Unfettered Letters

Ticket scalping in Missouri

Last year the Missouri General Assembly approved and Gov. Matt Blunt signed a bill making ticket scalping legal in Missouri.

I believe that ticket scalping squeezes regular folks — the taxpayers who support the building of these stadiums — right out of the ability to see sporting events and concerts.

As long as we have taxpayer-supported venues, we must protect the rights of the taxpayer to have access to the tickets at face value. What happened in Kansas City at the Hannah Montana and Elton John concerts cannot be repeated.

If the General Assembly thought that the ticket-scalping bill was a good bill, it should have passed it on its own during regular session in plain sight, not during special session as part of a spending bill.

The people of Missouri and the entire nation are tired of earmarks and tired of high prices. Let’s keep tickets at reasonable prices in the hands of families, not in the hands of ticket scalpers and ticket brokers.

Please call your representatives in Jefferson City and tell them we don’t want ticket scalpers in Missouri.

Ward Dickmann
Raytown

Chiefs tickets

This will be my 41st year with Chiefs season tickets. My sisters won’t be out there with me this year. They tried to make a partial payment on their tickets over the Internet, like they do every year, but the Chiefs said no. Come out to Arrowhead, take time off work and they would accept a partial. So my sisters are going to stay home and watch the Chiefs on TV, if they sell out Arrowhead.

Alexander Madrigal
Kansas City, Kan.

Chiefs ticket prices

As a Chiefs season ticket holder since 1972, I was for the tax to improve the stadium. However, I take exception to the fact that the football club seems to want to charge me again for the improvements, just because I sit in the club level.

The price of the tickets is more than doubling so we can have a hotel atmosphere with fireplaces. (How about a winning team?)

Really, I believe it’s so the richer people can have our seats. But, I didn’t see them grabbing up tickets and filling up the stadium this season. Nor will they if we don’t win.

I’m being priced out of my seats of 30-plus years with a bums rush. Is this a way to get the common folk away from the club level or maybe the Chiefs away from Kansas City?

Connie McQuain
Independence

Jonas Brothers frustration

The Sprint Center just got the last of my money.

I bought tickets for the Feb. 27 Jonas Brothers concert five days prior to the concert through Ticketmaster. I spent more than $125 on tickets for lower-level seats.

That was OK.

But the night of the concert I picked up the tickets at the box office. A lady next to me was purchasing floor seats, 12 rows back from the stage.

What? I was told all floor seats were sold out when ordering tickets, only to discover that the promoters gave their tickets back to the Sprint Center to resell.

So I spend $125 and get lower-level, she spends $85 and gets next to the stage.

Does anyone know the name of the person who runs this place?

TerriLynn Ozburn
Shawnee

‘Wicked’ fans disappointed

Last fall our book club thoroughly enjoyed the book Wicked by Gregory Maguire. We were excited to learn that the musical would be playing in Kansas City this spring. What great frustration to us to find tickets for several performances were sold out as soon as they were available to the public.

Of course, tickets are available at steep prices from online vendors who were able to purchase blocks of tickets before they went on sale to the public.

For example, we wanted moderately priced tickets for a matinee in the range of $65; these same tickets are now available from other vendors for $269. This process is ridiculous!

On behalf of eight other wickedly disappointed readers,

Sarah Haug
Marshall, Mo.

Chiefs club level seats

I don’t know if I’m more upset with the Chiefs for their selfishly greedy handling of the price increase for Club Level season ticket holders, or The Star for not moving faster to put all season-ticket holders on notice (2/16, Sports Daily, “Ticket plan riles Chiefs fans; Team gives club-level holders 10 days to decide on major price increase”).

My father transferred two tickets to me when he became too elderly to attend the games. They have been in my family for 41 years. They have been a source of some great moments in Kansas City football and they have been a source of unforgettable family memories.

Every year the Chiefs send us a letter that talks about the family of Chiefs fans and how important we are to the organization.

This isn’t how functional families work.

Those on the Club Level have paid dearly for little more than a shorter line for the women’s restroom. We are due more courtesy, recognition and respect. We should be given more than 10 days to make a five-year commitment that reflects a large portion of our entertainment dollars.

Since all season ticket holders will be benefiting from the stadium improvements, why aren’t all being asked for a five-year commitment?

I expected more from Clark Hunt.

Teri Smedley
Lees Summit

Symphony scalping

I would like to thank the Kansas City Symphony for making one of my wildest fantasies a reality. Tickets were actually being scalped for last week’s concert. Wow!

Steve Israelite
Lee’s Summit

Bon Jovi tickets

There I was, armed with cell phone in one hand and computer mouse in the other, ready to purchase Bon Jovi tickets. They went on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday for the second show scheduled at the new Sprint center in April.

I dialed the number, and the line was busy. I checked the number of floor tickets on the Web site and at 10:01, they were sold out. How can this be? Who gets all those tickets, anyway?

I end up in Section 120, Row 15. I didn’t even get to pick my section. I sure hope I can see him from there, after spending over $115 a ticket. I hope the hotel room is a bargain!

Bon Jovi: priceless.

Sherry Meyer
California, Mo.

Ticket scalping

The average Joe gets it again. Missouri is allowing scalpers and ticket outlets to give us the shaft. Last time, I checked, ticket prices were already too high. These people are legalized cheats. Right now, it would cost about $80 for a Chiefs ticket, $22 to park your car. So if there’s just two of you, it will cost close to $200 to see a Chiefs game — although this year they should pay you to go watch them.

How would you like to be waiting in line to buy a ticket, get to the window, and hear, “Sorry, we’re sold out.” Then a scalper says he will sell a ticket for an outlandish price. If this would happen to me I would never attend anything again.

Wise up, people. Your rooms at home look awfully good about now.

Don Witmer
Kansas City

Happy with Sprint Center

I was one of many disconcerted in the public when Elton John tickets went on sale for the Sprint Center’s opening show.

I did not buy, or attempt to buy, tickets to the show through Ticketmaster.

I have to report that Saturday’s concert was spectacular.

Elton John put on a fantastic show, and the event was marvelous and highly entertaining. I took my 13-year-old son to the inaugural event at Kansas City’s new first-rate arena.

I paid $60 ($30 apiece) for two upper-level tickets at 7:55 p.m. from a gentleman on the street by Willie’s Bar. We got to our seats just as “Funeral for a Friend” was starting, and the seats were just fine.

By the way, the tickets originally cost someone $67.50 plus $9.50 each for the right to buy them from Ticketmaster.

Also, I found parking on the street four blocks away and didn’t have to pay $10 just to park.

I’m a satisfied Kansas City taxpayer and enjoyed every minute of this priceless evening of entertainment with my son.

Richard Plackemeier
Kansas City