Empty Seat: Steelers Ticket Exchange Site Off To Slow Start

Steelers Fans Tuning Out Team's Ticket Exchange Service

The Steelers' ticket exchange service that allows season-ticket holders to sell tickets through the team's Web site "appears to be wildly unpopular," according to Chris Togneri of the Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW. Steelers Communications Coordinator Dave Lockett acknowledged that season-ticket holders, who can sell tickets through the service at no more than 25% above face value, "don't get cash for tickets they sell," but instead have their account credited. A ticket office employee said that sellers are also charged a fee of 10% of the sale price. Togneri noted that for much of last week leading up to the club's opening home game against the Bills, "zero tickets" were for sale on the Web site, and "no tickets for any game all year were on sale," until one ticket for $82.50 was posted on Thursday.  By contrast, "online auction sites not affiliated with the Steelers had thousands of tickets for sale -- for Sunday's game and future games."  Steelers fan David Eson said that he sells his father-in-law's unused tickets on eBay because "he can turn a bigger profit, without having to pay the Steelers a 10[%] commission," and added that he "resents the Steelers' bid to control ticket resales." Eson: "You already have to pay for two exhibition games that no one wants to go to, and they're already trying to get rid of all the tailgating so you have to buy all your food inside. Enough is enough" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 9/15).