Wild Wild Web, joining them, can legitimacy be far behind?

Last week, AOL opened its Ticket Marketplace service on its City Guide pages, offering everything from a front-row seat to the Paul McCartney concert at Madison Square Garden in September for $3,420, to a nosebleed view of the Rolling Stones at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday for $56.

Don't have $3,420 to spare? You might try Ticketmaster, the official ticket merchant for the McCartney show. The best seat available last week was four levels up and behind the stage, but it was a relative bargain at $99.

Tempted by the chance to see the Stones from afar for $56? You should be; that is half the price offered for a comparable seat by Ticketmaster.

AOL doesn't actually sell the seats. Rather, it serves as the intermediary for two Internet purveyors that do, TicketsNow.com and StubHub.com. Like the industry as a whole, both sites have enjoyed strong growth over the past year. And like the rest of the industry, both crave a more intangible asset, public acceptance as straight shooters. Such acclaim has so far eluded them, but they are hoping AOL's blessing might bring it within reach.

"We've been doing this for a while, and still people often ask, 'Is this legal?' " said Kenneth Dotson, chief marketing officer for TicketsNow in Crystal Lake, Ill. "The fact that AOL is making such a big splash with this is an indication to people that not only is this legal, but it's legitimate, and a great alternative if they can't get the tickets they want."

And don't call the business he is in scalping. "Secondary ticketing" is the industry's preferred term, though "online ticket brokers" or "ticket marketplaces" will also do nicely. "With the street-corner scalper, you have to pay cash, there's no way to get your money back and the guy won't be there after the game to help you if you've gotten a counterfeit ticket," Mr. Dotson said.

By contrast, he says, TicketsNow opens its site only to licensed ticket resellers, and screens them as an extra precaution.

Furthermore, he says, TicketsNow guarantees the authenticity of all tickets it sells - an important consideration for, say, a business executive who invites a prospective client to a baseball playoff or big musical event. Being turned away at the door might make a bad impression, and "just getting your money back doesn't solve the problem," he said.

 EBay, which analysts say is by far the biggest secondary-ticketing site, does not disclose ticket sales. More>>>

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posted by ADMIN @ Monday, August 29, 2005