Pittsburgh tickets?

[hockeymom 2]

We're going to be in Pittsburgh next weekend for a hockey tournament... and I'd like to take MissD to the game on Saturday (vs Thrashers). The game is sold out... what's the best way to find tickets AND can anyone give me an idea of what they'd be worth?

[saveourpens 0]

Im a season ticket holder and sell some of my tickets. I can tell you that between buying from the Pens, scalpers, stub hub, etc, ebay would be the best way to go.

price drops closer to gameday so if you want a good deal, wait 1-2 days before the game.

[Jason Harris 31]

My neighbor was a ticket broker/street hustler, so he taught me the tricks.

First, you need to bear in mind that tickets have become so expensive that corporations are buying a lot of them, then they give them to an employee. He tries to find friends to join him for the game, but too many of his buddies are busy, so he goes to the game with one friend and figures he'll scalp the other two. He tells his friend to meet him for dinner at the sports bar, then an hour goes by before they realize, "Oh, geez, we have to hurry to the game!" It's only ten minutes until face-off, so they rush to the main gate, and the guy figures it's no big deal if he eats the tickets because he didn't pay for them anyway.

At that point, you need to stand about 30-50 feet in front of the main door and discreetly ask if anybody has any extra tickets. (There's nothing illegal about this, but you generally are on private property and they can ask you to go across the street. The problem with this is the hustlers hang out across and they don't give any bargains ever.) If somebody says they have tickets, you tell them something like, "Great, I'm just looking to get in, so it doesn't matter to me where the seats are." Basically, you're trying to diminish the value of the seats, because it doesn't matter to you where they are.

Then you wait to learn where the seats are. About 20% of the time, they'll just hand them to you. Other times they'll give you a price that's much higher, but you tell them the seats sound great but you weren't looking to spend that much. I've generally been able to get in for $20 for lowers and $10 for uppers. I guarantee you that you should easily be able to get in at much less than face value, because you're trying to catch the guy who's resigned himself to walking in with an unused ticket. If you give him $20, that's a couple of beverages as far as he is concerned.

A couple of points. 1) This works better during the week than weekends, because it's easier to find people all day on Saturday versus at the last minute on Tuesday. 2) Sellouts are to your advantage because it increases the chances of unused tickets. For example, The Big D was given four tickets to the Avs three weeks ago; the game was a "sell out," but I bet the lower level was less than 30% full. 3) If you start looking for tickets too early, people will ask for more money because they figure they can hold out for more. 4) Make sure you are polite. I've had people come back to me and lower their price because no one else was looking to buy. Basically, you say to them, "I'm sure they are great seats, but I can't pay that much." 5) MissD is probably too old for this, but a street urchin helps. My neighbor took me to a Colorado Buffs football game and he told his son, "Matt, get me some tickets." The kid was given 11 free tickets in half-an-hour!

Again, you'll be able to find tickets. It's just a question of how much off face. Heck, even for the World Series here in Denver, someone posted that he paid $100 for $90 face tickets.

[hockeytim18 0]

Like Salming said if you wait by an entrance there will be scalpers. By the front entrance I know there are three guys who always have tickets and there's always tickets by any other entrance. If you wait til' the game starts that will bring the price down as well.

[jeffw 1]

We're going to be in Pittsburgh next weekend for a hockey tournament... and I'd like to take MissD to the game on Saturday (vs Thrashers). The game is sold out... what's the best way to find tickets AND can anyone give me an idea of what they'd be worth?

Where are you guys playing? My son's team is doing a tourney up there next weekend.

Last time I went to a Pens game my brother & I were standing in the ticket line and a cop walks up to us & asks if we're buying tickets. I said yes & he hands us two that he had just confiscated from a scalper.

Lousy seats but they were free so........ B)

[saveourpens 0]

yeah, you can get good deals from scalpers, but it's terrible to do business with them. Most of them, at least in Pittsburgh, are essentialy homeless people who try to make money getting extra tickets and reselling them.

I don't know about weekends, but weedays, I saw last game, someone was offering 2 seats in the igloo club for $50 ($115 each for sth price).

But I assume that you want some assurance that you're going to the game, so ebay is your best bet.

[camhockey16 5]

i would sell you mine - but i have the "B' package and the 24th is a game included in the "A" package.. i thought i was actually going to be able to help you out for a min there :(

[Zamboni 6]

Ask your teams manager to email the tourney organizer-that worked for us in Pittsburgh and Ottawa.

First I would email the Pens directly myself-they hold back some tix, get a few back from players that can't use them also....may get lucky. Do mention you tried to buy and visiting for a hockey tourney-may help.

