FresnoTicketFinder.com/TicketNetwork.com are marking up community theater shows, events by more than 1,000%
By Reggie Ellis @Reggie_SGN
VISALIA – The Visalia Fox Theatre is warning patrons about an online ticket seller that has been marking up ticket prices by more than 1,000% for some local shows.
Marina Rojas, Marketing & Development Manager for the Visalia Fox Theatre, said she first became aware of the issue a few weeks ago when she began receiving calls about outrageous ticket prices for Enchanted Playhouse Theater Company’s production of Prince Caspian in October. As recently as Sept. 19, when people tried to purchase Prince Caspian tickets through Facebook, tickets were as high as $181, even though the Fox Theatre is selling tickets for a flat rate ranging from $6 for students to $10 for adults.
“The fact that community theatre tickets got on the site for $200 with tax instead of $10 shows you what kind of site you are dealing with,” Rojas said.
When Rojas did a general internet search for the concert, one of the first results was for a site called FresnoTicketFinder.com, which was also one of the first places the concert came up on Facebook as well. When she found the play, she clicked on the “Buy Tickets Now” button which took her to a secondary site called TicketNetwork.com.
“The site looks like a legitimate site and they list all of our shows as soon as we put them on our website,” Rojas said.
Unlike established ticket resellers, such as StubHub and Ticketmaster where people who have already purchased tickets can try to sell them for more or less than what they paid, TicketNetwork is selling seats that have not been purchased yet. The disclaimer on the site says the company offers a 100% money-back guarantee but does not guarantee specific seats, instead only offering a row within a section of the theatre.
“Maybe one in 10 people will go through the work of getting their money back and that’s what they are banking on,” Rojas said.
When Rojas called the site’s customer service line posing as a customer, they told her that they work with the venue, in this case the Visalia Fox, even though the Visalia Fox does not authorize any third-party sales of seats.
“What happens when they sell a seat that has already been sold?,” Rojas asked rhetorically. “If seats are double booked we’ll have to find a way to honor that sale. We are the ones left holding the bag.”
When she asked to speak with a supervisor, she was forwarded to the number for TicketNetwork.com employees to request time off. Eventually Rojas worked her way through the phone tree to the front desk where she asked to talk with the person in charge of their social media. The receptionist asked her to call back later because that person was gone for the day. When Rojas asked for the name of the person to call back later, the receptionist said she was not able to give out that information.
“Why wouldn’t you give out the contact information for the marketing person, whose job it is to work with partners?,” Rojas said.
The Better Business Bureau shows that TicketNetwork.com is owned by Ticket Software, LLC based in South Windsor, Conn. While the company does have an A+ rating with BBB, customers rate it a one out of five stars. Customer reviews used phrases such as “scam organization,” “highway robbery,” “ripoff service,” and “fraudulent” to describe the ticketing website. There was one positive review on the site from 2017.
Rojas warned local theater goers not to use FresnoTicketFinder.com to purchase tickets for Fox Theatre shows or shows for their partners such as Enchanted Playhouse Theater Company and the Sequoia Symphony directly from the Fox Theatre or those organizations.
“We are a nonprofit, community theater that depends on repeat customers to maintain the theater and keep it open,” Rojas said. “When you buy from this site, none of that money makes its way back to the Fox.”
For tickets to upcoming shows at the theatre visit foxvisalia.org or call the box office at 559-625-1369. You can also email [email protected]. For tickets to this season of the Sequoia Symphony, visit SequoiaSymphonyOrchestra.com, like them on Facebook or follow them on Instagram.
