A scalper was arrested selling tickets to a Diamondback vs Rockies MLB playoff game -- the 58 seats that he purchased to sell for a profit will be empty when the Arizona club visits Coors Field.
You see them outside concerts, sports arenas and even the theater -- scalpers. Offering great seats for a huge profit. In this case, Charles Whitlock (23) was selling the 60 $100 tickets he purchased for $300 each. He'd sold 2 tickets before his arrest. As for the remaining 58 tickets
"They go out of play and into evidence until the case is adjudicated. (Besides), they have been sold already"
According to
The Denver Post, it's a misdemeanor to sell tickets for profit within Denver city limits, punishable by a fine up to $999. It's also illegal to sell tickets on the property of the venue, even at face value.
Fans who were present had their own ideas about what should be done with the tickets.
"They should go to some great foundation for kids from indigent families that would never get to go to a playoff game," said Aaron Tajachman, owner of a LoDo real estate business.
Scot Minshall, general manager of Jackson's Sports Rock bar across the street from the ballpark, sees a business opportunity: "I think they should bring them over here, and we should give them away to the first 58 people who come through the doors."
Rockies fan Kenny Lowenberg would like to see Whitlock's tickets put back in circulation through the ticket office. If Whitlock is guilty of scalping the tickets, he was way out of line, Lowenberg added. "That is a lot of tickets. What a dunskie."
When he was arrested, Whitlock was carrying a spreadsheet indicating that he expected to make a $14,000 profit from the sale of the tickets.
It's unfortunate that the tickets in question won't be put back into circulation. I don't know if it would be considered ethical for Coors Field to reissue and sell those 58 tickets since they've already been paid for, Whitlock certainly isn't getting a refund. It's a shame that 58 baseball fans will have to miss their chance to go to a playoff game because of this guy.