[hockeymom 2]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. The coach tried to put something together, but it fell through... so we're on our own. Still, he finessed the tourny sched to give us Saturday night off.. so I'd like to get to the game if I can. Is it legal to scalp tickets in Pittsburgh (I bought tickets in NY to see Gretz play and it felt like a drug deal...lol)

Apparently there's both a girl's and boy's hockey tourny happening on the same weekend... might mean more activity looking for tickets.

eh, I'm leaving Thursday to do some xmas shopping on the thanksgiving Friday - understand it is like our boxing day sales.

[RadioGaGa 162]

...eh, I'm leaving Thursday to do some xmas shopping on the thanksgiving Friday - understand it is like our boxing day sales.

Isn't that the busiest retail day of the year in the States. Good luck!

[D-MaN88 0]

Good Ol' Black Friday.

I work at the TGIFriday's here in the local mall, let me tell you we make bank but the mall is packed from the time it opens at 8 a.m. til the last store closes at 12 a.m.

Good luck as it is the busiest shopping day here in the states. There are some definite deals to be had, good luck fighting for them. ;)

[saveourpens 0]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. The coach tried to put something together, but it fell through... so we're on our own. Still, he finessed the tourny sched to give us Saturday night off.. so I'd like to get to the game if I can. Is it legal to scalp tickets in Pittsburgh (I bought tickets in NY to see Gretz play and it felt like a drug deal...lol)

Apparently there's both a girl's and boy's hockey tourny happening on the same weekend... might mean more activity looking for tickets.

eh, I'm leaving Thursday to do some xmas shopping on the thanksgiving Friday - understand it is like our boxing day sales.

Yes, scalpers can hustle outside the Mellon arena limits. Just go on the side of Center Ave. farthest away from the arena and you should see a half dozen of them on the sidewalk. You'll know they are scalpers when you see them.

[hockeymom 2]

Yes, scalpers can hustle outside the Mellon arena limits. Just go on the side of Center Ave. farthest away from the arena and you should see a half dozen of them on the sidewalk. You'll know they are scalpers when you see them.

Thanks... I'll look to ebay first for a sure thing, but hit the streets as a fall-back. eh, even if we don't get tickets, that'll still be a bit of an adventure (as she looks for silver lining).

Shopping? I hate shopping always avoid our boxing day sales. There's an outlet mall that opens at midnight... so, inspite of my intense dread - who in their right mind (even WITH the Canadian dollar) wants to drive 5 hrs for an outlet mall push'n shove crazies at midnight? - I'm "being a sport" or maybe just a jockstrap, lol. Wonder how long I'll last before I'm begging MissD to let me go nap in the car?

[Chadd 916]

http://www.stubhub.com/pittsburgh-penguins...event_id=423023

Lower E balcony seats are some of my favorites.

Not sure what rink is holding the tournament but if you're at the airport rink Robinson Town Center is an absolute zoo on black Friday. I've been there during the holiday rush once or twice with the in-laws and I'll never do it again.

[Swiss17 0]

Exactly what Chadd said, stay away from Robinson that day. Trust Me

[Cheesehead 0]

http://www.stubhub.com/pittsburgh-penguins...event_id=423023

Lower E balcony seats are some of my favorites.

Not sure what rink is holding the tournament but if you're at the airport rink Robinson Town Center is an absolute zoo on black Friday. I've been there during the holiday rush once or twice with the in-laws and I'll never do it again.

I think im playing in the same tournament... I think its called the Pittsburgh Thanksgiving Classic. All of my game on friday are at the Airport rink. Do you have any idea of about how long it should take to get there? I think were staying at a hotel near the airport, but im not sure.

Thanks

[Chadd 916]

http://www.stubhub.com/pittsburgh-penguins...event_id=423023

Lower E balcony seats are some of my favorites.

Not sure what rink is holding the tournament but if you're at the airport rink Robinson Town Center is an absolute zoo on black Friday. I've been there during the holiday rush once or twice with the in-laws and I'll never do it again.

I think im playing in the same tournament... I think its called the Pittsburgh Thanksgiving Classic. All of my game on friday are at the Airport rink. Do you have any idea of about how long it should take to get there? I think were staying at a hotel near the airport, but im not sure.

Thanks

Leave very early, 90 minutes before game time at a minimum.

[saveourpens 0]

http://www.stubhub.com/pittsburgh-penguins...event_id=423023

Lower E balcony seats are some of my favorites.

Not sure what rink is holding the tournament but if you're at the airport rink Robinson Town Center is an absolute zoo on black Friday. I've been there during the holiday rush once or twice with the in-laws and I'll never do it again.

I think im playing in the same tournament... I think its called the Pittsburgh Thanksgiving Classic. All of my game on friday are at the Airport rink. Do you have any idea of about how long it should take to get there? I think were staying at a hotel near the airport, but im not sure.

Thanks

That airport ice arena rink is a dump. you'd think the building's about to go, but those are just the airplanes above you.