I've never scalped before. What is the best method for scalping tickets at Neyland? I don't have tickets but am considering making the trek if I think i'd be able to find some seats at a reasonable price. Any tips?
My best recommendations are -
(1) KNOW the seats for the entire stadium with your eyes closed before you step into any negotiations. Don't let any scalper tell you how good seats are. Most of those dudes want to put you in YY7 Row 26 for as much as they can get away with. Nothing personal, they just want to maximize profit. Know the seats, know the top rows for each deck, and keep that in mind before you speak to anyone.
Example below - know this chart by heart.
http://www.gridscape.com/facilities/stadium/virtualneyland/TN_Seating_Chart.jpg
(1a) Shaded side is worth more than sunny side. Sunny side are sections A-E, shaded side are sections S-V.
(2) Always be willing to walk away. Never feel you have to buy. There are always more tickets and always more scalpers. Never buy under pressure. If you get that "aww, man, I should just buy this and get it over with but I don't like these seats," just take a step back. They *need* to sell, but you don't *have* to buy. Watching the game on a TV with beer at a bar isn't the end of the world. Tell 'em you'll be back, tell 'em whatever. But don't let them push you into a deal you don't want.
(2a) Opposite of 2 -- if you really like the seats and you want to get them, don't hesitate over the difference between 120 and 150 (*) dollars or somesuch. You found something you like! Enjoy it. Move on and enjoy the game, too.
(3) If you're not sure how the tickets are going (and for bigger games like Florida it can be a dangerously hot market), talk to a handful and see what they're asking. See what sitting in Sections S-U in the low rows (or so on) is going to run you. That's a good baseline for "holy cow" money. Then hit up the others and start running through the prices you want to pay as you negotiate.
(3b) Don't show money until the deal is struck. Keep it split up in case you want to thumb through a little less than what they're wanting for show, but that's a bit ... much ... for your first scalping experience.
(4) If you want to save money, then you can take a deep breath and GAMBLE on getting tickets after kickoff. For big games (such as Florida) this is really risky, but it's paid off a few times before. If you see lots of tickets in the air and it's 5 minutes to kickoff, well, there you go.
If you only take one piece of this advice, go with #1. Knowing the actual rows and sections will save you a lot of buyer's remorse. Get your money's worth. Good luck!
(*) - Tickets for a marquee game can run well above 150 though, so don't take this example literally. If you want to sit on the 45 on Row 15, you're going to pay for the privilege.
