Reselling season tickets can be a great way to make some extra money from tickets you can’t use. However, it does require some effort and savvy to maximize your profits. In this article, we’ll look at some of the key factors in reselling season tickets successfully.
Is there demand for the tickets you want to resell?
The first question to ask is whether there is demand for the specific tickets you have. Popular teams in major leagues like the NFL, NBA, and MLB generally have high demand for tickets. But even popular teams can vary in demand based on the specific seats you have, the opponents, and the day of the week. Weekend and evening games against big rivals will have the highest demand. If you have tickets for less attractive games, it will be harder to find buyers.
You can research demand by looking at sites like StubHub and VividSeats to see what similar tickets are reselling for. If your tickets are priced significantly below comparable listings, there is likely solid demand. If you see lots of listings going unsold or having prices slashed, demand may be lower.
Are your season tickets transferable?
Many teams now use mobile ticketing and have clamped down on transferability of tickets to cut down on resales. Season tickets may be non-transferable or limited in how many you can transfer. Transferring may require jumping through hoops like registering buyers with the team. If your tickets aren’t easily transferable, it severely limits your resale options.
Are you selling on an authorized resale site?
Teams are increasingly partnering with authorized resale sites like StubHub to facilitate exchanges while taking a cut of fees. Selling on unauthorized sites can get your tickets revoked. Make sure to review the team or venue’s resale policy and only use approved exchange sites. This also provides buyer protections if tickets are invalid.
How much competition is there?
Study the resale market to see how many other sellers are listing similar tickets to your games. Lots of competition will drive prices down. Consider avoiding saturated games and focus on selling less crowded games instead. You can also undercut current ticket prices slightly to get your listing more visibility. But don’t go too low or you’ll lose money.
Are you pricing the tickets competitively?
Research comparable ticket listings carefully when pricing your seats. The specific section, row, and seat matter. Don’t overprice or your tickets will never sell. But don’t underprice and lose money either. Allow yourself enough margin to make a profit after fees. Price drops can also stimulate buyer interest.
How much are the resale fees?
Resale sites charge fees to list tickets and process sales. These range from 10-20% of the sales price. Study the fees carefully and factor them into your pricing so you still make money. Also understand how and when you will get paid by the platform.
How early should you list the tickets?
Earlier is generally better when listing tickets, as it gives more time for buyers to find them. But you may want to wait closer to the event for very high demand games so you can see how prices trend. Avoid listing too close to the event though, as you want to allow enough time for the transaction. 2-4 weeks ahead is often ideal.
Should you break up or bundle games?
With season tickets, you have the option to break up games and sell them individually or bundle multiples together. Breaking up and selling high demand games separately can potentially earn more. But it’s more work. Bundling makes selling easier but may mean including less popular games at lower prices. See what strategies seem to work best for your particular package.
How do you avoid scams and payment issues?
Only sell to buyers with solid reviews on reputable resale platforms. Avoid shady buyers who ask to transact outside the platform. Only accept secure standard payment methods. Require fast payment and allow time for payments to fully process before transferring tickets, in case they are fraudulent.
Pros of Reselling Season Tickets
You can earn back some of the money you spent
Season tickets are a big investment. Reselling some games allows you to defray some of that cost and potentially even turn a profit. Popular packages for winning teams can make season tickets pay for themselves or better if resold wisely.
Good way to get value from unused tickets
It’s impossible for even diehard fans to attend every game. Reselling gives fans a way to exchange tickets for other games they can’t use. And they can get some return on investment for games they miss. It’s better than letting tickets go to waste.
Fun way to profit from your sports knowledge
Season ticket holders often have specialized knowledge of the team’s schedule, opponents, promotions, seating sections, etc. Leveraging this expertise through smart reselling tactics can be profitable and satisfying.
Cons of Reselling Season Tickets
Restrictions from teams on transfers
As noted above, many teams now place limits on season ticket transfers to cut down on third party sales. Things like mobile only tickets, registration requirements, and caps on transfer numbers make reselling harder.
Lots of competition from other sellers
Popular teams have lots of season ticket holders, all competing to resell their tickets too. More supply drives resale prices down. Creative pricing and sales strategies are essential.
