TPAC Reminds Theatergoers to Beware of Online Ticket Scalpers

With tickets going on sale Friday, February 8, for Disney’s The Lion King, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center is reminding theatergoers to be aware of secondary ticket sellers, brokers, and scalpers who prey on customers interested in such high-profile entertainment.

TPAC is the only official retailer for tickets to The Lion King’s four-week run in Nashville, May 7 through June 2. Starting Friday, February 8 at 10:00 a.m., tickets can be purchased at www.tpac.org, by calling (615) 782-4040, or visiting the TPAC Box Office, 505 Deaderick Street, in downtown Nashville. Patrons who have unfortunate experiences with scalpers are urged to contact TPAC by emailing patronservices@tpac.org or calling (615) 782-4000.

One of the nation’s most popular touring productions, Disney’s The Lion King is the kind of high-demand, anxiously anticipated entertainment that is often exploited by professional scalpers and ticket brokers who take advantage of legitimate customers.

The Nashville performances are already under siege by professional ticket scalpers offering tickets on resale websites even though the first ticket will not be sold until February 8.  For example, an online search for “Lion King Nashville” results in several professional-looking websites offering tickets at prices up to three times higher than the actual price. Because these tickets are not yet on sale, these brokers are selling tickets that are not in their possession. As a result, they cannot guarantee seat selection and may sell tickets that are invalid or do not exist.

“We come at this from a customer service point of view. These secondary ticket sellers mislead fans with deceptive websites, speculative ticketing sales, and outrageous prices when plenty of face-value tickets are available at the official box office,” said Kathleen O’Brien, TPAC’s president and chief executive officer. “These sellers offer no support to patrons if they have an invalid ticket or need to exchange a ticket. Our staff offers that service because we want to ensure a positive experience for our guests, but if tickets are purchased from another source we lose that ability.”

To protect theatergoers from unscrupulous professional ticket scalpers, TPAC has joined the Tennessee Sports & Entertainment Industry Coalition (TSEIC), a group of more than 70 Tennessee live entertainment venues, major professional sports franchises, tour promoters and performers working in support of new “fairness in ticketing” legislation being considered by the Tennessee General Assembly.

Members of the coalition include the Nashville Symphony, Tennessee Titans, LP Field, Country Music Association, Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry, Nashville Predators, FedExForum in Memphis, the University of Tennessee (Thompson-Boling Arena), Bristol Motor Speedway, and artists including Kenny Chesney, Eric Church and the Black Keys.

The Fairness in Ticketing Act, if approved, would better protect consumers in the resale market. Professional ticket sellers would be required to register and have an online identity and contact, declare that they have in-hand the tickets they propose to sell, and disclose the original purchase price. Operators of online sales sites also would be prohibited from using trademarks of venues and artists to masquerade as official sites.

TPAC recommends that customers always purchase tickets to TPAC and other venues from the official ticket sellers only.

“It’s important to remember that TPAC is not just another entertainment venue. We’re a non-profit organization with a mission to provide broad and meaningful exposure to the performing arts,” O’Brien said. “Our world turns on engagement with the families who come through our doors, so ensuring that access is affordable, convenient, and memorable is a high priority for us.”

The Fairness in Ticketing Act is sponsored by Rep. Ryan Haynes (R-Knoxville) and Sen. Ken Yager (R-Harriman). For more information on the Fairness in Ticketing Act, visit: www.standwithfans.org/tn.

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Over three decades, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center has welcomed more than 11 million audience members and served more than 1.5 million students and educators with performances at TPAC, resources for teachers, classroom residencies, and enrichment programs for adults.  Founded in 1980, TPAC serves several hundred thousand audience members each year with the annual series of HCA/TriStar Broadway at TPAC, a variety of special engagements, and the productions of the three resident artistic companies—Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera, and Tennessee Repertory Theatre. For more information, visit www.tpac.org.