Very time consuming to sell tickets
To sell tickets profitably requires closely monitoring listings, adjusting prices, fielding buyer inquiries, and handling payments. This takes a big time commitment. Not everyone wants an unpaid part-time job.
Possibility of fraudulent buyers
Despite protections on reputable resale sites, scammers still lurk looking to score free tickets. Savvy precautions are necessary to avoid non-payment or chargeback scams. Dealing with bad buyers adds further headaches.
Tips for Successfully Reselling Season Tickets
Here are some top tips for maximizing profits and success rates when reselling season tickets:
Use pricing analysis tools
Take advantage of pricing analytics from sites like StubHub and VividSeats to see real-time demand and suggested pricing ranges. Tools like these remove guesswork.
Bundle games strategically
Combine marquee games likely to sell out with weaker matchups to boost overall package value. But also break out very high demand games to sell individually at a premium.
Sell as far in advance as possible
Buyers plan ahead, so list tickets as soon as available to maximize selling time. Last minute listings are risky.
Keep communication professional
Respond to all buyer inquiries promptly and politely. This fosters trust and encourages sales. Being organized and professional matters.
Leverage promotions strategically
Time price drops and sales to coincide with busy periods like holidays or team promotions. Discounts can stimulate buyer activity.
Offer ticket delivery / transfer options
Digital ticket transfers are convenient for buyers. But also offer to meet locally or overnight tickets to provide security for high-value sales.
Stay up to date on team policies
Frequently review the team site for the latest on resale rules. Any policy changes can impact your plans. You may need to adjust strategies.
Case Studies and Examples
Here are some real world examples of successful season ticket resales:
Premium NFL Tickets
John purchased two premium season tickets for the Dallas Cowboys. The $20,000 personal seat licenses gave him the right to buy season tickets in the lower midfield section for $1,500 per ticket.
John attended 5 of the 8 regular season home games himself but sold the other 3 games individually on the NFL Ticket Exchange at an average price of $1,250 per ticket. After the 15% commission, that gave him $2,125 in revenue for the 3 games, offsetting over a third of his overall ticket costs.
NBA Ticket Packages
Maggie had season tickets for the Boston Celtics. For marquee games against the Lakers and Warriors she broke out her tickets and sold them individually, grossing $275 each.
For lower demand games against weaker teams, she bundled 3 games together and sold the 3-pack for $400 total. After fees she netted $760 from reselling 6 games, almost half the cost of her full season ticket package.
MLB Weekend Games
Will purchased New York Yankees season tickets but resold weekend games he couldn’t attend. He made over 50% profit on most weekend sales by pricing 20%+ above face value. Weeknight games only sold at small margins.
Overall Will recouped 90% of his season ticket costs by reselling the 20 weekend games at a large per ticket profit while taking a small loss on reselling the weeknight games just to unload them.
Should You Resell Your Season Tickets?
Here are some key factors to consider when deciding if reselling season tickets is right for you:
Do you have in-demand tickets?
Reselling only works if other people want to buy your specific tickets. Assess the market demand for your particular package.
Are you allowed to resell the tickets?
Review the team or venue’s resale policy. Many restrict season ticket transfers now.
Do you have the time and patience?
Reselling is a time investment. Are you willing to put in the work regularly monitoring listings and communicating with buyers?
Are you comfortable haggling?
Most buyers will try to negotiate discounts. Be prepared to barter.
Can you navigate the resale platforms?
Learn the listing and pricing tools available on sites like StubHub and VividSeats.
Do you enjoy analyzing data?
There is a lot of demand analysis involved in optimal pricing. Crunching numbers comes with the territory.
If the answers to the above are generally yes, reselling season tickets could be quite rewarding for you from a monetary perspective. But also consider if the time spent will take away from enjoying the games themselves as a fan. Find the balance that fits your priorities.
Conclusion
Reselling season tickets offers sports fans an opportunity to recoup some of their investment in season packages and even profit above face value for hot ticket games. But it requires knowledge, effort, time, and patience to maximize returns. Consider both the financial and enjoyment factors to decide if reselling unused tickets is right for your personal situation as a season ticket holder. Use smart analysis and sales strategies to tilt the odds of success in your favor.